By GEORGE MORSESports And Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
In this fishing report, certain species of trout are referred to as “stocked” and “wild.” Anglers may be confused by this or wonder what the difference is.
A “wild” trout is a fish that is the result of natural reproduction in the waters that these fish inhabit. The primary example of a wild trout would be a brown trout.
Brown trout were originally found in Europe and Asia. They were introduced across North America in the late-19th and 20th centuries. Brown trout have proven to be very adaptable and quickly-established naturally-reproducing populations throughout North America, including New Mexico. Brown trout have not been stocked in New Mexico in recent years. If you catch a brown trout anymore in New Mexico, it is a wild trout. The Rio Grande, Chama River and Pecos River drainages all have populations of wild brown trout.
Brook trout are another example of a fish that was introduced into New Mexico and established naturally-reproducing populations to become wild trout. Brook trout were originally found in North America east of the Mississippi River.
Brook trout prefer colder water than other species of trout and have only established wild populations in a few streams and small lakes at higher-elevations here in New Mexico. Hopewell Lake and the headwaters of the Brazos River are two example of waters with wild brook trout populations. They are no longer stocked.
A “stocked” trout is one that began its life being raised in a fish hatchery. Currently, New Mexico raises and stocks three different species of trout. The rainbow trout are by far the most frequently stocked, with hundreds of thousands being stocked every year. These fish are raised at five different hatcheries in the state.
Los Ojos Fish Hatchery, Red River Fish Hatchery, Lisboa Springs Fish Hatchery, Glenwood Fish Hatchery and Rock Lake Fish Hatchery are where these trout are raised. Rainbow trout were originally native to streams that empty into the Pacific Ocean.
They are stocked at various sizes ranging from just a couple of inches long to some much-bigger sizes ranging from 16 to over 20 inches long. The most-commonly stocked size is rainbow trout referred to as “catchable.” These fish are mostly between 9-and-12 inches long.
Trout stocked below catchable-size are stocked in fertile waters where it is hoped that they will grow to catchable-size and larger feeding on natural foods like aquatic insects, crustaceans and other fish. Catchable-size trout are stocked primarily with the intention that they be caught by anglers right away. Some of these fish may avoid being caught and survive, when they can be called “holdover” trout.
In recent years, New Mexico has stocked greater numbers of rainbow trout larger than catchable-size to give anglers the opportunity to catch bigger trout. This has proven to be very popular and will continue to be done.
In recent years, the only rainbow trout stocked in New Mexico are so-called “triploid rainbow trout.” Triploid rainbow trout come from trout eggs that have either been exposed to heat or irradiation. Fish from these eggs are sterile and cannot reproduce.
There is very limited natural reproduction of rainbow trout, although some does occur in some of the smaller streams.
New Mexico also raises and stocks Rio Grande cutthroat trout. These fish are raised at the Seven Springs Fish Hatchery in the Jemez Mountains near Fenton Lake State Park. Rio Grande cutthroat trout are one of two species of trout that were “native” to New Mexico, meaning they evolved in the streams they inhabit and have adapted to them over the centuries. They were here before human habitation. Rio Grande cutthroats inhabited the Rio Grande, Chama River and Pecos River drainages.
At one time widespread, Rio Grande cutthroat have seen their habitat and populations greatly diminished through habitat loss and competition with introduced trout species. They readily interbreed with rainbow trout, producing hybrids called cutbow trout. They display both rainbow trout and cutthroat trout characteristics. Because of this, there are very few “pure” populations of Rio Grande cutthroat trout left. Many headwater streams here in New Mexico are now populated with cutbow trout.
The distinguishing feature of cutthroat trout is two orange-to-red slashes under the lower jaw. Rio Grande and other subspecies of cutthroat trout are native to the Rocky Mountains.
Rio Grande cutthroat trout are often stocked in selected streams and high mountain lakes as small fish in the hopes that they will establish naturally-reproducing populations. The Rio Costilla is primarily a cutthroat fishery, along with some smaller headwater stream and lakes. Larger cutthroat trout are sometimes stocked in selected waters when the hatchery has to make room for more trout. These include Fenton Lake, the Rio Chama below El Vado Dam and the Rio Grande.
Rio Grande cutthroat trout are New Mexico’s state fish. There is an intensive effort to restore them to parts of their natural habitat. The daily limit on cutthroat trout is two fish. In many waters, they are fully-protected.
The other trout native to New Mexico is the Gila trout. It was confined to the Gila River drainage in Southwestern New Mexico. Gila trout are raised at the Federal Fish Hatchery in Mora. Like the cutthroat trout, their populations have been greatly diminished due to habitat loss and competition from other trout. They will also readily interbreed with rainbow trout.
At one time considered endangered, Gila trout have made a modest comeback and are now available to anglers on a somewhat limited basis. A free Gila trout permit is required that is available online. Naturally-reproducing populations have been established by stocking small Gila trout in some of the smaller headwater streams of the Gila River drainage.
Larger Gila trout are sometimes stocked in the Gila River, including its East, West and Middle Forks. Lake Roberts near Silver City and Sapillo Creek are also sometimes stocked with larger Gila trout.
Last week saw extensive stocking of rainbow trout in waters across Northern New Mexico. In some cases, stockings of catchable-size rainbow trout were accompanied by smaller plantings of larger rainbow trout.
In the Chama area, the fishing has been very good in the Chama River below El Vado Dam. Laguna de Campo (also known as Burns Lake) near Los Ojos was stocked Sept. 10 with 935 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 205 rainbow trout averaging 18.7 inches in size.
The fishing at Hopewell Lake remains good for stocked rainbow trout and wild brook trout. The Rio de los Pinos near the Colorado border was stocked Sept. 10 with 1,800 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 50 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches in size.
In the Jemez Mountains area, the Seven Springs Brood Pond continues to produce big trout for little kids under 12 years old. It was stocked Sept. 12 with 103 rainbow trout averaging 18.8 inches in size.
The fishing remains good at Fenton Lake with some big stocked trout from earlier stockings and some big, wild brown trout that are sometimes caught.
The streamflow in the Rio Grande is dropping and the water clarity is improving. It was stocked in the Pilar area Sept.10 with 2,252 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 205 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches in size.
The Rio Pueblo near Penasco was stocked Sept. 12 with 1,198 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 100 rainbow trout averaging 16.4 inches in length.
In the Red River/Questa area, Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked Sept. 12 with 500 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 100 rainbow trout averaging 16.4 inches in length. The Red River above Questa was stocked Sept. 11 with 2,897 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 200 rainbow trout averaging 16.5 inches in length.
The fishing at Eagle Nest Lake has been good for rainbow trout. The fishing for perch has been fair-to-good and the fishing for northern pike has been fair.
The Cimarron River in Cimarron Canyon State Park has been good for rainbow and brown trout. It was stocked Sept. 9 with 2,430 rainbow trout. The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes were stocked with 401 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 204 rainbow trout averaging 16 inches in length.
The fishing remains good at Lake Maloya in Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton.
The Pecos River has maintained good flows this summer and the fishing has been good. It was stocked Sept. 13 with 501 rainbow trout.
The fishing has been good at Monastery Lake near Pecos and at the Cowles Ponds near Cowles.
Over in the Four Corners, the streamflow in the San Juan River was 1,200 cubic-feet-per-second. The fishing in the Quality Water was good with a variety of fly patterns. The Bait Water below the Quality Water was stocked Sept. 11 with 1,790 rainbow trout.
The fishing for kokanee salmon at Navajo Lake remains good trolling spinners tipped with corn at 60 feet of water depth.
The male salmon are starting to develop hooked jaws, humped-backs and turn red in color in preparation for spawning.
Salmon-snagging season starts Oct. 1 at Navajo Lake.
Tingley Beach in Albuquerque has had slow fishing for catfish. Trout are not yet being stocked at Tingley Beach.
The fishing for white bass at Elephant Butte Lake has been very good. White bass are a prolific species and the limit is a generous 25 fish-per-day. Jigging with slab spoons and Kastmasters seems like the favored technique. The catfishing has been good and the walleye fishing has been fair-to-good at night using spinners.
The trout fishing has been good at Grindstone Reservoir near Ruidoso.
If you’d like to try to catch a Gila trout, Lake Roberts near Silver City was stocked Sept. 12 with 1,210 catchable-size Gila trout. The fishing for catfish has been good.