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.
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 on available fish species, facilities, accessibility, boat ramps, and general regulations.
Pecos River: Griffin Seitz caught a brown trout using clown salmon eggs on Jan. 10. “Cold water, lots of ice, but the fish still have to eat,” he said.
NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT
Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.
Eagle Nest Lake: The lake surface is temporarily closed to boating, ice fishing, walking, and all other activities due to recent winter weather conditions that have created unsafe lake surface conditions. The lake is closed to all watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, inflatables, and motorboats. Eagle Nest Lake State Park staff will continue to monitor ice conditions for ice fishing. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.
Lake Maloya: The boat dock and the ADA dock are closed for winter lake conditions. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.
Morphy Lake: Morphy Lake State Park is closed for the season until Feb. 28.
Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Wednesday morning was 52.2 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good when using clown salmon eggs, midges, hoppers, and elk-hair caddis flies.
Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 27.3 cfs.
Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 441 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for brown trout was excellent when using red worms.
Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.
Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 12.2 cfs.
Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.
Ute Lake: The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using clown-colored jerkbaits.
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, Hopewell Lake, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, 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
Trout fishing in the quality waters of the San Juan has been slow to fair when using San Juan worms in recent weeks.
NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT
Abiquiu Lake: Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371for updated lake conditions and closure information.
Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec on Wednesday morning was 233 cfs.
Bluewater Lake: The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, trout fishing was fair to good when using Cheese PowerBait. For more information, visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391.
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 boat ramp/launch area is closed due to ice accumulations on the lake. It will remain closed until safe ice fishing conditions exist or the lake has completely thawed. For more information, visit Fenton Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-829-3630.
Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 12.6 cfs. Fishing for trout was excellent when using orange Master Casts.
Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 91.7 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 72.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using bait below Abiquiu Lake. 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 525 cfs.
San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 329 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was slow to fair when using San Juan worms in the quality waters.
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.
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, Tingley Beach and Trout Lakes.
SOUTHWEST
SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK
Fly-fishing for Gila trout has been slow to fair on the Gila River in recent weeks.
SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT
Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing conditions have been adversely affected in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.
Elephant Butte Lake: The South Monticello boat ramp is currently closed and access to Rattlesnake Island is currently restricted due to low water levels. The closures will be lifted when water levels rise and conditions allow.
Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 65.3 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for Gila trout was slow to fair when using flies in the west fork.
Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 57.7 cfs.
Quemado Lake:The lake has reopened to the public.
Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.37 cfs.
We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bill Evans Lake, Caballo Lake, Escondida Lake, Glenwood Pond, Lake Roberts, Percha Dam, Rancho Grande Ponds, Snow Lake, Trees Lake and Young Pond.
SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK
Bonito Lake: Omar Benitez caught four trout using Yellow PowerBait on Jan. 18.
SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT
Alto Lake:The most recent report was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using Rainbow Glitter PowerBait and worms.
Berrendo Creek: The most recent report was received Jan. 8. At that time, 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 4.8 cfs.
Bonito Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Yellow PowerBait and Rainbow Glitter PowerBait, and slow when using rooster tails, Kastmasters and Dardevle lures. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.
Grindstone Reservoir:The most recent report was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using Rainbow Glitter PowerBait. 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 14.7 cfs.
Perch Lake: The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using multiple types of PowerBait and PowerBalls.
Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 4.78 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, Carlsbad Municipal 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.
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.
TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES
Following Fishing Etiquette
By Darren Vaughan
If you recently got your first fishing rod, or maybe a fully stocked tackle box, for Christmas, congratulations!
Maybe over the past few weeks, you’ve cast your line for the very first time and started to truly embrace your new pastime. But, as with anything worthwhile, there are some rules, both written and unwritten, that go along with the pursuit of reeling in the big one.
The most obvious rules are the written ones. You can find them in the latest Fishing Rules and Information Booklet, available on the New Mexico Department of Wildlife’s website and at NMDOW offices and license vendors across the state (keep an eye out for the 2026-2027 edition that will be released in the coming weeks!). Remember, it’s your responsibility to know and abide by all the rules and regulations each time you head out.
Perhaps tougher to gauge are the unwritten rules of proper etiquette, especially if you’re a newbie. You can find a variety of advice with a Google search. Still, the best I’ve discovered might come from our friends at Idaho Fish and Game, who have dedicated an entire webpage to how anglers can work together to ensure an enjoyable experience for all. The video below outlines some essential tips, even if we’re not typically fishing for steelhead and salmon around these parts:
The best advice that Idaho Fish and Game provides can be summed up in three simple tips:
Talk to one another about how to best fish together.
Be tolerant of other people’s mistakes and ignorance of generally accepted fishing practices by taking a moment to help educate them.
Remember that everyone wants to enjoy themselves while fishing, so treat others with respect and think about how you’d like to be treated.
It seems like fairly simple advice, but a little kindness, communication and understanding can go a long way to help us all enjoy the great outdoors together.
Let us know how your fishing trip goes! Share your tips and tricks with your fellow anglers by filling out the iFish form and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success.
Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!
New Mexico Department of Wildlife, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507
