This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish in cooperation with Dustin Berg of www.gounlimited.org (“supporting disabled anglers”), 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.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing adventure, or your catch of the week. Visit: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report/ and use the iFish form at the bottom of this page. You can also 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. Fish weights and measurements are provided by the angler and printed here as received. Photos containing sensitive material may be altered or excluded at the Department's discretion.

NOTE: There will be fewer reports available during the cooler seasons when fishing slows. The Department will make every effort to provide as much information as possible during the winter months.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST STOCKING REPORT

The 2024-25 license year is here. Get your new Fishing License now!

2023-24 Fishing Licenses are no longer valid. A 2024-25 Fishing License is now required since the new license year began on April 1. The 2024-25 Fishing Rules and Information Booklet (RIB) is available online and in print in English and Spanish.

Check the Fishing Conditions and Trip Planner!

The Department's Fishing Conditions and Trip Planner was created using data from past Weekly Fishing Reports to develop graphs depicting fishing conditions for several species and waterbodies throughout the year. Each graph represents the average fishing conditions for each week of the year over the four-year period. 

The Department has also developed an interactive Fishing Waters Map with a wealth of information on fishing locations in New Mexico. It displays hundreds of fishing access points with information of fish species available, facilities, accessibility, boat ramps and general regulations.

Check out the webpage to plan your trip now!

Land Management Agency Links

The Department reminds anglers to “know before you go” and to contact land management agencies regarding additional regulations or restrictions on specific properties of interest prior to heading afield.

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
• New Mexico State Lands
• New Mexico State Parks 
• New Mexico Open Gate Properties 
• New Mexico Wildlife Management Areas
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Consult local government websites for information regarding specific city and town fishing access. 

NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Fishing for trout was good when using Chartreuse PowerBait at Eagle Nest Lake. (Photo courtesy New Mexico State Parks)

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

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

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season. Reopens March 1.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 16 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Clayton Lake: Closed for the season. Reopens March 1.

Conchas Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair when using 3-inch, white tube baits.

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

Cowles Ponds: Fishing for trout was slow.

Coyote Creek: Fishing for trout was fair when using small dry flies.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Chartreuse PowerBait. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using large rainbow-trout-pattern spinners. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Yellow Garlic PowerBait and Yellow and Pink PowerBait Worms.

Gallinas River: National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

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

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was good when using Orange PowerBait Marshmallows and salmon eggs. The ADA dock is open to anglers with priority given to mobility-impaired persons.

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

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season. Reopens March 1.

Monastery Lake: The lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property. 

Morphy Lake: Closed for the season. Reopens March 1.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was 91 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when worms and bead-head Caddis Flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 48 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Red PowerBait near the town of Red River.

Red River Hatchery: Work to replace the water line to the hatchery pond has been completed and stocking has resumed.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 708 cfs.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Monday morning was 15 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Monday morning was 42 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 30 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 16-April 31. Ice fishing is not allowed.

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

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

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

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair when vertical jigging using vibrating blade baits in 30-40 feet of water. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when vertical jigging using blade baits in 30-35 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow. The main lake’s water-surface temperature was in the low 60 F range and the water was stained. 

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Cochiti Lake: Wayne Garcia of Albuquerque caught and released a 39.5-inch, 15.74-pound pike using a custom Fire Tiger Spinnerbait on Nov. 5.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 386 cfs.

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

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

Brazos River: Fishing for trout was good when using worms.

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

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for pike was fair to good when using Fire Tiger-pattern spinnerbaits, swimbaits and white paddle-tail jigs.

El Vado Lake: Closed due to dam construction project. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and bead-head nymph flies. For updated lake conditions and potential closure information, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.

Grants Riverwalk Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 23 cfs.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season. Reopens May 1.

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

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

Liam Knight Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

McGaffey Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait and orange-and-chrome Kastmaster lures.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for kokanee salmon using snagging hooks was slow. The dam is closed to vehicle traffic until May 2025.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 100 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Tuesday morning was 48 cfs. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of only two trout.

Rio Grande: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1): We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Monday morning was 343 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using RS2 Flies and size-24, black Krystal Flash midge-pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good when using Kastmaster lures.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Kid's Pond, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.

Tiger Park Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Bear Canyon Lake: Tony Arena from Las Cruces and friends caught their limits of rainbow trout using PowerBait and spinners on Nov. 3.

Elephant Butte Lake: Brian Johns caught six 24-inch, 7-pound catfish from the bank using marinated garlic shrimp on Nov. 11.

Lake Roberts: Tony Arena from Las Cruces and friends caught their limits of rainbow trout using PowerBait and spinners on Nov. 2.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and spinners.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using gold-and-red Kastmaster lures.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was good when using Flicker Shad lures. Fishing for walleye was slow to fair when using white crankbaits and jigs tipped with worms. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was fair to good when using plastic worms. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait and marinated garlic shrimp.

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

Estancia Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 61 cfs.

Gila Waters: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and spinners.

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: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Tuesday morning was 1 cfs.

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

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

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Chartreuse PowerBait. 

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

The boat ramp is now open at Santa Rosa Lake State Park. (Photo courtesy New Mexico State Parks)

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Alto Lake: Alto Lake is closed indefinitely due to extensive damage caused by the South Fork Fire. The wildfire has left significant impacts on the natural environment and infrastructure surrounding the lake, necessitating immediate and prolonged closure for safety and restoration efforts. Please visit https://www.ruidoso-nm.gov/ for the most current information. 

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

Berrendo Creek: Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 7 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake: Fish-stocking operations have resumed. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using olive-green Pistol Pete spinner flies. The lake reopened to fishing only on Aug. 30. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake. Visit https://www.nmfireinfo.com for the latest information.

Bosque Redondo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

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

Chaparral Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Dennis Chavez 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 Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Rooster Tail spinners, Salmon Peach PowerBait, chartreuse Pautzke Balls O’ Fire and mini marshmallows. Grindstone Lake is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Lake Webpage before planning a visit.

Harry McAdams Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Ned Houk Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 0 cfs.

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

Rio Bonito: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood Monday morning was 7 cfs. The area has been experiencing heavy flooding because of recent fires in conjunction with heavy rain.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake: The boat ramp is open.

Spring River Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES

Navajo Lake Kokanee Salmon Snagging Update 

The kokanee salmon snagging season at Navajo Lake is in full swing, but anglers should be aware of several factors affecting both access and fish activity this year. Matthew Medina recently shared his experience after a day trip to Navajo Lake with a friend, Aaron. Their goal was to snag kokanee salmon, but the day was slower than anticipated.

Aaron Earle of Albuquerque made the day trip to Navajo Lake on Nov. 3 to try kokanee salmon snagging. Fishing was slow near the Dam. Pictured is Aaron with his first kokanee salmon caught.

Access to the lake, however, has been affected by a significant road closure due to maintenance work on Navajo Dam. New Mexico State Road 539, which runs over the dam, has been closed to vehicle traffic since Sept. 11, and will remain so until May 2025. This closure is part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Safety of Dams Program, which includes exploratory drilling to gather geotechnical data. The dam, located about 45 miles east of Farmington, has shown increased seepage over the years, leading the Bureau of Reclamation to investigate potential solutions. Western Colorado Area Manager Ed Warner explained that the drilling project will help identify the source of the seepage and assess how new engineering practices can address it.

Medina also noted that while vehicle access is restricted, pedestrians and cyclists are still allowed to cross the dam. Medina and his friend opted to bike across the dam, which provided them with lake access despite the road restrictions.

While the closures and slowed salmon-snagging season may cause some frustration, the ongoing maintenance underscores the importance of dam safety. The Bureau of Reclamation project aims to ensure the dam’s long-term stability, preserving Navajo Lake as a valuable resource for recreation and the surrounding environment. Anglers should plan for the extra travel time and consider alternative access options, such as biking or walking across the dam, to make the most of their snagging trips.

Navajo Lake remains a beautiful destination for kokanee salmon fishing, and with some additional preparation, anglers can still enjoy a fulfilling experience. When the road reopens in May 2025, the dam will be in a better position to serve the region safely and effectively, benefiting both recreationists and local communities. 

Let us know how your fishing trip goes! Share your tips and tricks with your fellow anglers by emailing us at funfishingnm@gmail.com and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success.

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!