New Mexico fishing and stocking reports for May 18, 2021

New Mexico fishing and stocking reports for May 18

05/18/2021

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This fishing report, provided by Dustin Berg of Go Unlimited (supporting disabled anglers) 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 latest stocking report

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Check the Fishing Conditions and Trip Planner!

The Department’s Fishing Conditions and Trip Planner was created using data from the 2016 to 2019 Weekly Fishing Reports to develop graphs depicting fishing conditions for several species and waterbodies throughout the year. Each graph represents the average fishing conditions for each week of the year over the four-year period.

Check out the new webpage to plan your trip now!

Take the Bass and Trout Challenges!

To promote bass and trout fishing opportunities in New Mexico and encourage anglers to branch out and discover new fishing waters and species, anglers can participate in the New Mexico Bass Challenge and the New Mexico Trout Challenge.

Catch all the challenge species that are found throughout New Mexico to receive your certificate and challenge coin!

A Message from the Department

As COVID-19 continues to force all of us to make changes to our daily schedule, the Department would like to remind you that together we can make a difference. To help minimize the spread of the virus:

Practice social distancing
Wash your hands regularly
Avoid non-essential travel
Wear a face covering
Avoid interacting with large groups

Click the flyer to the right. Please share it with your friends and family.

The Department is continuing to adapt our ways of working to conserve wildlife for all New Mexicans. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Department biologists and conservation officers continue to conduct wildlife surveys, contact anglers and OHV recreationists and stock fish in open waters throughout the state.

Our teams are wearing personal protective equipment for everyone’s safety while working in small groups for maximum social distancing. We ask for your help to keep everyone safe and healthy by following the NMDOH public health emergency order by wearing PPE while staying at least six feet away from staff and equipment.

Closure Information

The Department reminds anglers it is their responsibility to be aware of closures and contact land managers for properties of interest when restrictions are lifted.

Consult local government websites for information regarding specific city and town fishing access.

Catches of the week

Abiquiu Lake: Cole Jimmer Mendes Armijo, age 4, of Santa Fe caught a 20-inch walleye using a jig tipped with a worm May 14.

Bill Evans Lake: Matthew Kennedy of Silver City caught a 9-pound 4-ounce largemouth bass using a Texas-rigged creature bait May 16.

Bluewater Lake: Lane Wallace, age 7, of Gallup caught a 37.5-inch tiger muskie using a swim bait May 15. Justice Jaggers, age 8, of Bluewater Lake caught an 8-pound channel catfish using a hotdog May 15. Daniel Salaz of Albuquerque caught a 28-inch tiger muskie using a Rapala XR-10 lure May 13.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Andrew Avalos of Albuquerque caught a 2-pound largemouth bass using a junior green pumpkin Bandito bug on a Trashmaster jig head May 16.

Caballo Lake: Maria Vent of Las Cruces caught a 28.5-inch, 8.08-pound walleye using a chartreuse Bomber crankbait May 15.

Eagle Nest Lake: Melissa Smith of Cimarron caught a 31-inch pike using a brown-chatter bait May 15. Eric Ferguson, age 11, of Albuquerque caught a 35-inch pike using a yellow and silver Panther Martin spinner and a 19.5-inch rainbow trout using a flicker minnow May 14. Donald Brooks of Jemez Springs caught a 30-inch pike using a jointed Rapala lure with a worm May 10. Robert Rivera of Santa Fe caught a 44-inch, 25-pound pike using a plastic swim bait May 9.

Eagle Rock Lake: Sofia and Eve Mondragon, ages 8 and 7, of Ojo Caliente, both caught their limits of trout using salmon eggs May 12.

Elephant Butte Lake: Steven Riddle and Doug Hall of Las Cruces caught six walleye and five white bass using green Flicker Shad lures May 11.

Fenton Lake: Alaena Dunlap, age 8, of Albuquerque caught a 12-inch brown trout and a 16-inch rainbow trout using green PowerBait May 11.

Grindstone Reservoir: Haylee Ray, age 1.5, of Taos caught and released as many trout as she could handle using PowerBait May 14.

Hopewell Lake: Tom Chobocinski of Ojo Caliente caught and released a 16-inch brook trout using a Joe’s Fly May 14.

Jemez River: Uriah Apodaca, age 9, of Albuquerque caught a 23.5-inch rainbow trout using worms May 15.

Lake Roberts: Virginia Hyde of Silver City caught a 4.8-pound largemouth bass using a swim shad lure May 1.

Monastery Lake: Elijah Martinez of Santa Fe caught an 18-inch rainbow trout using a mop fly May 16.

Morphy Lake: Dylan Joost of Albuquerque caught a 4-pound rainbow trout using pink PowerBait May 13.

Pecos River: Sergio Ibarra of Albuquerque caught a 23-inch rainbow trout using cheese May 8.

San Juan River: Chris Griego of Albuquerque caught and released a 17-inch brown trout using a Copper John fly May 16.

Santa Rosa Lake: Camden Williams, age 11, of Albuquerque caught a 21-inch catfish using a combination of hotdogs and chicken liver May 15.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Rylen Martinez, age 8, and Dedrick Tso, age 7, both of San Ildefonso Pueblo, caught their limits of rainbow trout using PowerBait and worms May 16.

Tiger Park Pond: Conner Johnson, age 10, caught a 16-inch rainbow trout using a Panther Martin spinner May 16.

Ute Lake: Sherrilyn Romero of Ute Lake caught and released a 3.5-pound largemouth bass using a Ruf-Nec minnow May 12.

Northeast Fishing Report

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

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

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 42.6 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs, nightcrawlers and Woolly Bugger flies.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait.

Conchas Lake: Conchas Lake State Park has closed access to all boat ramps due to dropping water levels. The boat ramps on the south side of the lake managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are open. Fishing for bass was good using shallow-diving crankbait lures. Fishing for white bass was good using chartreuse lipless and medium-diving crankbait lures. Fishing for crappie and walleye was good using curly tail grubs and jigs.

Costilla Creek: The Department has implemented the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involved removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on FR 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries) with a tentative restocking of Rio Grande cutthroat in spring 2022. Places to fish nearby include Costilla Creek below the fish barrier, Upper Comanche Creek, Shuree Ponds, Middle Ponil Creek, Upper Powderhouse Creek, Little Costilla Creek, Vidal Creek and McCrystal Creek. The Department anticipates completion of this final phase in the fall of 2021. Please check the Department website for additional information on the project and to identify alternative angling opportunities in the interim.

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

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for perch was good using worms. Fishing for trout was good using salmon-peach PowerBait, chartreuse-glitter PowerBait, Panther Martin spinners and Rapala lures. Fishing for pike was good using with Rapala lures, double bladed 6-inch Mepps spinners and plastic swim baits.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs.

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

Gallinas River: Fishing for trout was fair using worms.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using Joe’s Fly spinners and beadhead nymph flies.

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

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

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

Maxwell Lake 13: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was good using green-garlic PowerBait, red spinners and mop flies.

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good using pink PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 114 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs, cheese, worms, dry flies and pheasant tail nymph flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 99.3 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using salmon eggs close to the town of Red River.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 633 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using spinners.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was 48.7 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow Monday morning near Terrero was 55.8 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Penasco Monday morning was 53.5 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good using gold Panther Martin spinners, green PowerBait and yellow PowerBait.

Shuree Ponds: Closed until July 1, 2021.

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

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

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for white bass was fair trolling various crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was fair using Model-A Bombers, Bandit crankbaits and jigging with minnows. Fishing for bass was good using Ruf-Nec minnows, wacky rigged worms, plastic crawdads and swim baits. Fishing for catfish was good using punch bait and chicken liver. Fishing for crappie was good using live minnows and small curly tail grubs. The water surface temperature was in the low 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the main lake color was clear.

Northwest Fishing Report

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair to good using jigs tipped with worms and bottom bouncers with nightcrawler worm harnesses.

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 1,020 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait, nightcrawlers, corn and spinners. Fishing for tiger muskie was fair using Rapala XR-10 lures and swim baits. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver and hotdogs.

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

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

Chama River: Monday-morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 840 cfs and 1,190 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was slow to fair using streamers. Anglers reported high waterflows below Abiquiu Lake and poor fishing conditions. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream seven miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.

Cochiti Lake: Visitors to the lake need to make a reservation by purchasing a ticket at least 24 hours in advance through www.recreation.gov. Tickets and reservations will NOT be sold at the lake. Fishing for bass was good using shallow diving lipless crankbaits. Fishing for pike was good using swim baits and spinners. Fishing for bass was fair to good using plastic crawdad baits.

El Vado Lake: El Vado Lake Dam Day Use area is open. The main lake area, boat launch and campground opened April 1. Camping by reservation only.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was good using green PowerBait, worms and nymph flies. Please remember, only two cutthroat trout are allowed to be harvested per day within the regular five-fish limit.

Heron Lake: Fishing for trout from the shoreline was fair to good using PowerBait and trout worms. Fishing for trout and kokanee salmon from boats was fair to good trolling small inline spinners. The main boat ramps are closed, but small boats can be launched from the primitive boat launch located just east of La Laja boat launch. A $5 day-use fee or annual State Park pass is required to enter.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 35.5 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using worms and salmon eggs.

Laguna del Campo: Fishing for trout was good using worms and PowerBait.

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait mice tails and worms.

McGaffey Lake: Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for bass was good using jerk baits, Ned Rigs and green watermelon and white tubes. Fishing for pike was fair using joined Rapala lures. Fishing for crappie was good when jigging 20 feet deep. Fishing for trout trolling was slow.

Rio Grande: Fishing for catfish was fair to good using hotdogs and chicken liver between Bernalillo and Albuquerque.

San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 403 cfs. The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a temporary decrease in flow from 400 cfs to 300 cfs May 18. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using cream egg pattern flies, chocolate midge emergers, crystal flash midges and San Juan worm flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good using Copper John flies, Panther Martin spinners, worms and PowerBait.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait, worms and nymph flies.

Tingley Beach: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Southwest Fishing Report

Alumni Pond: Fishing for all species was slow.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good using yellow Panther Martin spinners, corn flavored PowerBait and garlic PowerBait. Fishing for crappie was good using black and purple flies and shiny gold flies. Fishing for catfish was slow using cut carp bait.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was good using Texas rigged creature baits.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was good using white plastic grubs. Fishing for white bass was good using minnows and crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was fair to good using chartreuse Bomber crankbaits. Fishing for crappie was good using minnows and lime-colored curly tail jigs. Fishing for catfish and carp was fair to good using nightcrawlers.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was good using green Flicker Shad lures, sassy shad and white crankbaits. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using white crankbaits and swimbaits. Fishing for walleye was good using green Flicker Shad lures, curly tail grubs tipped with worm, Cotton Cordell lures, Bandit crankbaits and bottom bouncer worm harness rigs. Fishing for crappie was good using artificial shad baits over weed beds. Fishing for catfish was good using shad.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good using worms.

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 31.6 cfs. Fishing for Gila trout was fair using small worm and nymph pattern flies.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was good using dry flies and gold worm flies. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using swim shad lures and maroon plastic worms.

Percha Dam: Fishing for catfish was good using chicken breast.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait and nymph pattern flies.

Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.17 cfs. Fishing for catfish north of Elephant Butte Lake was good using cut bait and shad.

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

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

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was slow. Fishing for catfish was fair using stink bait, sausage and beef liver.

Southeast Fishing Report

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good using green PowerBait and nightcrawlers. Fishing for bass was fair using nightcrawlers.

Bataan Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair using worms. Fishing for catfish was slow to fair using worms and dough bait. Fishing for bass was fair using plastic jigs. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 2.99 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the City of Alamogordo due to fire damage. It appears that the lake will be out of commission until 2022.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing for bass was good using green pumpkin soft plastic bug baits.

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

Brantley Lake: Fishing for crappie was fair to good using small yellow jigs.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair using stink bait and hotdogs.

Chaparral Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was good using Texas-rigged purple Zoom worms.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good using cheese PowerBait and pink PowerBait.

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

Lake Van: Fishing for catfish was fair to good using hotdogs.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 82.8 cfs. Fishing for bass was fair to good using top water frog lures.

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

Ruidoso River: Stream flow Monday morning at Hollywood was 3.87 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing for crappie was fair using minnows. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using hotdogs and chicken liver. Fishing for bass was slow using crankbaits.

Sumner Lake: Fishing for crappie was fair to good using white marabou jigs.

Tips and Tricks – Aaron Sanchez of Rio Rancho Completes The New Mexico Trout Challenge

“First and foremost, make sure to do your research. Whatever species it is that you are trying to catch, understand where they live, what they eat and how they survive in their respective environments. Understanding these things will help you get one in the net. Also, you must put in the time exploring and searching for these fish. Pick the lake or stream that you are going to fish and get out there and explore. A lot of these native fish live in areas that are not easy to get to.

Put the effort in to find them, and it’ll be well worth it. The fish are amazing, and the places they live are, too.”

Share your tips and tricks with your fellow angler’s by emailing us at funfishingnm@gmail.com and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success.

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!