Month: February 2004

Fishing pressure on the lake continues to be extremely light and we have had no reports from anglers. For updated ice conditions on the lake, contact the Corps of Engineers office at 505-465-2300.

The only boat ramp open for launching is the low water ramp in the Cove Canyon area and boaters are advised to use caution due to low water
conditions.

Fishing is fair using jigging spoons and minnows for a mixed bag of walleye and white bass. Fishing for all other species is slow.

Ice conditions have remained fairly stable and the ice is about 16-to-18 inches thick. Anglers are advised to use caution.

Fishing is fair using salmon eggs, roe sacks, ice jigs tipped with wax worms, power bait or salmon eggs for a mixed bag of trout and perch. Call 505-377-6271 for updated ice conditions.

Water flow below Cochiti Lake is 418cfs.

Fishing is fair using power bait, salmon eggs and spinners for trout. There were no reports on other species.

Water flow at the Taos Junction Bridge is 388cfs. Fishing is fair using large bunny leaches for northern pike up to 20 pounds.

Fishing for trout is fair using spinners, wet flies, power bait and salmon eggs.

Fishing pressure is non-existent although this is a good time of
the year to start looking for walleye. They should be starting to feed
before they go into a spawning mode.

Give them a try with jigs tipped with
minnows fished over deep humps and off points.

Water levels continue to rise and the main boat ramp is open for launching boats. No four wheel drive required.

There is some ice around the edges of the lake in the morning hours but it has been clearing off by noon.

Fishing is slow and fishing pressure is very light.

Water is flowing at 45cfs below Abiquiu and 215cfs below El Vado.

Fishing continues to be slow on both stretches of river with very light fishing pressure.

Water flow below Navajo Dam is 252cfs.

Fishing in the Quality Waters is good using leaches, egg patterns, RS2s, emergers and small pheasant tail nymphs for trout.

Fishing in the lower bait waters is fair but should be picking up since this area was recently stocked. Use the same fly patterns as in the Quality Waters as well as cheese, worms, jerk baits and salmon eggs for browns and rainbows.

Striped bass action continues to be very good for some but slow for others. This past week they were caught on live bait, crank baits and large flies. Anglers having the best luck were switching from live bait to crank baits and back to live bait. Most of the fish taken were six-to-ten feet down over 20-to-60 feet of water. They seem to be in a cruising mode searching for bait fish.

Anglers fishing for stripers were also picking up a few good size white bass and were trolling areas from Rattlesnake Island south past Horse Island and making large sweeps through this area. A few stripers were also taken in the marina areas.

The only other reports received were of a few catfish taken at the north end of the lake. The Rock Canyon boat ramp has reopened and the Dam Site ramp has one lane open.

Fishing is fair using salmon eggs and power bait for trout.

The pond is a good location for winter trout fishing.

Water flow below Sumner Lake is presently 82cfs.

Fishing is fair-to-good using salmon eggs, power bait, worms and corn for trout.

Anglers are reminded that there are tagged fish in this area and if caught
should be taken to the park office.

More cold and snowy weather kept me off the river in the first half of February. On 2/17 I fished with Joe at the confluence and unbeknownst to us we were behind another angler. Water temp was 48-52* and we did see a few Caddis but no rising fish.. On 2/20, a warm and overcast day and water at 52* at 11am. I got a few nice fish but it was slow and there were few bugs..On 2/22 I fished with Rita and water temps were from 52-56* and a fair amount of bugs {Caddis-Mayflies}. Some of the Browns we got were very skinny…We didn’t see any spawners..On 2/25 I fished alone and water temps were 52-55*. Fishing was slow and fish seemed to be holding deeper and reluctant to elevate. Water level is also up a bit but clear..We have had some -0* nights and this may explain the skinny fish as they weren’t around the last time we had a winter like this. On 2/26 with water temps 50-55* we had a good day especially after the Mayflies came off at 1pm..The Mayfly emerger fished as a dropper worked well during the hatch and the Caddis larva later..On 2/29 Rita fished alone . She saw some nice fish but they weren’t interested…Slow day.

New Mexico Fly Fishing Guide Ed Adams