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Southwest NM - Region 5

Including the Gila Wilderness

 

All reports are up-dated on Wednesdays each week during the summer season and every other week during the winter season (November - March). Reports will not be up-dated the week following holiday weekends. Good luck and good fishing, The Fish Phone.


Report Date: 09/08/2010


Rivers:


Gila River

A tributary to the Salt River in Arizona, it headwaters originate in the Gila Wilderness in Southwestern New Mexico and consist of three forks; West, Middle and East. The river is over 650 miles long.
Fish species- Rainbow, Brown, and Cutthroat Trout
West Fork
A medium sized stream that joins the Gila River at the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Flow: 62 CFS
Clarity: Clearing
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow with light pressure
Flies: Small bead head nymphs, small streamers
Lures: Spinners
Bait: Worms and salmon eggs

Middle Fork

A medium sized stream flowing into Gila River at the Gila Hot Springs.

Clarity: Clearing
Shore fishing conditions: Good

Trout: Slow with light pressure
Flies: Small bead head nymphs, small streamers
Lures: Spinners, Panther Martins
Bait: salmon eggs

East Fork

A small sized stream near Gila Hot Springs

Clarity: Clearing
Shore fishing conditions: Good

Trout: Slow with light pressure
Flies: Small bead head nymphs, small streamers
Lures: Panther Martin's, spinners
Bait:  salmon eggs

Rio Grande

– The river is approximately 1885 miles long.  Headwaters originate in south west Colorado in the Rio Grande National Forest. The river flows south east through the San Luis Valley and then south into New Mexico.
Fish species: Rainbow, Lake, Brown and Cutthroat Trout

Flow: 1,120 CFS below Elephant Butte Dam
Clarity:  High and murky
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: NR
Flies:
Lures:
Bait: power bait, salmon eggs
Walleye: NR
Lures:  White bombers
Bait:  minnows
Crappie: NR
Lures: 
Bait:
Worms
Catfish: NR
Bait: worms, cut bait
Bass: NR
Lures: Jigs
Bait: Minnows


Lakes:


Bill Evans Lake

Winter trout water, A 62 acre lake 7 miles South of Cliff
Fish species- Large Mouth Bass, Crappie, Catfish, Bluegill, and (winter) Rainbow Trout

Fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow
Flies:
Lures: Pistol Pete's
Bait:  salmon eggs, fireballs, worms
Bass: Slow
Lures: Crank baits, tubes
Bait: Worms
Crappie/Bluegill: Slow
Lures: Poppers
Bait: Worms
Catfish: Slow
Bait: liver and worms

Caballo Lake

A 11,500 acre lake 15 miles down stream of Elephant Butte Lake on the Rio Grande
Fish species- Large Mouth, Small Mouth and White Bass, Crappie, Walleye and Catfish

Lake Level: 5,061 surface acres down to 3,328 surface acres, 16% of capacity, 45% of average and 82% of last year.
Clarity: Murky
Boating conditions: Good
Fishing conditions: Good
Bass: White bass are good from bank or trolling by the dam; NR for largemouth or smallmouth bass
Lures:   trolling bombers, Kastmasters, sassy shad
Bait:  Worms, minnows for white bass from the bank
Walleye: NR
Lures: Jigs
Bait:  Minnows
Catfish: Good
Bait: Worms, chicken liver
Crappie: NR
Bait: Minnows

Elephant Butte Lake

- A 36,500 acre lake 2 miles North of Truth Or Consequences on the Rio Grande.
Fish species- Large Mouth, Small Mouth, White and Striped Bass, Crappie, Walleye, Blue, Channel and Flathead Catfish

Lake Level: 35,984 surface acres down to 8,711 surface acres - 24% of capacity, 41% of average and 84% of last year.
Clarity: murky
Boating conditions: Good - Dam Site boat ramp closed
Fishing conditions: Good

Striped Bass: Good trolling .  Several 25 pounders caught last week
Flies:
Lures: Umbrella rigs
Bait: Live bait
Bass: White bass are good; Fair for smallmouth; NR for largemouth bass
Flies:
Lures:   for white bass, white jigging spoons or sassy shad; top water lures for smallmouth
Bait:  shiners, live bait
Walleye: Slow
Lures: Jigs,
Bait:  Minnows
Catfish: Good
Bait: Shrimp, liver
Crappie: NR
Lures: Jigs
Bait: Minnows

Glenwood Pond:

- A 1 acre pond at Glenwood Trout Hatchery
Fish species Rainbow Trout
Fishing conditions: Fair
Trout: Slow
Flies:
Lures:
Bait: Worms, salmon eggs

Lake Roberts

A 71 acre lake on the Sapillo Creek 12 miles Northeast of Silver City
Fish species- Rainbow Trout, Bass and Catfish
Boating conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout:  Fair with light pressure - a 3 lb, 18" rainbow was caught last Saturday
Flies:
Lures: Pistol Pete's, spinners
Bait:  Power Bait, worms, salmon eggs
Bass: NR
Lures: Spinner baits
Bait: Night crawlers
Catfish: Good
Bait: Chicken liver, worms

Quemado Lake

A 130 acre lake 20 miles south of Quemado
Fish species- Rainbow Trout and Tiger Muskie (catch and release only)
Boating conditions:
Fishing conditions: Good
Clarity: Clearing
Trout: Slow - occasional 16-18 inch rainbow caught
Lures: spinners
Bait:  Worms, Power Bait
Tiger musky (new bag limit is 1 longer than 40"): Slow to fair  
Flies: large streamers
Lures: Yellow Z-rays, spinners
Bait: Worms

Snow Lake

A 100 acre lake on the North side of the Gila Wilderness, 40 miles South of Reserve, NM
Fish species- Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout

Fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow
Flies: Woolly buggers, leeches
Lures: Pistol Pete's
Bait: Salmon eggs, worms, Power Bait

 
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