-and-
Bonus: Some tips to differentiate the Desert Sucker (Catostomus clarki) and Sonora Sucker (Catostomus insignis) apart.
Source: New Mexico Game and Fish
Photos: Courtesy
Cover Photo Caption: Timothy Wilkins, his son (pictured) and a guide combined to catch 22 catfish using cut bait on April 15 at Elephant Butte.
SOUTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK
Bill Evans Lake (Left): Jake and Nick Johnson caught and released six trout, as well as this 20-inch catfish, using PowerBait Mice Tails on April 26. CG Phillips (not pictured) and her husband each caught their limit of rainbow trout over a three-hour span using Green PowerBait on April 23.
Elephant Butte Lake (Right): Brian Powers (above left) caught three white bass using a chrome Kastmaster on April 26.
- Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.
- Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using PowerBait.
- Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout and catfish was good when using PowerBait Mice Tails and Green PowerBait.
- Caballo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using chrome Kastmasters.
- Escondida Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using PowerBait.
- Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 41.2 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using dry flies and nymphs.
- Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 42 cfs. Fishing for Gila trout in Whitewater Creek was slow to fair when using flies.
- Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was good when trolling Rooster Tails.
- Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Garlic PowerBait.
- Rancho Grande Ponds: Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using PowerBait.
- Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 25.4 cfs.
- Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Trees Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Young Pond: Fishing for bluegill was good when using Neon Green Glitter PowerBait.
| Twins? Not Quite … |
| At first glance these two fish appear to be twinning. But they’re actually two different types of fish. Here are some tips to differentiate the Desert Sucker (Catostomus clarki) and Sonora Sucker (Catostomus insignis) apart. These two fish are native to New Mexico and incredibly important for the habitat they inhabit. |
| Sonora: Can be bigger-bodied with less mottling and color overall. Scales appear outlined and obviously get larger towards the tail (deserts do as well, but it’s not always as obvious). The mouth is circular (no clefts in the corner), lacks the obvious scraping ridge that desert sucker have, and the lobes of the lower lip are deeply cleft. |
| Desert: Rounder nose, big “half-moon” shaped upper lip with a scraping ridge, and shallower clefts (smaller lobes) in the lower lip. The lips are ale cleft in the corner of the mouth. They get an impressive orange stripe along the flank during breeding season and are generally mottled in color. |
| Remember to let us know how your fishing trip goes! Share your tips, tricks, and stories with your fellow anglers by filling out the iFish form at https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report/ and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success. If you would like to submit a story for Tips, Tricks and Stories, please email Communications Director Darren Vaughan at Darren.Vaughan@dgf.nm.gov. |
