WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing adventure, or your catch of the week. Just visit the Department's Weekly Fishing & Stocking Report website and use the iFish form at the bottom of the page. Submissions received by 5 p.m. Monday will be considered for inclusion in that week's fishing report. For catches of the week, include: your 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 displayed here as received. Photos containing sensitive material may be altered or excluded at the Department's discretion.
This fishing report, provided by 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.
The weekly stocking report is posted each Friday, so it can include the latest stocking details right up to the weekend.
The 2025-2026 license year is ongoing!
Licenses for the 2025-2026 license year remain valid until March 31, 2026. The 2025-2026 Fishing Rules and Information Booklet (RIB) is available online in both English and Spanish, and will soon be available in print at Department offices and vendors statewide.
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.
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.
Consult local government websites for information regarding specific city and town fishing access.
NORTHEAST
NORTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK
Fishing for trout has been good in recent weeks at Eagle Nest Lake when using jigs and PowerBait.
NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT
Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.
Eagle Nest Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using jigs and PowerBait. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.
Hopewell Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time,ice fishing for trout was very good when using Swedish pimples and tungsten jigs tipped with wax worms.
Monastery Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair when using mealworms.The lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.
Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Wednesday morning was 43.5 cfs. The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for trout was slow when using size-16 dry flies. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using muddler flies and live bait.
Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 31.7 cfs.
Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 577 cfs.
Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Wednesday morning was 5.05 cfs.
Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Wednesday morning was 9.09 cfs.
Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.
Ute Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for walleye, crappie, catfish and white bass was fair to good when using 3- and 4-inch Gulp minnows and jigs with green blades.
We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Cabresto Lake, Clayton Lake, Charette Lakes, Conchas Lake, Cowles Ponds, Coyote Creek, Eagle Rock Lake, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Lake Alice, Lake Maloya, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake,Red River City Ponds,Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Santa Cruz Reservoir, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake, Storrie Lake and Stubblefield Lake.
NORTHWEST
NORTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK
Winter conditions have taken hold at Fenton Lake, with ice covering most of the lake in recent weeks.
NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT
Abiquiu Lake: Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371for updated lake conditions and closure information.
Albuquerque Area Drains: The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using Rainbow Glitter PowerBait.
Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Wednesday morning was 261 cfs.
Bluewater Lake:Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information. The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for tiger muskie and trout was fair to good when using 6th Sense spinners.
El Vado Lake: The lake is open to boating and angling with a primitive boat ramp available at the Dam Day Use Area, as well as the main (concrete) boat ramp and courtesy dock at El Vado Lake State Park. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.
Fenton Lake:The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, the lake had a layer of ice covering 90% of its surface, with a small area of open water in the center that cannot be reached from shore.
Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 19 cfs.
Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 103 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 74.4 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: Streamflow at Albuquerque Wednesday morning was 724 cfs.
San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Wednesday morning was 280 cfs. The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for brown trout was very good when using RS2 and Grey Midge flies in the quality waters.
Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: The most recent report was received Dec. 11. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using worms. Anglers reported that the pond is approximately half-frozen, though the fish continue to bite. 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.
Tingley Beach:The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was very good when using Garlic PowerBait and pale green Gulp on Carolina rigs with No. 6 hooks.
We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River,Canjilon Lakes, Cochiti Lake, Grants Riverwalk Pond, Heron Lake, Jackson Lake, Laguna del Campo, Lagunitas Lakes, Lake Farmington, Liam Knight Pond, McGaffey Lake, Navajo Lake, Rio Cebolla, Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1), San Gregorio Lake, Tiger Park Reservoir and Trout Lakes.
SOUTHWEST
SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK
Fishing for catfish has been good when using chicken recently at Elephant Butte Lake.
SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT
Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing conditions have been adversely affected in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.
Elephant Butte Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for catfish was good when using chicken.
Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 72.4 cfs.
Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 54.7 cfs.
Glenwood Pond: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.
Quemado Lake:The lake is currently closed due to an algal bloom. It will reopen when the New Mexico Environment Department advises that the lake is safe for public use. For more information, visit the Gila National Forest website.
Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.77 cfs.
We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bill Evans Lake, Caballo Lake, Escondida Lake, Lake Roberts, Percha Dam, Rancho Grande Ponds, Snow Lake, Trees Lake and Young Pond.
SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK
Berrendo Creek: Jessie Hernandez caught two trout using worms on Dec. 27.
Bonito Lake: Jr Salas, of El Paso, caught his first ever brook trout using a purple blowtorch fly on Dec. 23.
SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT
Alto Lake:The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using multicolored Kastmasters, worms and orange-and-yellow-swirl Garlic PowerBait.
Berrendo Creek: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using worms.Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.
Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Wednesday morning was 9.23 cfs.
Bonito Lake:Fishing for brook trout was slow to fair when using purple blowtorch flies.Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.
Carlsbad Municipal Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was slow when using a variety of baits.
Grindstone Reservoir:The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Rainbow PowerBait. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.
Oasis Park Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using PowerBait.
Lake Van:The most recent report was received Dec. 24. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Green or Yellow Garlic PowerBait.
Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Wednesday morning was 20.1 cfs.
Perch Lake: The most recent report was received Dec. 18. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Pautzke Fire Balls.
Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 3.69 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.
We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bataan Lake, Blue Hole Park Pond, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Chaparral Park Lake, Corona Pond, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park Lake, Eunice Lake, Green Meadow Lake, Greene Acres Lake, Harry McAdams Park Pond, Jal Lake, Lake Van, Ned Houk Ponds, Oasis Park Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Santa Rosa Lake, Spring River Pond, Sumner Lake and Timberon Ponds.
TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES
The state-record largemouth bass (15 pounds, 13 ounces) and white bass (4 pounds, 13 ounces) were both caught at Bill Evans Lake near Cliff.
New Year's Resolutions
By Darren Vaughan
The new year is almost upon us.
For many people, that means making resolutions that, while well-intentioned, inevitably fall by the wayside before the calendar hits February with an avalanche of unused gym memberships in their wake. So, before you embark on another set of “new year, new you” promises, here are some ideas that might just be easier to follow — and possibly just as rewarding!
If you’re used to fishing for bass and catfish down south, and you want a new challenge, maybe it’s time to give trout fishing in northern New Mexico a try. While it hasn’t been cold enough yet for most of New Mexico’s lakes to freeze, a lengthy cold snap could make ice fishing a possibility this winter. Once things warm back up, you could hit up the world-renowned trout fishery on the San Juan River in the northwest corner of the state.
Likewise, if you’re used to fly fishing on the San Juan or in the Pecos Wilderness, you can head down south to try your luck with some of the state’s warm-water species. After all, the state-record blue catfish and flathead catfish were both caught at Elephant Butte Lake State Park near Truth or Consequences, and the state-record largemouth and white bass were both caught at Bill Evans Lake south of Cliff. Or, maybe the pursuit of the New Mexico Trout Challenge or New Mexico Bass Challenge can lead you to far-flung corners of the state.
As for me, my goal is much more modest. I spend most of my time in my office at the Department headquarters in Santa Fe, longing for a relaxing afternoon outdoors. Some of the top fishing in the state is within an hour or two — the Pecos, Monastery Lake, Cochiti Lake and Abiquiu Lake come to mind, among others, so my goal is to spend at least an afternoon or two this coming year dropping a line in the water and seeing what I can catch. The main goal, of course, is to reel in one of those monsters that you all regularly submit to us for this report each week — but that's why they call it "fishing" and not "catching."
May 2026 bring you happiness, prosperity, and even more angling success!
Remember to let us know how your fishing trip goes! Share your tips, tricks and stories with your fellow anglers by filling out the iFish form and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success. If you would like to submit a story for Tips, Tricks and Stories, please email Communications Director Darren Vaughan at Darren.Vaughan@dgf.nm.gov.
New Mexico Department of Wildlife, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507
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