New Mexico fishing and stocking reports for November 20

11/20/2018

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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 latest stocking report

Catches of the week

Chama River: Jake Spidel of Albuquerque caught a 22-inch, 2.5-pound brown trout Nov. 17. He was fishing below El Vado and using night crawlers.

San Juan River: John Bass of Farmington caught and released a 20-inch brown trout Nov. 15. He was fishing the bait waters and bouncing a night crawler off the bottom. Braxton Layne Groff of Albuquerque hooked his first fish with sister Brooklyn’s help landing it, Nov. 13. It was a 12-inch brown trout caught at the Crusher Hole. He was using worms.

The following reports came in late but are definitely worth mentioning:

Abiquiu Lake: Tomas Salas of Albuquerque caught an estimated 30-inch, 8.65-pound walleye Nov. 10. He was using a crank bait.

Cochiti Lake: George Torres of Stanley caught an 8-pound channel catfish Nov. 10. He was using cut bait.

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.

Northeast Fishing Report

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

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.

Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday morning was 9.77cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Clayton Lake: Closed for the season.

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

Costilla Creek: Mark your calendar to check this one out next spring.

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

Coyote Creek: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs for trout.

Eagle Nest Lake: The docks have been pulled, the ramp was temporarily closed due to snow and ice, but it has reopened and anglers can launch boats. Trout fishing from the bank was very good as several limits were caught by anglers using worms, salmon peach PowerBait, salmon eggs and corn. The trout ranged in size from 10 to 18 inches.

Eagle Rock Lake: As of Monday, the lake was covered with a thin layer of ice which was unsafe for fishing.

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

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

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

Lake Alice: There is a thin layer of ice on the lake and it is closed to fishing at this time.

Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was good using PowerBait from the bank in the boat ramp area and for boaters drifting and trolling Pistol Petes and small flies. Fishing pressure was very light.

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

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.

Monastery Lake: Fishing was good using Fire Balls, PowerBait and copper John Barrs for trout.

Morphy Lake: Work has begun on the dam and the lake will remain closed through the end of the year.

Pecos River: Stream flow near the town of Pecos on Monday morning was 29.6 cfs. Fishing was good using copper John Barrs, prince nymphs, wooly worms, San Juan worms, small egg patterns, worms and Fire Balls for brown and rainbow trout.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 36.3 cfs. Trout fishing below Questa was fair using Fire Balls and worms. Fishing at the hatchery pond was good using PowerBait and salmon eggs.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 177 cfs. Trout fishing was good using bead head hare’s ears, pheasant tails, egg patterns, small spoons and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow on Monday morning near Valdez was 6.14 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Mora: Stream flow near Terrero on Monday morning was 7.74 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using Fire Balls for trout.

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday morning was 49.7 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs for trout.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Trout fishing was slow. Fishing pressure was extremely light.

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

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

Storrie Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, corn and Fire Balls for trout.

Stubblefield Lake: The water level is extremely low, and fishing was slow for all species.

Ute Lake: Fishing was good using blade baits and spoons at 15 to 30 feet for white bass. Walleye fishing was reported as fair to good and most of the fish were found at the same depths and with the same lures as anglers were using for the white bass. We had no reports on other species. Fishing pressure was very light. The surface water temp ranged from the high 40s to the low 50s.

Northwest Fishing Report

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was slow for all species with just one walleye reported this past week. Fishing pressure was light. Anglers should be aware that the boat ramp is in rough shape and four-wheel drive has been recommended for launching boats.

Animas River: Water flow below Aztec on Monday morning was 260 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing on the Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Belen and Peralta drains was good using salmon eggs, worms, PowerBait and San Juan worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing was very good using small spoons, small jig and plastic combinations and PowerBait for trout. Most of the trout were caught close to the bank. Fishing was fair using deep diving crank baits and large flies for tiger muskie, with the flies working best. Fishing pressure was very light.

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 84.2 cfs and 58.9 cfs respectively. Trout fishing below El Vado was good using worms, salmon eggs, night crawlers, egg patterns, wooly buggers and San Juan worms for brown and rainbow trout. Fishing below Abiquiu was very good using small egg patterns, small copper John Barrs, worms and salmon eggs. Anglers are reminded that that bag limit is 2 fish per day from the river crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7.0 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was good using liver, homemade dough bait and cut bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

El Vado Lake: Kokanee snagging was slow with just a few taken near the dam. We had no reports on other species.

Fenton Lake: As of Monday morning, about 70 percent of the lake was covered with ice. The open water area was accessible for anglers. Fishing was slow.

Heron Lake: Kokanee snagging was reported as good by some anglers and fair by others working in the dam area. Fishing was good using roe sacs and PowerBait for rainbow trout.

Jackson Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez on Monday morning was 17.9 cfs. Stream fishing slowed considerably with the colder weather. A few trout were caught by anglers fishing the Jemez and using copper John Barrs and worms in the afternoon hours.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.

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

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

Manzano Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and Gulp eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Navajo Lake: Kokanee snagging has slowed and most of the fishing pressure has been concentrated in the dam area. Fishing was fair using roe sacs and PowerBait for trout. Fishing was slow to fair using jigs, jig and grub combinations and worms for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using swim baits and jigs for northern pike. We had no reports on other species.

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

San Juan River: Stream flow below Navajo Lake on Monday morning was 284 cfs. Fishing was good using WD40s, foam ants, PMXs, small bead head pheasant tails, red annelids, root beers, mini macs and small egg patterns for brown and rainbow trout. There are some good hatches coming off in the lower river. Through the bait waters, trout fishing was good using night crawlers, PowerBait, worms, foam ants and small spoons.

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

Tingley Beach: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, worms, corn and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.
ATTENTION ANGLERS: A Thanksgiving Day 5K run will take place on the 22^nd and will impact access to Tingley for fishing from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

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

Southwest Fishing Report

Alumni Pond: Fishing was slow for all species.

Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few catfish caught by anglers using worms and spoons.

Caballo Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was light.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for catfish was rated as good to very good by anglers using cut bait, liver, homemade dough bait and worms. Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, spinner baits and spoons for largemouth bass and white bass. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid 50s.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait, worms and Fire Balls for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Gila River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 109 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using green weenies, small caddis pupa and bead head hare’s ears. We had no reports on other species.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Lake Roberts: Fishing was good using PowerBait and worms for trout. Fishing for all other species was slow.

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

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

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

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.46 cfs. Fishing was good using worms and PowerBait for trout. Fishing for catfish was slow but a few were caught by anglers using worms. We had no reports on other species.

Snow Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout.

Young Pond: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait and worms.

Southeast Fishing Report

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

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

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday morning was 14.3 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was very good using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage. It appears now that the lake will be out of commission until the spring of 2020.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bottomless Lakes: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

Brantley Lake: Fishing was fair using creature baits, jig and grub combinations and spoons for white bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using homemade dough bait and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was good using salmon eggs, PowerBait and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait and small spoons for trout.

Corona Pond: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout.

El Rito Creek: Fishing was very good using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout.

Eunice Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout. Fishing for all other species was slow.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and garlic salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Greene Acres Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Jal Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait for trout.

Lake Van: Fishing was good using PowerBait, garlic cheese and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing was slow to fair using night crawlers, shrimp and chicken liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

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

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was .30 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Ruidoso River: Stream flow on Monday morning at Hollywood was 20.4 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using small bead head nymphs and Fire Balls for trout.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using jigs and worms for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.