By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
The State Game and Fish Department stocked a total of 41,437 rainbow trout weighing 12,136 pounds. Most of the stocking will now be in Northern New Mexico.
Unless you have been living on the dark side of the moon, you are aware that we are experiencing severe drought here in New Mexico and Southern Colorado. If we do not get substantial rain during the upcoming monsoon season, it’s going to be a tough season for fish and anglers.
Normally, the Rio Grande would be swollen with spring runoff from the melting snow. Stream flows above 1,000 cubic-feet-per-second would be common. The terrible snowpack and poor spring runoff have kept stream flows well below normal.
Streamflow in the Rio Grande decreased significantly and is below average to extremely below average in Northern New Mexico. At Taos Junction Bridge, the streamflow Sunday, May 16, was 203 cubic-feet-per-second. The streamflow at Cerro near the Colorado border was 57.3 cubic-feet-per-second. The streamflow at Embudo was 191 cubic-feet-per-second
Streamflow in Embudo Creek is just 3.49 cubic-feet-per-second.
One of the few benefits of the low streamflow is that conditions are very good for fly-fishing anglers.
Stream flows are already at critically low levels and it’s still not the first official day of summer. It looks like this summer anglers should limit their fishing to the early morning or evening hours. Practice catch and release but be aware that low stream flows and high-water temperatures put a lot of stress on trout and the added stress of being caught and released can prove fatal to them.
Low water in our lakes and reservoirs could produce toxic algae blooms later this summer. A large reservoir in nearby Arizona just suffered a massive fish kill.
Fenton Lake State Park is open. Camping is by reservation only. It was stocked June 10 with 2,059 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 200 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches. There are also wild brown trout and some Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Only two cutthroat trout may be kept as part of a five-fish limit.
The Rio Cebolla flows into and out of Fenton Lake. It was stocked June with 400 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout.
The Jemez River streamflow was 9.42 cubic-feet-per-second. This is lower than last week and much below normal. It was stocked May 5 with 999 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout.
The Rio de las Vacas, a Jemez tributary, was stocked April 15 with 499 rainbow trout. The Rio San Antonio, another tributary, was stocked May 27 with 750 rainbow trout. All Jemez River tributaries have wild brown trout.
The Seven Springs Brood Pond, also known as the Kid’s Pond, was stocked June 9 with200 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches and stocked June 10 with 450 catchable-size rainbow trout. Itt is a few miles north of Fenton Lake. Fishing is for anglers 11 years old or younger.
Santa Cruz Lake near Chimayo is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The state-record rainbow trout was caught here. There are also wild brown trout. It is open Thursday through Monday. It was stocked May 5 with 3,503 catchable-size rainbow trout. The water level at Santa Cruz could drop to a low level and the boat ramp would be unusable.
The streamflow in the Santa Cruz River, which feeds Santa Cruz Lake, is well-below normal at 10.2 cubic-feet-per-second.
The Bureau also manages the Orilla Verde area on the Rio Grande between Pilar and the Taos Junction Bridge. The Rio Grande at Pilar was stocked May 28 with 1,199 rainbow trout. North of the Taos Junction Bridge to the Colorado border, the limit on the Rio Grande is two-trout-per-day. Most of this section is accessible only by hiking. The only road access is at John Dunn Bridge near Arroyo Hondo. It was stocked May 27 with 249 rainbow trout.
The Rio Pueblo near Penasco received its second stocking of the season June 11 with1,200 rainbow trout. Streamflow was 4.84 cubic-feet-per-second which is much below normal.
The Sipapu Pond was stocked June 11 with 68 rainbow trout.
The streamflow on the Red River below Questa was 27.3 cubic-feet-per-second. Lower than last week and much below normal. It was stocked June 1 with 699 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. The Red River above Questa was stocked June 8 with 699 rainbow trout.
It should be noted that the Red River above Questa is only stocked during warmer months. It is not stocked year-around.
Thr Red River City Ponds were stocked June 8 with 249 rainbow trout.
The West Fork and the East Fork of the Red River were each stocked May 27 with 300 rainbow trout.
The Red River Hatchery Pond was stocked June 12 with 488 rainbow trout. Fishing is for anglers 11 years old or younger and 65 years old and older.
Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked June 8 with 706 rainbow trout.
Cabresto Lake is a high-elevation lake accessible by four-wheel drive. It 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-to-good for walleye and smallmouth bass. It was stocked April 7 with 737,613 walleyes. There are some good trout in Abiquiu, and they are now being caught trolling. There are also largemouth bass. Camping by reservation. Call 505.685.4371 for more information.
The streamflow in the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam was 227 cubic-feet-per-second. This is higher than last week. It was stocked June 2 with 1,040 rainbow trout. There are some big, wild brown trout here. The limit here is two-trout-per-day.
Heron Lake State Park is open, and bank fishing is fair. The water level is dropping and the banks are muddy.
El Vado Lake State Park is now open for fishing and boating. It was stocked May 14 with 1,000 rainbow trout. It was stocked June10 with 16,039 sub-catcable rainbow trout. Call 575.588.7470 for more information.
The streamflow in the Chama River below El Vado Dam was 99.8 cubic-feet-per-second. This is a little lower than last week. It has wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. The state-record brown trout was caught here. It was stocked June 2 with 507 rainbow trout.
The Canjilon Lakes are now accessible. The fishing has been good for stocked rainbow trout. They were stocked June 10 with 1,045 catchable-size rainbow trout and 115 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches.
The Trout Lakes near Cebolla are open. Fishing has been fair-to-good. They were stocked June 10 with 86 rainbow trout.
The Chama River above El Vado Lake streamflow was 44.1 cubic-feet-per-second at La Puente. This is lower than last week and much below normal. It was stocked June 2 with 1,040 rainbow trout.
The Rio Brazos streamflow 25.1 cubic-feet-per-second. It was stocked June 3 with 505 rainbow trout. It has wild brown trout and brook trout in the headwaters.
The Brazos Lodge Pond was stocked May 29 with was 225 rainbow trout.
Laguna del Campo near Los Ojos is now open. Angling is for anglers 11 years old or younger and 65 years old or older. It was stocked May 26 with 403 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 90 rainbow trout averaging 15.9 inches.
Over at 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 fishing for northern pike has been fair-to-good. Crappie fishing has been good. Bass fishing has been better. Navajo Lake has the best kokanee salmon fishing in the state. It was stocked twice with a total of 466,721 small kokanee salmon. Camping by reservation only. Boating conditions are good. Call 575.632.2278 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 940 cubic-feet-per-second. This is higher than last week and 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. Quality Water is stocked with small rainbow trout that grow quickly. It was stocked March 2 with 17,721 sub-catchable 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 twice June 3 with a total of 2,293 rainbow trout.
Lakes in the Aztec area are now being stocked. Aztec Pond #1 was stocked April 1 with 347 rainbow trout and with 39 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches. Tiger Park Pond was stocked April 20 with 1,477 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 150 rainbow trout averaging 15.5 inches.
Lake Farmington was stocked Apri 8 with 3,011 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. The ice is going fast and breaking up. There have been reports of good fishing. It was stocked June 4 with 1,717 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 185 rainbow trout averaging 15.4 inches.
The Rio de los Pinos near the Colorado border was stocked for the second time this season. It was stocked June 10 with 1,800 rainbow trout. It also has wild brown trout and brook trout in the headwaters.
Lake Maloya and Lake Alice at Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton are open. Alice was stocked June 4 with 502 rainbow trout. Lake Maloya was stocked June 4 with 2,602 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 401 rainbow trout averaging 14.0 inches. Call 575.445.1507 for information.
Eagle Nest Laket has open water. Bank fishing has been good for rainbow trout. There is also northern pike, yellow perch and kokanee salmon. If you catch a northern pike at Eagle Nest you must kill it. You cannot release it back into the lake. The state record kokanee salmon was caught here. Eagle Nest was stocked May 7 with 11,088 rainbow trout averaging 8.9 inches. It was stocked May 20 with 5,031 rainbow trout. It was stocked April 9 with 300,495 kokanee salmon averaging 1.3 inches. The Lake is open for boating, but the docks are not in. Call 575.377.1594 for information.
Clayton Lake State Park is where the state-record walleye was caught. It was stocked April 11 with 41,566 walleyes. There are also catfish and some big largemouth bass. It was stocked April 26 with 3,601 rainbow trout. Be sure to check out the dinosaur tracks.
The Cimarron River in Cimarron Canyon State Park was stocked June 1 with 2,424 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. Streamflow below Eagle Nest Dam was 17.3 cubic-feet-per-second. This is higher than last week.
The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes at Maverick Campground were stocked June 1 with 355 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 45 rainbow trout averaging 14.3 inches.
They have been catching some big catfish from Stubblefield Lake. The state record channel catfish was caught there.
Maxwell Lake 13 is open. It was stocked April 16 with 2,000 rainbow trout.
Lower Charette Lake was stocked June 9 with 2,499 rainbow trout and has some good-sized yellow perch.
Morphy Lake State Park near Mora is now open. It was stocked June 2 with2,697 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 300 rainbow trout averaging 14.2 inches.
Coyote Creek State Park near Guadalupita was stocked June 9 with 799 rainbow trout. The Coyote Creek Pond was stocked with 599 rainbow trout.
Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas is open. It was stocked June 5 with 3,033 rainbow trout.
The Gallinas Ice Pond was stocked June 9 with 200 rainbow trout.
The Pecos River in Pecos Canyon State Park is open. Fishing has been fair for rainbows and wild brown trout. It was stocked June 1 with 1,501 rainbow trout. The Pecos River near Villanueva was stocked May 4 with 200 rainbow trout.
The streamflow in the Pecos River was 27.8 cubic-feet-per-second, which is extremely below normal. It is. lower than last week.
Holy Ghost Creek in the Pecos drainage was stocked June 1 with 401 rainbow trout. Cow Creek in the Pecos drainage was stocked June 10 with 203 rainbow trout.
Monastery Lake is open and was stocked June 11 with 1,598 catchable-size rainbow trout and stocked June11 with 95 rainbow trout averaging 16.0 inches.
The Cowles Ponds were stocked May 18 with 180 catchable-size rainbow trout and 20 rainbow trout averaging 15.7 inches.
Bluewater Lake near Grants has fair fishing for tiger musky and there are some catfish here. They have been catching some nice holdover rainbow trout. It was stocked March 10 with 3,800 catchable-size rainbow trout and 9,609 sub-catchable rainbow trout. Call 505.876.2391 for more information.
Tingley Beach in Albuquerque was stocked May 21 with 548 channel catfish. It was stocked June 11 with 260 largemouth bass averaging 15.7 inches.