WE'VE MOVED!

The fishing report is now released each week on Thursday. Moving from Tuesday to Thursday will help us get the most up-to-date fishing information to you right before you head outdoors for the weekend.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing adventure, or your catch of the week. Just visit https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report/ and use the iFish form at the bottom of this page. We may include your story in our next 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.

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

Get your Fishing License now!

A 2024-25 Fishing License is required and is valid through March 31, 2025. 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.

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

NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Eagle Nest Lake: Val Armijo of Albuquerque (above left) caught five rainbow trout using Salmon Peach PowerBait on Jan. 29. Manuel Fernandez caught three rainbow trout (above right) using Salmon Egg PowerBait and jigs on Feb. 1.

Hopewell Lake: Aaron Atencio (above) caught two brook trout using Green PowerBait while fishing with friends on Jan. 25.

Rio Grande: Carolyn Lucca caught a rainbow trout using a fly at the Taos Junction Bridge on Feb. 2.

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 Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

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

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

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

Cowles Ponds: Fishing for trout was slow.

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Ice fishing for rainbow trout was fair to good when using Salmon Peach PowerBait, Salmon Egg PowerBait and jigs. The lake surface is closed to all activities due to deteriorating ice conditions. There are no activities allowed on the ice at this time. For updated lake conditions and potential hazards, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

Eagle Rock Lake: Ice fishing for trout was fair to good when using jigs tipped with PowerBait.

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: Ice fishing for trout was fair to good when using Green PowerBait.

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

Lake Maloya: Ice fishing for trout and perch was good when using wax worms, PowerBait and nightcrawlers. 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: Closed due to unsafe ice conditions. 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 Wednesday morning was 41.2 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Streamer flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 40 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using black streamer flies and San Juan worm-pattern flies.

Red River Hatchery: Work to replace the water line to the hatchery pond has been completed and stocking has resumed. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 490 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good near the Taos Junction Bridge when using flies.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Santa Cruz Reservoir is closed and will reopen Feb. 15.

Shuree Ponds: The ponds are closed until July 1.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Bluewater Lake: Daniel Herrera caught a trout using an Orange Gulp Minnow while fishing in open water between the ice on Feb. 2.

San Juan River: John and Abi Hunter caught and released 60 rainbow trout using nymphs in the quality waters on Jan. 25. “Abi took me on my first guide trip ever to celebrate my birthday,” John said. “We had such a good time and caught so many big fish!”

Seven Springs Kids Pond: Wesley Simpson, age 4, caught an 18-inch trout, two 16-inch trout and a 14-inch trout using Green PowerBait on Jan. 26.

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 Wednesday morning was 187 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver, PowerBait and salmon eggs.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Orange Gulp Minnows in open water between the ice. The lake is closed to boating, with the surface approximately 80% frozen over and ice thickness at 2 inches and less. The public is asked to refrain from going out onto the ice at this time. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

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

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

Cochiti Lake: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has temporarily closed the lake until further notice due to unsafe ice conditions. This includes the boat ramp, fishing access and day-use facilities on the Cochiti side of the lake. The gate to the road leading to the lake on the Cochiti side has been closed. Visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ website for updates.

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: The lake is currently closed to ice fishing. Recent warm weather and deteriorating ice conditions have made the lake surface unsafe for ice fishing. Visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630 for updates.

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

Heron Lake: Fishing for kokanee salmon using snagging hooks was very slow.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 22.1 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Navajo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. The dam is closed to vehicle traffic until May 2025.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 99.8 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 82.8 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. 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 Wednesday morning was 357 cfs. Fishing for trout was very good when using nymphs in the quality waters.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Fishing for trout was very good when using Green PowerBait. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Rio Grande: Saul Delgado caught a 19-inch, 1.2-pound catfish using worms below Elephant Butte and Caballo on Jan. 29.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.

Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 58.6 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 45.4 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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: The U.S. Forest Service has issued a warning about thin ice on the lake and advises against ice fishing or other on-ice activities.

Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was less than 1 cfs. Fishing for catfish below Elephant Butte and Caballo was slow when using worms.

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

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

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

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

The Department has received few reports from southeastern New Mexico in recent weeks. If you've been out there trying to reel in the big one, don't be shy – let us know! Head over to https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report/, fill out the form and share how your fishing trip went! (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 Wednesday morning was 5.8 cfs.

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

Bonito Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

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.

Estancia Park Lake: 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: We had no reports from anglers this week. 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 less than 1 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 on Wednesday morning was 4.54 cfs. The area has been experiencing heavy flooding due to recent fires and 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. The Eastside Campground and Eastside Shoreline are now closed for the winter season and will reopen April 1.

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

TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES

Take Caution on Lake Ice!

With recent warm weather in New Mexico, anglers should take extra precautions before stepping out onto frozen lakes as the ice becomes weaker.

This winter, warmer temperatures led to a delay in lakes freezing. It was only recently that many lakes across the state became fully frozen. This “first ice” represents some of the most dangerous conditions for would-be ice fishermen, as the ice can be too thin in spots and inconsistent in others. The same goes for “last ice” conditions when the lakes begin to thaw, as they have this week. In fact, New Mexico State Parks announced the closure of Eagle Nest and Fenton lakes to all ice activity within the past few days, citing deteriorating ice conditions. Make sure to check with local authorities, including State Parks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the U.S. Forest Service, before you go out to get the latest update on lake conditions.

Fenton Lake was closed to ice fishing earlier this week due to deteriorating ice conditions. (Photo courtesy New Mexico State Parks)

While your nearest favorite fishing spot may still be open, that doesn’t necessarily mean conditions are safe for you to step out on the ice. First, you should make sure the ice is thick enough – if the ice is clear, it needs to be at least 4 inches thick for it to be safe to walk on. Keep in mind that cloudy or snowy ice is not as strong as clear ice, making it less safe.

Regardless of the ice conditions, you should always be prepared with rescue equipment for everyone in your party, including ice safety picks, personal flotation devices suitable for ice fishing, whistles and throw ropes. You should also wear a good pair of ice cleats. All this gear is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to the potential consequences of not having it. Remember: it’s better to have it and not need it, than it is to need it and not have it!

Above all, never go onto the ice alone. Make sure there is someone close enough to help in the event of an emergency, but don’t travel too closely together in case the ice isn’t thick enough to support everyone’s body weight.

Ice fishing can make for an enjoyable day out on the lake when the weather is cold, but taking these precautions can help ensure that it is a safe day out on the lake as well.

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 at https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report/ 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.