GO NEW MEXICO
Fishing Line for April 23, 2026
CATCHES OF THE WEEK
Annie Gammon, 11, caught a crappie while fishing in coves at Ute Lake using a white curly curly tail grub jig head on April 19. She also caught smallmouth bass using shad paddle-tail swimbaits.
Joshua Henderson and his wife had an exciting day of fishing on April 7 on their first trip to Cochiti Lake. He caught a 29-inch northern pike and a 16-inch smallmouth bass, and his wife caught a 26-inch northern pike. He was using live minnows and she used a crappie lure.
Vinny and Mitch caught a variety of white bass, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake using grubs on April 18.
Lola, 4, caught a largemouth bass on a lure at Brantley Lake on April 11.
Let the New Mexico Department of Wildlife know how your fishing trip went with the iFish form: or email darren.vaughan@dgf.nm.gov.
NOTES FROM NMDOW
Northeast fishing report
Fishing for trout at Charette Lakes was fair to good using Garlic PowerBait and slow to fair using dough bait.
Clayton Lake has reopened to the public.
Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Wednesday morning was 8.75 cubic feet per second (cfs).
Fishing for largemouth bass at Conchas Lake was good using jerkbait.
The most recent report for Eagle Nest Lake was received April 16. At that time, fishing was good for trout using nymphs on a fly rod. For updated lake conditions, visit the park鈥檚 webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.
For more information on Lake Alice, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park鈥檚 webpage or call 575-445-5607.
The most recent report for Lake Maloya was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was good trolling yellow Panther Martin spinners. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park鈥檚 webpage or call 575-445-5607.
Fishing for trout at Maxwell Lake 13 was slow using dough bait.
Fishing for trout at Monastery Lake was very good using nightcrawlers and Super Worms mealworms. Monastery Lake is part of the Department鈥檚 Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about the property.
The most recent report for Morphy Lake was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using PowerBait.
Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Wednesday morning was 43.5 cfs. Fishing for trout was very good using prince nymphs.
Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 26.6 cfs.
The most recent report for Red River City Ponds was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was good using PowerBait and corn.
The most recent report for Red River Hatchery was received April 16. At that time, fishing for trout was slow fishing with a pheasant tail nymph on a fly rod.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 238 cfs. The most recent report was received April 2. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using worms.
Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was 13.0 cfs.
Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 7.91 cfs.
Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Pe帽asco on Wednesday morning was 14.7 cfs.
Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was fair to good using Kastmasters.
The most recent report for Stubblefield Lake was received April 9. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow using worms.
Fishing for crappie at Ute Lake was fair to good using white curly tail grub jig heads.
The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Cabresto Lake, Cowles Ponds, Coyote Creek, Eagle Rock Lake, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Los Pinos River, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake and Storrie Lake.
Northwest fishing report
Contact the Abiqui煤 Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.
Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Wednesday morning was 288 cfs.
The most recent report for Bluewater Lake was received April 16. At that time, fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good using rooster tail lures. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park鈥檚 webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.
The most recent report for Canjilon Lakes was received April 16. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using night crawlers and PowerBait.
Fishing for northern pike at Cochiti Lake was fair to good using crappie lures and minnows. Fishing for white bass was good using dark green Whopper Ploppers.
El Vado Lake is open to boating and angling with a primitive boat ramp available at the Dam Day Use Area, as well as the main (concrete) boat ramp and courtesy dock at El Vado Lake State Park. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park鈥檚 webpage or call 575-588-7247.
The most recent report for Fenton Lake was received April 16. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait. For more information, visit Fenton Lake State Park鈥檚 webpage or call 575-829-3630.
Anglers reported the water level at Heron Lake is slowly rising but remains extremely low.
At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 14.2 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using Salmon Peach PowerBait just below the town of Jemez Springs.
The most recent report for Navajo Lake was received April 2. At that time, fishing for crappie was very good using jigs.
Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 274 cfs; streamflow below Abiqui煤 Lake on Wednesday morning was 322 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using rainbow PowerBait below Abiqui煤 Lake. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiqui煤 upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiqui煤 Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of only two trout.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande at Albuquerque on Wednesday morning was 185 cfs.
The most recent report for San Gregorio Lake was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was slow using flies.
Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 333 cfs. Fly fishing was good in the quality waters.
The most recent report for Seven Springs Kids鈥� Pond was received April 16. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using pink salmon eggs. If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Kid鈥檚 Pond, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.
The most recent report for Tiger Park Reservoir was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using orange-and-yellow spinners.
Fishing for trout at Tingley Beach was very good using Garlic PowerBait. Fishing for largemouth bass was good using 6th Sense shad swimbaits.
Fishing for trout at Trout Lakes was very good using spinners.
The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River, Jackson Lake, Laguna del Campo, Lagunitas Lakes, Lake Farmington, Liam Knight Pond, McGaffey Lake, Rio Cebolla and Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1).
Southwest fishing report
Fishing conditions at Bear Canyon Lake have been adversely affected in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.
The most recent report for Bill Evans Lake was received April 16. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using PowerBait.
Fishing for largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake was good using grubs. The South Monticello boat ramp is currently closed due to low water levels. The closure will be lifted when water levels rise and conditions allow.
Fishing for catfish at Escondida Lake was good using Garlic PowerBait.
Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 25 cfs.
At the Gila Waters, streamflow near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 49.9 cfs.
Fishing for tiger muskie at Quemado Lake was good using Panther Martins.
The most recent report for Rancho Grande Ponds was received April 2. At that time, fishing for catfish was very good using PowerBait.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.13 cfs.
The most recent report for Snow Lake was received April 16. At that time, fishing for trout was slow using spinners and flies.
The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Caballo Lake, Glenwood Pond, Lake Roberts, Percha Dam, Rancho Grande Ponds, Trees Lake and Young Pond.
Southeast fishing report
Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was very good using PowerBait.
Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on Berrendo Creek.
Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Wednesday morning was 4.22 cfs.
The most recent report for Blue Hole Park Pond was received April 2. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using Corn PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Bonito Lake was good using grubs. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.
Fishing for largemouth bass at Brantley Lake was very good using #2/3 Mepps inline spinners.
The most recent report for Corona Pond was received April 2. At that time, fishing for trout was good using flies on a spin bubble.
Fishing for smallmouth bass at Greene Acres Lake was fair to good using homemade dough bait.
Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was fair to good using Pink PowerBait. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildfire impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.
The most recent report for Lake Van was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout was good using minnows.
The most recent report for Oasis Park Lake was received April 9. At that time, fishing for trout and catfish was fair to good using homemade dough bait.
Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 1,450 cfs.
Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 11.2 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.
The most recent report for Santa Rosa Lake was received April 2. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was slow using poor house curly tail grubs.
The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bataan Lake, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Chaparral Park Lake, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park Lake, Eunice Lake, Green Meadow Lake, Harry McAdams Park Pond, Jal Lake, Ned Houk Ponds, Perch Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids鈥� Pond, Spring River Pond and Sumner Lake.
