By GEORGE MORSE
Sports & Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
The most important news for anglers is the coronavirus. This serious, communicable disease and the efforts to halt its spread has affected all aspects of our lives.
Schools are closed, public events canceled and bars and restaurants are shutting down or restricting their services.
Anyone who has been to a grocery store since last week has seen the empty shelves. People are being urged to stay home and distance themselves from other people (social distancing).
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered all state parks closed until April 9. The closure may even be extended after that date. The closure includes camping and day use activities. Many (but not all) of the popular fishing destinations in New Mexico are state parks.
Fenton Lake in the Jemez Mountains, Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton and Eagle Nest Lake State Park are closed.
One lake that has been a popular destination recently is Santa Cruz Lake near Chimayo. This lake is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). A phone call March 17 to the BLM office in Taos at confirmed that the lake is open. The fishing here has been good.
Abiquiu Lake is administered by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It is open for fishing. The water here is low and a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for the launching of boats. The latest report said the fishing for walleye was good. Call (505).685.4371 for more information on the lake and for access information to the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam.
Heron Lake State Park and El Vado Lake State Park are closed. The Chama River below El Vado Dam flows through private property, then through BLM land. Call Cooper’s El Vado Ranch at (575).588.7354 for information. The trout fishing has been fair-to-good below El Vado Dam.
Lake Roberts near Silver City is administered by the United States Forest Service. A phone call Tuesday (575).536.2250 confirmed that the Lake was open. The fishing here was good. Bill Evans Lake and Bear Canyon Reservoir should still be open.
In some cases, a lake is managed by two different entities. Conchas Lake State Park is closed, as is the North Marina and boat ramp. The south boat ramp is managed by the Corps of Engineers and is open.
Conchas Lake is between Las Vegas and Santa Rosa on the Pecos River. No reports on fishing but the walleye should be starting to bite.
Maxwell Lake 13 is on the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge and should be open. Call (575).375.2331 for information.
Alto Lake and Grindstone Lake in the Ruidoso area should still be open and the fishing has been good.
The fishing has been good at Monastery Lake near Pecos, which is privately owned.
Tingley Beach in Albuquerque is Closed.
In general, lakes and streams on National Forest Lands, Bureau of Land Management Lands and other federal lands remain open. Lakes on private lands should also be open, but ultimately that decision is the landowners. Other lakes may also be open if they are not located on State lands. Lakes and streams on tribal lands are administered by the tribal nations that they are found on. If you are planning a trip, best to call ahead and check on the status of the lake or stream you wish to fish.
A good opportunity to fish is in streams and rivers that are close to public roads. The Rio Grande between Velarde and Pilar is a good example. Other options include the Rio Pueblo above Penasco and the Jemez River below Battleship Rock. However, the Cimarron River below Eagle Nest Dam is in Cimarron Canyon State Park and is closed. Flows in these streams are high this time of year. The fishing in the Rio Grande has been fair-to-good. The fishing has been good in the Jemez River below Battleship Rock.
Fishing naturally dictates social distancing between anglers to observe fishing etiquette and avoid tangled lines. Fresh air and sunshine were considered important parts of the early treatments for respiratory diseases like influenza and tuberculosis. Here in New Mexico we are blessed with plenty of both. Enjoy them.
