Fishing Report - July 27

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish and thefishphone.com, has been generated from the best information available from area officers, anglers, guides and local businesses. Conditions may vary as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

Northeast

Cimarron River — The flows are 29 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam and 50 cfs near Cimarron. There are still lots of hatches all over the river and fishing is good with caddis larva or stonefly nymphs. Dry fly action is good with caddis or grasshoppers. Panther Martins, salmon eggs or worms are always a good bet.

Costilla Creek – The flows are 80 cfs below the dam and 108 cfs near the town of Costilla. The water is a little high and fishing is good with #16 PMD’s, #14 Parachute Adams, yellow sallies, grasshoppers or #16-18 bead head nymphs. 281 triploid rainbows were stocked last week.

Red River - Flows at Questa are 58 cfs, and 125 cfs below the hatchery. Trout are reported as good with #16 gray or tan caddis, dry dropper rigs, spinners or Power Bait. Last week, 1,401 triploid rainbows were stocked above Questa and 770 below Questa.

Rio Grande - Flows are 76 cfs near Cerro and 312 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. The water is muddy from recent rains and trout are fair to good with prince nymphs or stonefly nymphs. No reports on bass or pike. Fishing should improve after the rains subside.

Rio Hondo – The upper Hondo is fishing well with #14-16 dry attractors. The lower river is slower with stimulators or grasshoppers.

Rio Pueblo - Flow is 95 cfs. The water is higher and muddy from recent rains and fishing is slow. 842 triploid rainbows were stocked last week.

Cabresto Lake – Trout are good with gray soft hackle peacocks or Royal coachman.

Charette Lakes – No report this week due to rains.

Clayton Lake – The lake is mossy and rains have kept fishermen away. No report.

Eagle Nest Lake – Kokanee are slow trolling Panther Martins, Platte River Specials, or Christmas trees tipped with corn or Power Bait. Trout are slow to fair from the shore with Power Bait and good most days trolling light weight tackle. Perch are good with worms.

Lake Alice and Lake Maloya – Due to heavy rains, there is no report. 349 triploid rainbows were stocked last week in Lake Alice and 2,100 in Maloya.

Maxwell Lakes – Due to heavy rains and no pressure, there is no report.

Santa Cruz Lake - Trout are fair from boats and poor from the bank with Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms.

Shuree Ponds – Fishing is reported as slow with woolly buggers or damsel nymphs.

Springer Lakes – Heavy rains kept fishermen away. No report.

Southeast

Black River - Flow is 13 cfs. There is no fishing report.

Bonito Creek - Trout are fair to good using Panther Martins, salmon eggs and worms.

Rio Ruidoso - Flow is at 99 cfs. Trout are reported as good with Panther Martins or salmon eggs. 875 rainbows were stocked last week.

Bonito Lake - Fishing is fair with worms, salmon eggs or Power Bait.

Bottomless Lakes - Winter trout waters – There will be no more reports until stocking resumes in the fall.

Brantley Reservoir - A mandatory catch and release is in place at Brantley Lake from the dept. of Game and Fish. Pesticides, DDT’s have been found in the fish, do not keep or eat them. No fishing report this week.

Grindstone Reservoir – Trout are fair with Pistol Petes or yellow Power Bait. Catfish are good with worms.

Lake Van: Winter trout waters – Catfish are slow.

Northwest

Animas River - The flow is 757cfs. There has been a lot of rain and the water is high and muddy. Fishing should improve after the rains subside.

Chama River - Upper section flow is 59 cfs and dry fly fishing is fair to good above Chama with caddis, PMD’s, red quills or green drakes. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 789 cfs and the water is green and murky. Fishing is fair for 16-20 inch browns with woolly buggers, Panther Martins or night crawlers. A few 12-14 inch rainbows have been caught on salmon eggs or Power Bait.

San Juan River - Upper section-Catch and Release flow is 983 cfs and visibility is four feet. The hatches are slowing, rains have started and fishing has been variable. Best patterns have been gray zebra midges, chocolate foam wing emergers, cream or peach egg patterns, tan UFO’s or gray Johnny flashes. Dry fly action is reported as good with large ants, grasshoppers or other terrestrials.

Lower section – Open waters, fishing is fair for rainbows up to 14 inches with night crawlers, orange Power Bait, salmon eggs and the same flies as for the upper section.

Abiquiu Lake – Walleye are sporadic using bottom bouncers, jigs or worms. Smallmouth bass are reported as good in the early mornings with poppers, top water lures, worms or minnows. Catfish are good in the coves on worms, hot dogs, chicken liver or stink bait.

El Vado Lake – No fishing report.

Heron Lake – Trolling for kokanee has slowed but some limits are still being reported. Most success has been in the early mornings trolling at 15-30 feet with gold or brass lures. Rainbows are slow from shore with Power Bait or salmon eggs.

Jackson Lake - Trout are reported as good with spinners or Power Bait.

Lake Farmington – Trout are good with worms, spinners or Power Bait.

Morgan Lake – Catfish are fair at night with chicken or stink bait.

Navajo Lake – Pike are good trolling Rapalas or crank baits in the San Juan and Pine arms. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are reported as good in the coves with jigs, top water lures, Seknos, spinner baits and night crawlers. Kokanee are fair to good trolling Arnie’s lures or double whammies at 40 feet, with best reports from the Pine Arm and Francis Canyon. No reports on other species.

West-Central, including the Jemez Mountains

Jemez River, East Fork, Guadalupe and San Antonio - Flow on the Jemez River is 46 cfs. The rains increased the water levels in all the streams, but they are a little murky, so dry fly action is not good. Fishing is fair using bead head nymphs, Panther Martins, Power Bait or worms.

Metro Drainages – No report this week.

Bluewater Lake – Trout are reported as slow with Power Bait or salmon eggs. Tiger muskies are fair with spinners and spoons. Most have been in the 32-36 inch range with one 43-inch musky caught and released. Catfish are fair using chicken liver.

Cochiti Lake – There has been light to moderate pressure due to the rains. Bass are reported as fair with crank baits. Pike, 26-30 inches, are fair on crank baits. No reports on other species.

Fenton Lake – Stocker-size trout are reported as good from shore with pink Power Bait, salmon eggs or worms.

Tingley Beach - South Pond catch and release - Trout fishing is poor and won’t improve until the temperatures are cooler. Children's and Central Ponds - Bluegills are good with worms under a bobber. Catfish are good using hotdogs. No reports on bass.

East–Central, including the Pecos River

Coyote Creek - Flow is 721 cfs. Rain over the past 5 days has caused the creek to overflow its banks. No one is fishing and there is no report.

Pecos River - Flows are 288 cfs near Pecos and 100 cfs below Sumner Dam. The water is murky and dry fly fishing was good before the rains started. Hatches are reported river wide with PMD’s, yellow sallies, caddis and red quills working well. Last week 350 rainbows and 1,644 triploid rainbows were stocked from Cowles to the village of Pecos.

Conchas Lake – First it was the hot weather, and now it’s the rains that have slowed the fishing. Reports are slow for all species.

Morphy Lake – No report due to heavy rains.

Santa Rosa Lake – There has been no pressure due to heavy rains and there is no fishing report.

Storrie Lake – Trout are reported as fair with garlic cheese or Power Bait. No reports on other species.

Sumner Lake - Winter trout waters, stilling basin – Pressure has been light and reports are slow for all species.

Ute Lake – Walleye are in deeper water and trolling is slow with deep diving crank baits. White bass are schooling at about 30 feet and are reported as fair trolling slabs and jigs. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are slow with soft plastics or Senkos. Catfish are fair on stink bait or chicken liver.

Southwest

Gila River - The flow is 101 cfs and the water is higher and muddy. There has been a lot of rain and no pressure. Fishing is slow with Pistol Petes, spinners and salmon eggs.

Rio Grande - The flow is 2,140 cfs below Elephant Butte Dam. No fishing report.

Bill Evans Lake: Winter trout waters – No report.

Caballo Lake – Walleye are slow with jigs and minnows. White bass are good from the bank and trolling with spinners, worms or minnows. A few largemouth bass have been caught in the coves with minnows. Catfish are good with night crawlers or chicken liver.

Elephant Butte Lake – Four days of rain has slowed the fishing and there has been light pressure. White bass are slow with shiners or sassy shad. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are slow using white or green bombers. Striped bass are slow trolling big shiners or shad. No reports on other species.

Glenwood Ponds – There has been light pressure and trout are slow.

Lake Roberts – Catfish are good at the upper end of the lake with stink bait or chicken liver. It is weedy around the shore but trout are fair in the open water using spinners.

Quemado Lake – Trout are fair with Power Bait or worms. Tiger muskies are fair with Rapalas, worms or salmon eggs.

Snow Lake – Trout are reported as slow due to rains.

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