New Mexico fishing and stocking reports for March 23

03/23/2021

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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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(Valid April 1 to March 31; 2020-2021 licenses are on sale now,

2021-2022 licenses will go on sale starting March 24)

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.

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.

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: Ben Wear of Santa Fe caught a 25-inch 5.8-pound walleye using a Rene Carter jig March 20.

Bill Evans Lake: Ryan Garcia Jr., age 8, of Silver City caught his first fish, a 14-inch rainbow trout using pink lemonade Power Bait March 20.

Bluewater Lake: Sam Pacheco of Albuquerque caught and released a 30-inch tiger muskie using a jointed swimbait March 19.

Chama River: Andy Montgomery of Albuquerque caught and released a 20-inch brown trout below El Vado Lake using an olive Woolly Bugger March 21.

Elephant Butte Lake: Zak Kordelski of Albuquerque caught and released a 3.2-pound smallmouth bass using a silver and white KVD crankbait March 20. Robert Zamora of Las Cruces caught a 17-inch white bass using a white jig with a pink head March 20.

Grindstone Reservoir: Cash Johnston, age 10, of Ruidoso caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using green PowerBait March 21.

Morphy Lake: Theodore Serna, age 2, and Julian Gallegos, age 11, both of Chamita caught several rainbow trout using PowerBait March 21.

Navajo Lake: Ben Allen, age 12, of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch brown trout trolling a 6-inch double-jointed lure March 20.

Oasis Park Lake: JD Flen, age 8, of Portales caught a 15-inch largemouth bass using PowerBait March 15.

San Juan River: Anthony Garcia of Willard caught a 23.5-inch 6.4-pound rainbow trout using a size 20 foamback midge fly March 20. Carey Williams of Aztec caught a 25.5-inch brown trout near Cottonwood Campground using a UFO fly March 3.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Amy Archuleta of Penasco caught a 24-inch rainbow trout using salmon eggs March 20.

Springer Lake: Marion Sanchez of Raton caught a 40-inch northern pike using a chicken hotdog March 20.

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.

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: Stream flow near Cimarron Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was good using worms, salmon eggs and peach PowerBait. Maverick campground (gravel pit) was clear of most ice and fishable.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait and nightcrawlers.

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 white bass was good using yellow grubs and crankbaits fished 25-feet deep. Fishing for walleye was fair using gold spoons. Fishing for catfish was fair using cut carp bait.

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: The lake is closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions.

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: Open to bank fishing only. Anglers reported fishing was slow.

Lake Maloya: The lake is closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions.

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

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

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

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait.

Pecos River: Stream flow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 32.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair using worms and salmon eggs.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery Monday morning was 37.5 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair using small bead head nymph flies.

Rio Grande: Stream flow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 484 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using Panther Martin spinners and Woolly Buggers.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow Monday morning near Valdez was 24.9 cfs.

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: Fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs, spoons and Rapala lures.

Shuree Ponds: Closed until July 1, 2021.

Springer Lake: Fishing for pike was fair to good using chicken hotdogs and chicken liver.

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 crankbaits in 10- to 15-feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow to fair using spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Fishing for walleye was slow. The water surface temperature was in the upper 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Northwest Fishing Report

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair using jigs.

Animas River: Water flow below Aztec Monday morning was 154 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing for trout was fair to good using bead head nymph flies and PowerBait.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was good using jointed swim baits.

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 99.5 cfs and 44.1 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair to good using olive Wooly Bugger flies and Black Bunny Leech flies. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good using San Juan worms, egg pattern flies and bead head nymphs. 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.

El Vado Lake: The lake is closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions.

Fenton Lake: The lake is closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions.

Heron Lake: The lake is closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 48.8 cfs.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season; will open May 1, 2021.

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing for trout was fair using garlic PowerBait.

Manzano Lake: Closed until further notice.

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

Navajo Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair using spinners and jointed lures.

Rio Grande: 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 408 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using size 20 chocolate foam wing emerger midge flies, UFO flies, egg pattern flies, chamois worms, crystal flash midges and red larva flies.

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 fair using salmon peach PowerBait. Fishing for bass was fair using small jerkbaits.

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

Southwest Fishing Report

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was slow.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good using Woolly Buggers and PowerBait.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was good using bright salmon peach PowerBait and pink lemonade PowerBait.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for white bass was good using small deep-diving Bandit crankbaits.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was good using white and silver shad color deep-diving crankbaits and white and pink jigs. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair to good using crankbaits. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using drop shot worms. The water surface temperature was in the low 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

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

Gila River: Stream flow Monday morning was 50.0 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair using cut carp bait.

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

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

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

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

Rancho Grande Ponds: Fishing for bass and trout was good using rainbow Kastmaster lures.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was .17 cfs. Fishing for catfish, north of Elephant Butte Lake, was good using cut bait.

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.

Southeast Fishing Report

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait.

Bataan Lake: Fishing for trout was good using salmon peach Powerbait with glitter.

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga Monday morning was 3.97 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bottomless Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair using yellow garlic PowerBait.

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

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for trout was good using white and yellow PowerBait.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good using green PowerBait and a variety of other PowerBaits.

Jal Lake: Fishing for trout was very good using rainbow-colored PowerBait.

Lake Van: Fishing for trout was fair to good using purple PowerBait.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout and bass was fair to good using PowerBait and worms.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 65.0 cfs.

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

Ruidoso River: Stream flow Monday morning at Hollywood was 3.28 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair using jigs tipped with minnows and nightcrawlers.

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

Tips and Tricks – Fishing with plastic lizards in the spring by Len Presto

Starting in May, or when you see lizards running around, is the time to try a plastic lizard. Smallmouth and largemouth bass can be particularly fond of plastic lizard baits. Make sure you find the pattern that best resembles the kinds of lizards present in the water you are fishing. I find that a smoky melon seeded 5.5-inch lizard resembles common New Mexico lizards. Lizard baits work well along the lake shore as well as submerged in deeper water near structure. Eagle Claw TroKar worm hooks size 1/0 and Gamakatsu offset shank hooks size 1/0 work well with average lizard bait sizes. A bullet weight is a great way to achieve depth while fishing a lizard bait.

I have had great success with them at Brantley Lake, Bear Canyon Lake, Bluewater Lake, Clayton Lake, Escondida Lake, Elephant Butte Lake, Lake Roberts and Ute Lake.

Along with bass, I have also caught the occasional catfish and walleye using lizard baits.

Determine the depth of water you plan to fish. The deeper the water, the heavier the hook or bullet weight you need to use.

Lizards like to hunt the water’s edge in search of insects. This makes them vulnerable to larger predatory fish, hoping that they make a fatal misstep. Fishing lizard baits can be a great way to trick those big aggressive fish.

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

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!