By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
We are entering the “dog days” of summer. Water in our lakes and reservoirs is warm and trout have retreated from the shallows into deeper water.
Streamflows have dropped and water temperatures are rising. It is best to limit fishing to early mornings, evening and even at night. Daytime water temperatures are simply too warm for trout. Even if you practice catch-and-release the stress of being caught and released is often too much for the already heat-stressed trout.
It is always a good idea to check conditions at the location you are headed to. Streamflows can be checked on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow website.
So far streamflows have remained decent this summer and are now at a good level for fishing in the upper Chama and Pecos Rivers. The Quality Water of the San Juan River remains good because of the cold water released from below Navajo Dam.
As often happens during monsoon season some areas have received more rain than others. The Eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo mountains has received more rainfall this year. Streamflows in the Pecos River and its tributaries are higher than normal. The West side of the Sangre de Cristos have received less rain. Streamflows in the Rio Grande and its tributaries are mostly below normal.
Weed growth in shallow water may get heavy, further hampering fishing.
Keep an eye out for blue-green algae. It grows in shallow water during warm weather. It produces a toxin that can make you sick and kill your pets if they drink the water. It has been known to occur at Abiquiu Lake and other reservoirs in New Mexico.
The warm water has limited locations where trout are stocked. The State Game and Fish Department stocked only three spots with trout last week. It usually stocks 14-20 locations.
Fenton Lake State Park is open. Camping is by reservation only. The fishing has been slow It was last stocked June 6 with 860 rainbow trout. It has not been stocked recently due to warm water conditions. There are also wild brown trout here and some Rio Grande cutthroat trout from earlier stockings. Fishing pressure can get heavy. Only two cutthroat trout may be kept as part of a five trout daily bag limit. Fishing from a float tube or kayak may be your best bet. Call 575.829.3630 for current conditions.
The Rio Cebolla flows into and out of Fenton Lake. It was stocked July 30 with 870 rainbow trout. It also has wild brown trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout above Fenton Lake.
The Seven Springs Brood Pond, also known as the Kid’s Pond, is open to anglers 11 Yeats of age and younger. It was stocked June 26 with 451 rainbow trout. There are also some wild brown trout and a few Rio Grande cutthroats. It is north of Fenton Lake.
The Jemez River streamflow was 22.3 cubic-feet-per second. This is higher than last week and below normal. It has been stocked with rainbow trout and has wild brown trout.
The tributaries of the Jemez River have been stocked with rainbow trout. The Rio de las Vacas, San Antonio River and Rio Guadalupe also have wild brown trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout.
Santa Cruz Lake near Chimayo is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It was last stocked on May 2. The water here is warming up and the trout heading to deeper water. It also has brown trout. The state-record rainbow trout was caught here. It is open Thursday-Monday from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Call 505.351.1438 or visit blm.gov/visit/santa-cruz-lake-recreation-area
The Bureau also manages the Orilla Verde Recreation Area on the Rio Grande at Pilar. The Rio Grande at Pilar was stocked July 26 with 30,000 sub-catchable rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout, northern pike and smallmouth bass.
From the Colorado border to the Taos Junction Bridge the limit is two trout per day on the Rio Grande. Streamflow was 212 cubic-feet-per-second at Taos Junction Bridge. This is lower than last week and 50-percent below normal.
The streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Penasco was 11.2 cubic-feet-per-second. This is a little lower than last week and below normal. It was stocked July 22 with 1,200 rainbow trout. It has wild brown trout.
The Sipapu Pond was stocked July 11 with 66 rainbow trout.
The streamflow on the Red River was 40.9 cubic-feet-per-second below Questa. This is lower than last week. It was stocked July 24 with 699 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout.
The Red River above Questa was stocked July 26 with 2,700 rainbow trout. The streamflow was 32.5 cubic-feet-per-second.
The Red River Hatchery Pond was stocked July 3 with 400 rainbow trout. Fishing is for anglers 11 years-old or younger and 65 years-old or older.
The West Fork and the East Fork of the Red River were each stocked July 26 with 300 rainbow trout.
Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked July 26 with 631 rainbow trout.
The Shuree Ponds on the Valle Vidal opened July 1 for fishing. They were stocked July 25 with 501 rainbow trout.
Cabresto Lake a high-elevation lake accessible by four-wheel drive, has good fishing for wild brook trout and wild cutthroat trout.
Abiquiu Lake is managed by the Corps of Engineers. The fishing has been fair for smallmouth bass walleye, crappie and catfish. Anglers are starting to catch some small largemouth bass. Most are under legal size. There are some good-sized trout in Abiquiu. Camping by reservation. Call 505.685.4371 for more information.
The streamflow in the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam was 444 cubic-feet-per-second. This is well-below normal but higher than last week. It was stocked June 4 with 1,085 rainbow trout. There are some big, wild brown trout here. The limit here is two-trout-per day.
The Canjilon Lakes near Canjilon were stocked July 24 with 1,307 rainbow trout. There are also some brook trout.
The Trout Lakes near Cebolla were stocked June 24 with 450 rainbow trout. The road to these lakes can be rough when it rains.
Laguna del Campo, a small lake near Los Ojos, was stocked June 17 with 496 rainbow trout. Fishing is for anglers 11 years-old or younger and 65 years-old or older.
Heron Lake State Park is open. Fishing for rainbow trout has been fair. Fishing for carp is good. El Vado Lake State Park is closed for construction. Call 575.588.7470 for information.
The streamflow in the Chama River below El Vado Dam was 473 cubic-feet-per-second. It was stocked July 23 with 9,668 sub-catchable rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. The state-record brown trout was caught here.
The streamflow above El Vado Lake was 58 cubic-feet-per-second at La Puente. This is lower than last week and a little below normal. This is still an excellent flow for fishing. It was stocked July 17 with 1,027 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout.
The streamflow in the Rio Brazos was 21.0 cubic-feet-per-second. This is below normal and a little lower than last week. It was stocked June 4 with 482 rainbow trout.
The Brazos Lodge Pond was stocked May 20 with 255 rainbow trout.
Over in the Four Corners the fishing has been good at Navajo Lake State Park. Trolling minnow imitating lures like Rapalas could produce a trophy brown trout. The kokanee salmon are starting to school in deeper water near the dam. Check at the Marina for the depth they may be caught at. Navajo Lake has the best fishing for kokanee salmon in New Mexico. The fishing for northern pike has been fair-to-good. Bass fishing has been fair. Camping by reservation only. Boating conditions are good. Call 505.632.2278 for more information.
The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is the best river in New Mexico and well-known in the angling world. The streamflow was 933 cubic-feet-per-second. This is a much higher than last week and now above normal. It has world-class fly-fishing for big trout.
The first four miles of river below the dam is known as the Quality Water. Angling is strictly Catch-and-Release using artificial flies and lures with a single barbless hook. The Quality Water is stocked with small rainbow trout that grow quickly. It was stocked July 29 with 29,991 small rainbow trout averaging 4.8 inches in size. There are also big, wild brown trout. Some of these brown trout would shatter the state record if they could be kept and weighed.
The Bait Water below the Quality Water has good fishing and a five-fish limit may be kept here. There are big brown trout here too. It was stocked July 11 with 3,762 rainbow trout.
Hopewell Lake is a small, high elevation lake between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras. It has stocked rainbow trout and wild brook trout. Fishing has been good. There have been some nice brookies caught recently. It was stocked July 24 with 1,039 rainbow trout.
Placer Creek, which flows into and below Hopewell Lake, was stocked July 15 with 1,250 fingerling brook trout.
The Lagunitas Lakes were stocked July 16 with 1,500 rainbow trout.
The Rio de los Pinos north of Tres Piedras near the Colorado border has good fishing. It was stocked July 17 with 1,718 rainbow trout. It was stocked July 10 with 565 brook trout. It also has wild brown trout.
Eagle Nest Lake State Park has been good for rainbow trout. This is a big fertile lake that can produce large trout. It was stocked twice last week with a total of 12,551 nine-inch rainbow trout. There are also northern pike, yellow perch and an occasional kokanee salmon. The state-record kokanee was caught here. Remember if you catch a pike you cannot return it to the lake. You have to kill it. Call 575.377.1594 for more information.
The Cimarron River at Cimarron Canyon State Park was stocked July 24 with 2,427 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. The streamflow below Eagle Nest Dam was 40.9 cubic-feet-per-second. This is about like last week.
The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes at Maverick Campground were stocked July 24 with 353 rainbow trout.
Lake Maloya in Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton was stocked July 8 with 2,601 rainbow trout. Lake Alice a smaller lake at the Park, was stocked July 8 with 499 rainbow trout. Call 575.445.5607 for more information.
Clayton Lake State Park was stocked June 5 with 4,000 rainbow trout. The state-record walleye was caught here. This is a trophy bass Lake. The limit is two largemouth bass-per-day. Minimum size is 14 inches. There are also catfish. Check out the dinosaur tracks when at Clayton Lake.
The Charette Lakes between Wagon Mound and Springer have good fishing for stocked and holdover rainbow trout there are also yellow perch. Lower Charette Lake was stocked June 13 with 2,501 rainbow trout.
Coyote Creek State Park was stocked July 22 with 800 rainbow trout. The Coyote Creek Pond was stocked with 600 rainbow trout.
Morphy Lake near Mora was stocked June 4 with 2,700 rainbow trout. There are a few cutthroat trout here.
Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas was stocked July 1 with 1,348 trout. There are also catfish here.
The Pecos River in Pecos Canyon State Park was stocked twice two weeks ago with a total of 2,996 rainbow trout. Fishing has been good for stocker rainbows and wild brown trout.
The streamflow in the Pecos was 121 cubic-feet-per-second. This is lower than last week, but still above average.
The Mora Fork of the Pecos River was stocked July 24 with 399 rainbow trout. Holy Ghost Creek was stocked July 17 with 399 rainbow trout.
The Cowles Ponds were stocked July 18 with 179 rainbow trout.
Cow Creek in the Pecos drainage was stocked July 30 with 499 rainbow trout.
Monastery Lake near Pecos was stocked July 23 with 902 rainbow trout.
Tingley Beach in Albuquerque is no longer being stocked with rainbow trout. It was stocked Aug. 1 with 451 18-inch channel catfish.
Bluewater Lake near Grants has fair fishing for tiger muskies. Trout fishing is slow and there are some catfish here. It was stocked July 8 with 699 tiger muskies.
McGaffey Lake near Grants was stocked May 16 with 999 rainbow trout. It was stocked Aug. 1 with 127 channel catfish.