-and-
Cover Photo: (Rio Grande) Billy Jack Miller caught a walleye on his first cast using a 4-inch green speckled curly-tailed grub below Elephant Butte Lake and Caballo Lake on June 2.
Southwest Fishing Report
- Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.
- Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver at night.
- Caballo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was very good when using spotted Panther Martin spinners and soft plastics. Fishing for largemouth bass, crappie and walleye was good when using soft plastics.
- Escondida Lake: Fishing for catfish was slow when using shrimp, chicken liver, shad and stink bait.
- Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 21.4 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 28.6 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Lake Roberts: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Salmon Peach PowerBait.
- Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 2,080 cfs. Fishing for walleye was very good below Elephant Butte Lake and Caballo Lake when using 4-inch green speckled curly-tailed grubs.
- Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Trees Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Young Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Free Fishing Weekend is Here!
Anglers can fish for free in New Mexico on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, as the state observes National Boating and Fishing Week.
Anyone can fish for free in public fishing waters throughout the state on both days, but everyone must observe bag limits and all other rules and regulations. For more information, please visit the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s website.
“Free Fishing Weekend is a great opportunity for families to come together and take part in an activity that they can enjoy for a lifetime,” Department director Mike Sloane said.
The Department is excited to take part in several events across the state as part of Free Fishing Weekend, with staff and Department volunteers helping to introduce New Mexico youth to fishing.
For information on additional places to fish and what to use, consult the Department’s Weekly Fishing and Stocking Report and the Fishing Conditions and Trip Planner. Maps of public fishing waters, lists of where to find family-friendly fishing and tips on how to fish also can be found on the Department’s website.
The Department would like to remind all boaters to Clean, Drain and Dry their boats to avoid introducing Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) such as quagga mussels and zebra mussels into New Mexico’s waters. Check out the latest episode of the New Mexico Wildlife Podcast or the Department’s website for more information about AIS and boater safety.
The Department also reminds anglers and outdoor recreationists to “know before you go” and to contact land-management agencies regarding additional regulations or restrictions on specific properties of interest before heading afield.
Helpful links for planning your trip include:
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
- New Mexico State Lands
- New Mexico State Parks
- New Mexico Open Gate Properties
- New Mexico Wildlife Management Areas
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
