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.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST STOCKING REPORT

The weekly stocking report is posted each Friday, so it can include the latest stocking details right up to the weekend.

The 2025-26 license year is underway!

License sales for the 2025-26 license year have begun. Licenses from the 2024-2025 license year are no longer valid. The 2025-26 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.

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

The New Mexico Environment Department has reported a potentially harmful algae bloom at various waterbodies throughout the state. Visit the New Mexico Environment Department's News Releases page for more information.

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

NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Eagle Nest Lake: Luther Martinez caught a 21½-inch rainbow trout using worms on Nov. 27.

Monastery Lake: Maddox McCluskey caught a trout using a Kastmaster while fishing with his grandpa on Nov. 28.

Monastery Lake: Sienna Day, age 5, caught a trout using PowerBait on the last cast of the day on Nov. 28.

Ute Lake: Ace, age 14, caught a smallmouth bass using a 12-inch, silver-and-black Rapala crankbait on Nov. 22. The group caught a nice-sized channel catfish, some walleye and several more smallmouth bass as well.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Wednesday morning was 4 cubic feet per second (cfs). 

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using worms. 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 Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using yellow glitter Gulp and spinners.

Lake Maloya: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Rainbow PowerBait.

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Kastmasters, worms and PowerBait. 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 37.8 cfs. The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using worms.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 32.8 cfs.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 687 cfs.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Wednesday morning was 6.01 cfs. 

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Wednesday morning was 12.9 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Wednesday morning was 2.75 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using lures.

Ute Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for walleye, crappie, catfish and white bass was fair to good when using 3-inch and 4-inch Gulp minnows.

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, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake, Red River City Ponds, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake, Storrie Lake and Stubblefield Lake.  

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

The Rio Chama was running at 991 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Wednesday morning below Abiquiu Lake (pictured). It is running at 700 cfs below El Vado Lake.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information. The most recent report was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for walleye was slow to fair when using Rapala sinking minnows.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Wednesday morning was 307 cfs.

Belen Riverside Drain: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs.

Bluewater Lake: Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

Cochiti Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for northern pike was slow to fair when using spinners. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair when using silver-and-black 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: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Garlic PowerBait.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 10.6 cfs. 

Navajo Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, snagging for kokanee was slow.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 700 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 991 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 967 cfs.

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Wednesday morning was 289 cfs. The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was good when using red annelid flies in the quality waters.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Fishing for trout was very good when using salmon eggs. 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 Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using Garlic PowerBait.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River, Canjilon Lakes, 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

Elephant Butte Lake: Carlos Sifuentes caught and released two striped bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and 7 pounds, eight ounces, using a jerkbait, as well as two white bass using a shad-colored crankbait on Nov. 24.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing conditions have been adversely affected in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.

Bill Evans Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using natural scent trout bait. Fishing for largemouth bass was good when using crawdads. 

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was slow to fair when using shad-colored crankbaits. Fishing for striped bass was slow to fair when using jerkbaits.

Escondida Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for catfish was good when using PowerBait.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 117 cfs.

Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 52.8 cfs.

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 cfs. 

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Caballo Lake, Elephant Butte Lake, Glenwood Pond, Lake Roberts, Percha Dam, Rancho Grande Ponds, Snow Lake, Trees Lake and Young Pond.  

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Alto Lake: Mario and Monica Velasco of Portales, along with Kim Ochoa and MJ Velasco of Las Cruces, combined to catch eight trout using PowerBait on Nov. 29. “MJ’s husky, Ivy Mae, had a blast,” they said.

Black River: Luke Hernandez caught a flathead catfish using shad chunks on a trot line on Nov. 27.

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was very good when using PowerBait, multicolored Kastmasters and worms. 

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

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Wednesday morning was 3.77 cfs. Fishing for flathead catfish was slow to fair when using shad chunks.

Bonito Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using multicolored Kastmasters, worms and size-12 nymph flies. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

Chaparral Park Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using corn.

Grindstone Reservoir: The most recent report was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using green leeches and red or purple squirmy worms. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Wednesday morning was 20.1 cfs. 

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 4.40 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

Sumner Lake: The most recent report was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was good when using Panther Martin Spinners.

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, Carlsbad Municipal 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, Perch Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Santa Rosa Lake, Spring River Pond and Timberon Ponds.  

TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES

Winter Fishing Tips

Warm autumn days have given way to snow and ice in many parts of New Mexico, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your time trying to reel in the big one at one of the state’s numerous lakes, rivers or streams! This week, we’re going back to 2010, when the Department put out some tips and tricks for successful winter fishing. While this video focuses on the Cimarron River, there are many places throughout the Land of Enchantment where you can drop a line in and take advantage of some peace and quiet this winter.