NM Game and Fish Fishing Report Feb 23, 2016

This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

Check out the stocking report through Oct. 19. Lake levels and stream flows.

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Catches of the week:

Bluewater Lake: Adrianna Martinez, 11, of San Mateo, NM, caught a 21-inch rainbow trout Feb. 21. She was using rainbow garlic PowerBait.
Navajo Lake: Justin Todd of Aztec caught and released a big northern pike Feb. 17. He was using a three inch rainbow trout colored jerk bait.
Tingley Beach: Katie Jacobson, 9, of Albuquerque, caught and released a 19-inch golden rainbow trout Feb. 16. She was fishing the Bob Gerding Catch and release pond and using a pink egg pattern. It was her first golden trout. Nadia Marez, 10, of Los Lunas caught a 17-inch rainbow trout Feb. 20. She was fishing the Youth Pond and using a combination of white Gulp eggs and garlic PowerBait. Nadia and her step brother, Jack Byers, caught their limits of trout in half an hour.

The following came in late for last week’s report but we felt it was definitely worth mentioning:

Tingley Beach: Manny Chavez of Albuquerque, caught a 22.5-inch largemouth bass Feb. 14. He was fishing the Central Pond and using PowerBait.

If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, age, hometown, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.

Feb 23

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Open for the season March 1.

Clayton Lake: Opens for the season at noon on March 1.

Cimarron River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair using jigging spoons for walleye. Fishing was fair using shrimp, dough bait and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Cowles Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eagle Rock Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eagle Nest Lake: As of this past Saturday, ATVs and snowmobiles were no longer allowed on the ice and with the continued warm weather, the lake may close to ice fishing sooner rather than later. Fishing was good using small jigs and PowerBait for trout. Fishing was good using meal worms for perch. We had no reports on other species. Fishing pressure was light. For updated ice conditions, contact the State Park office at 575-377-1594.

Gallinas River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Alice: The ice was rapidly melting this past week and the lake has been closed to ice fishing. For updates, contact the State Park office at 575-445-5607.

Lake Maloya: As of this past Sunday, the ice was about 10 inches thick. Fishing for trout was good using homemade dough bait, corn and PowerBait. This lake may close to ice fishing as early as this week. For updates on ice conditions, contact the Sugarite State Park office at 575-445-5607.

Los Pinos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Maxwell Lake 13: Open for the season March 1.

Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was very good using PowerBait, Gulp eggs, Pistol Petes and worms. Cliff Cisneros of Santa Fe reported that he and his wife and their two grandchildren caught and released 20 trout in two hours on Feb. 20. They were using PowerBait.

Morphy Lake: Closed for the season.

Pecos River: Stream flow on Monday was 77 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using small streamers, power eggs, PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday was 52 cfs. Fishing was fair using salmon eggs for trout.

Red River City Ponds: Open for the season March 1.

Rio Costilla: We had no reports from anglers this week. Put this one on your list for great spring fishing.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 809 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Rio Hondo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Pueblo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Bank fishing was good using PowerBait and homemade dough bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Shuree Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Springer Lake: Ice fishing is not allowed on this lake.

Storrie Lake: Fishing was good using corn, PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species. There was no ice on the lake over the weekend.

Stubblefield Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Ute Lake: Fishing was fair using stink bait and liver for catfish. Fishing was slow to fair using deep diving crank baits, slab spoons and blade baits for white bass and walleye. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the mid to upper 40s.

Winsor Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing pressure was light and fishing was slow for all species. There were a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 498 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, Gulp eggs, salmon eggs, streamers and San Juan worms.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Trout fishing on the Albuquerque Drain (South), Belen Riverside Drain, Peralta Drain and Corrales Drain was good using worms, salmon eggs, Gulp eggs, egg patterns, small jigs and small streamers. We had no reports on other species or from other drains.

Bluewater Lake: As of this past Friday, the lake was free of ice and open to bank fishing. Over the weekend, fishing was very good using an assortment of PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Canjilon Lakes: Closed by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice due to danger from falling trees.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 76 cfs and 220 cfs respectively. Fishing below Abiquiu continued very good using worms, egg patterns, wooly buggers and midge patterns for trout. Fishing below El Vado was good using worms, salmon eggs, small copper John Barrs and small streamers for a mixed bag of brown and rainbow trout. Water release from the lakes can alter fishing conditions. The best fishing is on those days when the flow has been consistent for a period of time.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

El Vado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Fenton Lake: Warm weather has caused closure of the lake to ice fishing as of Monday, Feb. 15. For ice condition updates, contact the state park office at 575-829-3630.

Heron Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Anglers should contact the State Park office at 575-588-7470 for updated ice conditions.

Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 53 cfs. The water was off color with recent runoff. Fishing slowed some from the previous week with just a few trout caught by anglers using worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other streams in the area.

Laguna Del Campo: Closed for the season.

Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Manzano Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using jerk baits and crank baits for northern pike. Fishing from the bank was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait. We had no reports on other species.

San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers.

San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake on Monday morning was 457 cfs with a visibility of about two feet. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was fair to good using black and grey midge patterns, cream and red larva, San Juan worms, egg patterns, and small streamers. Fishing through the bait waters was good using jerk baits, spoons, worms, PowerBait, Gulp eggs and salmon eggs for trout.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Central Pond and Youth Pond was excellent using homemade dough baits, Gulp eggs, PowerBait, Pistol Petes, egg patterns and small streamers. Trout fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was good using egg patterns, small leach patterns and small streamers. We had no reports on other species.

Trout Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing was fair to good using worms, PowerBait, cheese and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bear Canyon: Trout fishing was very good using salmon eggs, corn, PowerBait, Pistol Petes and wooly buggers. Carmen Merlano-Whitlock and her husband Kirt Whitlock of Las Crucescaught a six trout and five catfish over the weekend. The trout were caught on corn and PowerBait and the catfish with cut bait and hot dogs.

Bill Evans Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Caballo Lake: Fishing picked up a bit over the past weekend as anglers reported catching white bass and catfish. Best baits were crank baits for the bass and liver and stink baits for the catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was fair using blade baits and slab spoons for white bass. Fishing was fair to good using shrimp, liver and stink bait for catfish. A few largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were caught by anglers using crank baits and spoons. We had no reports on other species.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was good using homemade dough baits, PowerBait, worms, garlic cheese, small spoons and egg patterns for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Gila River: Stream flow as of Monday morning was 489 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Roberts: Trout fishing was good using worms, homemade dough bait, salmon eggs and PowerBait. We had no reports on other species.

Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday morning was 0.0 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Young Pond: Fishing was good using worms, corn, cheese, homemade dough baits and PowerBait. We had no reports on other species.

Southeast

Alto Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using PowerBait and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bataan Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 16 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was good using PowerBait, garlic cheese, worms and salmon eggs for trout.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage.

Bosque Redondo ponds: Fishing was fair using Pistol Petes, PowerBait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bottomless Lakes: Trout fishing was good using PowerBait and homemade dough bait.

Brantley Lake: Anglers are required to catch and release all fish here as high levels of pesticides have been found in some fish. Fishing was fair using crank baits and blade baits for white bass. Fishing was fair using jigs, tubes and crank baits for largemouth bass and white bass. We had no reports on other species.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, worms, homemade dough baits and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

El Rito Creek: Fishing was very good using worms, wax worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Eunice Lake: Fishing was fair to good using cheese, corn, salmon eggs and PowerBait for trout.

Green Meadow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was fair to good using garlic cheese, homemade dough bait and PowerBait for trout.

Grindstone Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Van: Fishing was fair to good using garlic cheese, PowerBait, salmon eggs, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and homemade dough bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake as of Monday morning was 37 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Perch Lake: Fishing was excellent using PowerBait, homemade dough bait, salmon eggs and small spoons for trout. Rick Apodaca reported that he and Chris Ortiz of Tucumcari, caught and released 68 trout on Feb. 21. They were using purple PowerBait. We had no reports on other species.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 50 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few small walleye and smallmouth bass caught by anglers using curly tail grubs, crank baits and jigs. The surface water temp has been ranging from the low to mid 40s.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Rat LTraps for smallmouth bass and an occasional walleye. Most of the bass were caught in 6 to 8 feet of water. Fishing was fair to good using liver on trotlines for catfish. We had no reports on other species.