Chama River: Brooklynn and Zoey, both age 8, of Espanola caught a 19-inch cutbow below Abiquiu Lake using a Trout Magnet Jan.13. Alyssa Aldaz, age 7, and Destiny Aldaz, age 8, of Albuquerque caught several brown trout, approximatly 18-inches each, below El Vado Lake using rainbow trout pattern lures Jan. 9.

Conchas Lake: Charles Kaiser of Albuquerque caught four 13 to 14-inch crappie using two-inch plastic crawfish lures on jig heads Jan. 14.

Tingley Beach: Arthur Petronio of Albuquerque caught a 16-inch rainbow trout using garlic green PowerBait Jan. 9.

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 funfishingnm@gmail.com. We may include your story in our next report.

For catches of the week, include name, age, hometown, date, location, type of fish, length, and weight if possible, and bait, lure or fly used.

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

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.

Cimarron River: Stream flow, near Cimarron Monday morning, was not measured due to ice. In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Clayton Lake: Closed until March 2021.

Conchas Lake: Conchas Lake State Park has closed access to all boat ramps due to dropping water levels. Fishing for crappie was fair using two-inch plastic crawfish lures.

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 the 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 the 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 the 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: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Eagle Nest Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. The lake is open to ice fishing, but ATV traffic is prohibited and Six Mile Day Use Area is closed due to unsafe ice conditions. Fishing for trout was good using jigs tipped with worms. Fishing for perch was very good using small ice fishing jigs tipped with wax worms and earthworms.

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

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: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. The lake opened for ice fishing.

Lake Maloya: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for trout was good using dough bait.

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

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.

Monastery Lake: Closed due to COVID-19 health concerns. Check the Open Gate webpage for future updates.

Morphy Lake: Closed for a renovation project on the dam and no firm opening date is set. Pecos River: Stream flow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was not measured due to ice.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery Monday morning was 34.6 cfs. Fishing for trout near the hatchery was fair using tungsten bead head nymphs and midge flies.

Rio Grande: Stream flow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 343 cfs. Fishing for trout was good on warm days using bead head nymphs, midges and small Griffith’s gnat dry flies for rising fish.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow Monday morning near Valdez was not measured due to ice.

Rio Mora: Stream flow Monday morning was not measured due to ice.

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco Monday morning was not measured due to ice.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Storrie Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

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

Ute Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks will reopen to New Mexico residents for day-use only. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Abiquiu Lake: The boat ramp is open. Anglers did report that there was a lot of ice on the lake.

Animas River: Water flow below Aztec Monday morning was 147 cfs.

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

Bluewater Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. It is closed to boating and ice-fishing due to recent weather conditions that have led to unsafe lake surface conditions. The lake is currently closed to all watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats.

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 102 cfs and 48.5 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good, using rainbow trout pattern lures, nightcrawlers and nymph flies. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good using Trout Magnet lures, beadhead nymph flies and orange zebra midge flies.

Cochiti Lake: Scheduled to reopen for day use beginning Jan. 4, 2021. Visitors to the lake will 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. The boat ramp will be open. Anglers reported that fishing for all species was slow.

El Vado Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. El Vado Lake is open for ice fishing at the Dam Day Use Area.

Fenton Lake: Fenton Lake State Park opened to ice fishing beginning Saturday, Jan. 2. Fishing for trout was slow with the best reports coming from anglers using red salmon eggs.

Heron Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. ​

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 17.3 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using beadhead nymph flies.

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: Closed until further notice.

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

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

San Gregorio Lake: Anglers reported that the lake is frozen.

San Juan River: Stream flow Monday morning was 382 cfs. In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Dec. 3, NM State Parks reopened to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was very good using small size 24 black foam wing emerges, size 20 black/green zebra midges, size 22 crystal midges, red annelids and Baetis fly patterns.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Closed due to COVID-19 health concerns. Check the Department’s Alerts page for future updates.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good using yellow and green PowerBait fished deep. Anglers reported several adults fishing the children’s pond. Reminder: the far north fishing pond is for children 12 years of age and younger only.

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

Air Fryers are all the rave these days! Karen Royal and her family are from Albuquerque and they enjoy fishing across New Mexico. She shares with us one of her favorite Air Fryer recipes designed for cod and works great for walleye and perch.

Prep 15 minutes – Cook 10 minutes

Ready in 25 minutes

This recipe is a delicious place to start if you’ve decided to try cooking fish in an air fryer.

Fish

• 4 fresh walleye/perch fillet, 1” (2.5 cm) thick, (4–5 oz./125–150 g each)
•  Oil for spraying
• ¼ cup (60 mL) mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
• ½ cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp (1 mL) Garlic & Herb Rub
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
• ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) black pepper

Roasted Vegetables

• 1 ear corn, husk removed
• 8 oz. (225 g) asparagus (½ bunch), trimmed and sliced into 1–2” (2.5–5-cm) pieces
• 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
• ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt

Herb Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1 small lemon
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp (5 mL) honey
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped chives
• ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt

1. Pat the walleye/perch fillets dry using a paper towel. Spray one cooking tray for the Air Fryer with oil. Place the fillets on the cooking tray and brush each fillet with the mayonnaise using a basting brush.
2. Mix the melted butter, panko, rub, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Evenly divide the panko mixture onto the walleye/perch fillets, pressing firmly to adhere.
3. For the roasted vegetables, remove the kernels from the cob. Add the corn, asparagus, olive oil and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer vegetable mixture to the other cooking tray.
4. Place the tray with the walleye/perch on the top rack and the tray with the vegetables on the bottom rack. Turn the wheel to select the ROAST setting; press the wheel to select. Turn the wheel to adjust the time to nine minutes; press the wheel to start. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C), adding more time if needed.
5. For the vinaigrette, juice the lemon into a small bowl. Add the remaining vinaigrette ingredients and whisk to combine.
6. To serve, place the roasted vegetables on a serving platter. Spoon 1–2 tbsp (15–30 mL) of the vinaigrette on top of the vegetables. Carefully place the walleye/perch fillets on top of the vegetables and serve with the remaining vinaigrette.

If you try this recipe, please let us know what you think at funfishingnm@gmail.com.