By GEORGE MORSE 
Sports and Outdoors 
Los Alamos Daily Post 

The snowpack in Northern New Mexico  is 17-percent of normal. Last week saw record-breaking warm temperatures. The weather forecast for this coming week shows some chances of precipitation and average to above- average  temperatures. 

The Arctic Blast is over. Temperatures can still  plunge well-below zero in some of our high mountain valleys.

The Moreno Valley where Eagle Nest Lake is located is a prime example. Temperatures can still fall below zero even into March. Pease dress warmly and in layers. 

The record low temperature for New Mexico is -50 degrees in 1951 at Gavilan, a small community near Lindrith in Rio Arriba County. 

The colder temperatures got the ice-fishing season going. Popular ice-fishing destinations like Eagle Nest Lake and Fenton Lake opened for ice fishing. The warmer-than-average weather quickly changed conditions and they are now closed to ice fishing. Be sure to call ahead if planning a trip. 

The choice of locations to fish in Northern New Mexico is limited by the weather conditions. Some places to try are below El Vado Dam and Abiquiu Dam on the Chama River. The Rio Grande does not totally freeze over, but floating ice  can make fishing difficult.

One location reporting good ice fishing is Hopewell Lake between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla.  

Navajo Lake does not freeze over and remains open all winter. The San Juan River below Navajo Dam has excellent winter fishing and a little bit more elbow room during this time of year.  

Fenton Lake State Park is open. Camping is by reservation only. It was stocked Aug. 28 with 270 Rio Grande cutthroat trout averaging 14.5 inches in length. Fenton Lake was stocked Feb. 5 with 1,452 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. Only two cutthroat trout may be kept as part of a five trout daily bag limit. Fenton Lake was opened  for ice fishing Jan. 26. The warm weather has thinned the ice and it is now unsafe. 

Call 575. 829.3630 for current conditions. 

The Rio Cebolla flows into and out of Fenton Lake. It was stocked Nov. 6 with 201 rainbow trout. It also has wild brown trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout above Fenton Lake. It was stocked Oct. 24 with 5,668 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout. It is likely icing up.  

The Seven Springs Brood Pond, also known as the Kid’s Pond, is open to anglers 11 years of age and younger. It was stocked Nov. 6 with 449 rainbow trout. There are also some wild brown trout and a few Rio Grande cutthroats. It is north of Fenton Lake. It is partially iced over and will likely freeze over soon. 

The Jemez River streamflow was 23.4 cubic-feet-per-second. This is higher than last week. It was stocked Jan. 14 with 1,499 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout.  

Santa Cruz Lake near Chimayo is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It is now closed until Feb. 15. Ice fishing is not allowed here. The state-record rainbow trout was caught here. 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  Jan. 28 with 3 500 rainbow trout. It was stocked Feb. 6 with 12 969 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 616 cubic-feet-per-second at Taos Junction Bridge. This is higher than last week and  near normal. The Rio Grande Gorge above Pilar was stocked Jan. 28 with 250 rainbow trout. It was stocked Feb. 6 with 14,999 sub-catchable rainbow trout. 

The Rio Pueblo near Penasco is iced over.  

The streamflow on the Red River was 40 cubic-feet-per-second below Questa. This is lower than last week. It was stocked Feb. 3 with700 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. 

The Red River above Questa is icing over. 

The Red River Hatchery Pond is open again. It was stocked Nov. 18 with 400 rainbow trout. Fishing is for anglers 11 years old or younger and 65 years old or older. It may ice over. 

Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked Nov. 6 with 600 rainbow trout. It is already frozen. Use caution if attempting to ice fish. 

The Shuree Ponds on the Valle Vidal opened July 1 for fishing. They are likely frozen and are now closed. 

Cabresto Lake is a high-elevation lake accessible by four-wheel drive. It has good fishing for wild brook trout and wild cutthroat trout. It is likely frozen. Use caution if attempting to ice fish. 

Abiquiu Lake is managed by the Corps of Engineers. The fishing has been slow 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. Portions of the lake will freeze but it seldom completely freezes. 

The streamflow in the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam was 117 cubic-feet-per-second. This is  below normal and higher than  last week. It was stocked Feb. 3 with 15,003 sub-catchable rainbow trout. There are some big, wild brown trout here. The limit here is two-trout-per day. 

The Canjilon Lakes will be difficult to reach due to  snowfall and they should be freezing up. 

The Trout Lakes near Cebolla were stocked Oct. 8 with 455 rainbow trout. The road to these lakes can be rough when it rains. Access to these lakes will be difficult due to snowfall and they are likely frozen 

Laguna del Campo, a small lake near Los Ojos is now closed. It will reopen May 1. 

Heron Lake State Park is open. Fishing for rainbow trout has been fair. It was stocked Nov. 19 with 3,188 sub-catchable rainbow trout. Kokanee salmon snagging season opened Nov. 11 at Heron. So far it has been slow. Snagging season is now closed. 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 99.8 cubic-feet-per-second. This is the same as last week and below average. It was stocked Oct. 31 with 20,104 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout. It has wild brown trout. It was stocked Feb. 6 with 504 rainbow trout. The state-record brown trout was caught here.

The Chama River above El Vado Lake is icing over. It was stocked Nov. 19 with 4,910 sub catchable rainbow trout. It has wild brown trout.  

The streamflow in the Chama River above the town of Chama is no longer being reported and is icing over. 

The streamflow in the Rio Brazos is not being measured. It is likely iced over. 

Over in the Four Corners the fishing has been fair at Navajo Lake State Park. Trolling minnow imitating lures like Rapalas could produce a trophy brown trout. The road to Navajo Dam is closed and the snagging for kokanee salmon season is closed. The fishing for northern pike has been fair-to-good. Bass fishing has been fair. It was stocked twice last week with a total of 44,867 sub-catchable rainbow trout. 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 357 cubic-feet-per-second. This is the same as last week and below 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 Feb. 5 with 25,473 fingerling rainbow trout. 

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 Feb. 3 with 2,251 catchable-size rainbow trout.  

Several lakes in Aztec are being stocked. Aztec Pond # 1 was stocked Feb. 3 with 100 rainbow trout. Tiger Park Pond was stocked Feb. 5 with 1,375 rainbow trout. 

The Animas River in Aztec was stocked Feb. 3 with 250 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. Expect snow on the ground. Ice fishing has started here and has been good.

The Rio de los Pinos north of Tres Piedras near the Colorado border is heavily-stocked with rainbow trout. It also has wild brown trout. There are brook trout in the headwaters. It is iced over. 

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 Oct. 24 with 7,640 rainbow trout. Eagle Nest was opened for ice fishing Jan. 27. The ice has deteriorated and it is now closed 

There are also northern pike, yellow perch and an occasional kokanee salmon. The state-record kokanee was caught here. If you catch a pike at Eagle Nest you have to kill it. You cannot release it back into the lake. 575.377.1594 for more information. 

The Cimarron River at Cimarron Canyon State Park was stocked Oct. 9 with 2,907 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. The streamflow below Eagle Nest Dam was 0.54 cubic-feet-per-second. The Cimarron River near Cimarron is iced over. 

The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes at Maverick Campground were stocked Oct. 8 with 429 rainbow trout. They are likely frozen. 

Lake Maloya in Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton was stocked Dec. 23 with 1,040 rainbow trout. Lake Alice, a smaller lake at the park, was stocked Dec. 23 with 267 rainbow trout. Call 575.445.1507 for more information. These lakes are now open to ice fishing at your own risk. 

Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas was stocked Sept. 30 with 3,035 rainbow trout. There are also catfish here. This lake may freeze up. 

The Pecos River in Pecos Canyon State Park was stocked Oct. 9 with 1,502 rainbow trout. Fishing has been fair for stocker rainbows and wild brown trout. Ice may soon be a problem here. 

The streamflow in the Pecos was 34.6 cubic-feet-per-second and is lower t0han last week. This is above normal. The Pecos River near Villanueva was stocked Feb. 4 with 522 rainbow trout. The Pecos River below Sumner Dam was stocked Feb. 6 with 302 rainbow trout.  

Monastery Lake near Pecos is now closed. Ice fishing is not allowed here. It is now frozen. 

Tingley Beach in Albuquerque is now being stocked with rainbow trout. It was stocked twice  Feb. 3  with 240 rainbow trout averaging 15 inches in size and with 2 279 rainbow trout averaging 12 inches in size. 

The drainage canals in the Albuquerque area are now being stocked with rainbow trout. The Albuquerque, Albuquerque South, Belen Riverside, Bernalillo and Peralta drains were stocked last week. 

Bluewater Lake near Grants has fair fishing for tiger muskies. Trout fishing is slow and there are some catfish here. It was stocked Jan. 27 with  6,004 rainbow trout, so trout fishing should pick up. It is currently covered with thin ice that is unsafe. T here is some open water where the trout fishing has been fair. Call 505.876.2391 for information. 

McGaffey Lake near Grants was stocked Oct. 16 with 4,780 rainbow trout. It may freeze.