New Mexico fishing and stocking report for July 11, 2017

Catches of the week: Bill Evans Lake: Max Murillo, 12, of Bayard, caught an 18-inch largemouth bass that weighed almost 3 pounds July 3. He was using a Rapala crankbait. Eagle Nest Lake: Ella Baca, 4, of Veguita, caught her very first fish July 7. She was trolling a Panther Martin. Morgan Sahd, 16, of Angel Fire, caught a 23-inch rainbow trout July 6. He was using a Silver Spoon. Elephant Butte Lake: Brandon Meyers, 8, of Santa Fe, caught a 20-inch largemouth bass that weighed almost 4 pounds. He was using a sassy shad. Eunice Lake: Richard Short of Eunice caught and released a 5-pound largemouth bass July 6. He was using a crank bait. Fawn Lakes: Parker Barton, 6, of Amarillo, Texas, caught his first rainbow trout July 7. He was using night crawlers. Fenton Lake: Corinthian Peralta, 8, of Albuquerque, caught a 14-inch cutthroat trout July 4. He was using corn. Laguna del Campo: Thomas DeVargas, 9, of La Mesilla, caught a 16-inch rainbow trout July 8. He was using PowerBait. Pecos River: David Davila of Hobbs caught a 24-inch blue catfish July 2. He was fishing the river between Artesia and Carlsbad and using night crawlers. Red River: Elijah Martinez, 14, of Santa Fe, caught a 16-inch rainbow trout July 3. He was using worms. Rio Grande: Brian Rittel of El Paso, Texas caught a 27-inch, 6-pound, channel catfish July 8. He was fishing the river between Elephant Butte and Caballo and using a shiner minnow. San Juan River: Houston Lapahie, 5, of Kirtland, caught an 18-inch, 4.5-pound, brown trout July 5. He was using worms. Seven Springs Brood Pond: Lillian Budner, 3, of Albuquerque caught her first three fish July 2. She was using salmon eggs and garlic PowerBait. Ute Lake: Kelly Maxwell of Bushland, Texas, caught a 5-pound largemouth bass July 2. She was using a pearl swim senko. The following reports came in late but deserve a mention: Eagle Rock Lake: Alfred Lopez of El Paso, Texas caught and released a 20-inch rainbow trout July 1. He was using an olive wooly bugger. Fenton Lake: Elesse Hoover of Rio Rancho caught a 22-inch rainbow trout July 1. She was using fluorescent pink PowerBait. Grindstone Reservoir: Michael Tafoya, 3, of Alamogordo, caught his first fish, a rainbow trout July 1. He was using green PowerBait. Rio Grande: Sofia Mondragon, 5, of Espanola, caught a 14-inch and a 15-inch rainbow trout July 1. She was fishing the river near Pilar with her dad and using salmon eggs. 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.

July 11  

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Fishing was slow to fair using Pistol Petes, PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. Anthony C. Romero, Jr. caught an 18-inch trout July 9. He was using salmon peach PowerBait.

Clayton Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait and salmon eggs. We had no other reports. Fishing pressure was light. Due to low water conditions, the boat ramp remains closed.

Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday was 33.6 cfs. Trout fishing was good using, elk hair caddis, stimulators, Cimarron specials, worms, salmon eggs, PowerBait and spinners. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was good using Pistol Petes, PowerBait, salmon eggs and worms for trout.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair using stick baits, finesse worms, senkos, crawdads, curly tail grubs and jerk baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing for white bass and walleye was a bit slow but a few were caught by anglers using tubes, leeches, minnows, grubs and crank baits. John Aguilar of Albuquerque reported catching a 19-inch walleye over the weekend. He was using a Rapala. Fishing was fair to good using shrimp, cut bait and liver for catfish. Fishing was fair to good using worms for bluegill. We had no other reports.

Costilla Creek: Stream flow on Monday below Costilla Dam was 78.6 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Cowles Ponds: Fishing was good using PowerBait, Fire Balls, worms and Pistol Petes for trout.

Coyote Creek: Trout fishing was fair using elk hair caddis, worms and salmon eggs.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, Fire Balls, Pistol Petes, Super Dupers and wooly buggers for trout.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was rated as fair to very good fishing from the bank and from anchored boats with PowerBait and trolling spoons, Platte River specials and Panther Martins tipped with PowerBait for rainbow trout and a few kokanee salmon. Fishing was good using worms for perch. Fishing was good using spoons, spinners, swim baits and large streamers for northern pike. The pike ranged in size from 20 to 30 inches. We had no other reports.

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

Hopewell Lake: Fishing was fair to good using copper wooly buggers, Pistol Petes, PowerBait, Kastmasters and Fire Balls for trout.

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

Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was good using spoons, Pistol Petes, wooly buggers, parachute Adams, bead-head hares ear nymphs, worms, PowerBait and Fire Balls. The best reports are coming from anglers fishing in the evening hours.

Los Pinos River: Fishing was good using egg patterns, prince nymphs, copper John Barrs, salmon eggs and worms for rainbow and brown trout.

Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was slow for all species.

Monastery Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Morphy Lake: Fishing was fair using Pistol Petes, PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos on Monday was 56.3 cfs. Fishing was good using Fire Balls, PowerBait, San Juan worms, prince nymphs, elk hair caddis and Panther Martins. Santiago Soto caught a brown trout that measured close to 18 inches in length July 10. He was fishing near the Mora Campground and using a rainbow-colored Panther Martin.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday was 101 cfs. Fishing was good using Fire Balls, PowerBait, worms, spinners, copper John Barrs and wooly buggers for trout.

Red River City Ponds: Kids Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. Adult pond is closed.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 459 cfs. Fishing was good using poundmeisters, wooly buggers, San Juan worms, Panther Martin spinners and night crawlers. Fishing was fair to good using streamers for smallmouth bass. We had no other reports.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 56.8 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Mora: As of Monday, stream flow near Terrero was 12.2 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday was 14.4 cfs. Fishing was good using worms, salmon eggs and copper John Barrs for trout.

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

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing was fair using gold spoons, Fisher Chick spinners, Panther Martins, Pistol Petes, PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. We had no other reports.

Shuree Ponds: Opened for the season July 1. We had no reports from anglers.

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

Storrie Lake: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs and garlic and salmon peach PowerBait for trout. Fishing for all other species was slow. There was a 36-inch channel catfish caught this past Saturday night but we received no further information.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair to good using finesse worms, senkos, tubes and creature baits. A few were also caught by anglers using crank baits. White bass fishing picked up some this past week as anglers caught several using minnows and grubs and trolling crank baits. Walleye were scattered from 10 to 35 feet and were caught with live night crawlers and live minnows. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms under a bobber. Fishing was good using cut bait and stink bait for catfish. Fishing for all other species was slow. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 70s.

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

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was fair using curly tail grubs, tubes, crank baits, wooly buggers, crawdad imitation flies and night crawlers for smallmouth bass. Fishing for walleye was fair for anglers using leeches, minnows, curly tail grubs and crank baits. Fishing was slow to fair using worms for perch. We had no other reports.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 889 cfs. Trout fishing was good using night crawlers, salmon eggs, wooly buggers, San Juan worms, egg patterns and spinners.

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

Bluewater Lake:  Fishing was fair using dark colored crank baits, swim baits and jerk baits for tiger muskies. Most of the action has been on the far west side of the lake. Fishing for catfish and trout was slow.

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

Canjilon Lakes: Closed by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 598 cfs and 751 cfs respectively. Trout fishing above El Vado was good using Chernobyl ants, hoppers, wooly buggers, chamois leeches, Mepps spinners and Panther Martins for brown and rainbow trout. Fishing below El Vado was good using Berkley Power Worms, pheasant tail nymphs, wooly buggers, Panther Martins, night crawlers and PowerBait for rainbow and brown trout. We had no reports from below Abiquiu. NEW SPECIAL TROUT WATER: The river from the USGS gauging station to the confluence of the Rio Nutrias is now catch and release only using single barbless hook artificial flies and lures.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits, jerk baits, creature baits. tubes and jigs for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using spinners, swim baits and crank baits for walleye and white bass. Fishing was fair using shrimp, hot dogs and chicken liver for catfish. A few carp were caught by anglers using corn and crank baits. We had no other reports.

El Vado Lake: Fishing was slow to fair trolling with spinners tipped with PowerBait or corn for a mixed bag of kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. Fishing in the Pinon Beach area was good using corn, PowerBait and an assortment of spinners for small smallmouth bass.

Fenton Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using salmon eggs, PowerBait, Pistol Petes, corn and wooly buggers.

Heron Lake: Fishing from boats and from the bank was sporadic this past week. Anglers trolling spinners in the Rincon area picked up a few rainbow trout. Bank fishing was best in the Ridge Rock area with a few trout caught by anglers using worms. We had no other reports.

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 18.5 cfs. Trout fishing on the Jemez, East Fork and San Antonio was slow. We had no reports from the other streams in the area.

Laguna del Campo: Fishing was fair to good using Pistol Petes, PowerBait and small spoons for trout.

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

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

Navajo Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Ricos, Pop Rs, finesse worms, jerk baits, tubes, brush hogs, wooly buggers and spinners for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using jigs, swim baits, minnows, jerk baits and crank baits for northern pike. Fishing was fair trolling kokanee killers, double whammies, Panther Martins and Arnies tipped with PowerBait for kokanee salmon. We had no other reports.

San Gregorio Lake: Fishing was good using flies, Pistol Petes and PowerBait. Sean Smock of Albuquerque reported good fishing Saturday. They were using tan Pistol Petes, a tan fly and a black bee fly. Chris Schneller informed us that on his trip the fish were hitting an assortment of flies, Pistol Petes and both green and white PowerBait.

San Juan River: Stream flow from Navajo Reservoir on Monday was 528 cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was rated as good to excellent by anglers using Big Mac, Disco and Rootbeer midges, San Juan worms, pink egg patterns and chamois leeches. Through the bait waters, anglers did well using San Juan worms, Fire Balls, PowerBait, night crawlers, small spoons and jerk baits.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, Panther Martin spinners, Pistol Petes and worms for trout.

Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Youth and Central ponds was slow to fair using hot dogs, night crawlers and beef liver for catfish. We had no other reports.

Trout Lakes: Fishing was good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, grass hoppers and spinners for trout.

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing was good using homemade dough bait, night crawlers and hot dogs for catfish. We had no other reports.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing was fair using homemade beef liver bait, night crawlers and shrimp for catfish. We had no other reports.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was slow. A few catfish were caught by anglers using liver, cheese and night crawlers.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, spinners, sassy shad, minnows and grubs for white bass. Fishing was slow to fair using crankbaits and minnows for walleye. Fishing was slow to fair using Pop Rs, Ricos, creature baits, worms, senkos, sassy shad, tubes and spinners for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Night fishing was fair to good using cut bait, minnows and chicken liver for catfish. We had no other reports.

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

Gila River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 16.8 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing was fair using worms, tubes, crank baits and top water lures for largemouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using worms and PowerBait for trout. Fishing was fair using liver, cut bait, shrimp and night crawlers for catfish.

Percha Dam: Fishing was good using worms and cut bait for catfish and white bass. A few white bass were also caught by anglers using grubs.

Quemado Lake: Fishing was good using copper John Barrs for trout. Tom Knoop reported finding the trout deep. He was using a muddler minnow with a size 12 green copper John Barr dropper on a sink tip line with a 36-inch space between the flies. The fish didn’t touch the minnow but went crazy over the dropper.

Rancho Grande Ponds: Fishing for bluegill was fair to good for anglers using worms. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using hot dogs, shrimp and worms. We had no other reports.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 2,470 cfs. Fishing below Elephant Butte and Caballo and at the Mesilla Valley Dam was good using night crawlers, minnows, beef liver, chicken liver, grubs and cut bait for catfish. Fishing was good using grubs, minnows and spinners for white bass. We had no other reports.

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

Young Pond: Fishing was slow for all species.

Southeast

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

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

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 1.92 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was slow to fair using liver, hot dogs and night crawlers for catfish. We had no other reports.

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

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing was fair using chicken liver, night crawlers and shrimp for catfish. We had no other reports.

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

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 very good using top water lures, crank baits, jerk baits, tubes, creature baits, finesse worms and senkos for largemouth bass and white bass. A few catfish were caught by anglers using worms.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few catfish caught by anglers using chicken liver and worms. We had no other reports.

El Rito Creek: Fishing was fair to good using wooly buggers, PowerBait, Zeke’s floating trout bait and worms for trout. We had no other reports.

Eunice Lake: Fishing was fair using night crawlers, hot dogs and homemade dough bait for catfish. Fishing was fair using crank baits for largemouth bass. We had no other reports.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using garlic cheese, chicken liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no other reports.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing was slow for all species.

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

Lake Van: Fishing was slow to fair using shrimp, night crawlers and chicken liver for catfish. We had no other reports.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was fair using worms for small bass. Fishing was fair to good using blood baits, homemade dough baits and liver for catfish. We had no other reports.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 92.3 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using liver, night crawlers and cut bait for catfish. David Davila of Hobbs reported that he and his 5-year-old daughter, Lilyana were fishing between Artesia and Carlsbad and caught 7 channel catfish and one blue. They were using night crawlers. We had no other reports.

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

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 9.70 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs for trout.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was fair using creature baits, senkos, worms, top water lures, crank baits and tubes for largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species

Sumner Lake: Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass. A few were also caught by anglers using top water lures, curly tail grubs and sassy shad. Fishing was fair to good using flukes, tubes, jerk baits and swim jigs for smallmouth bass. We had no other reports.