Jicarilla Fishing Blog

Fishing Report 11/24/10

            This week’s report will be brief due to the lack of reports that came in. Winter weather has done its best to keep us away from the lakes in the last of our open water season. I guess we can’t complain too much since this year the fall seemed to go on forever. Recent nighttime lows have pulled Enbom out of contention with a fresh sheet of thin clear ice. Now we wait and see if the new aeration system does its job and keeps those fat little trout alive until spring. Mundo Lake did have a little action and folks did well for nice trout and the year’s first reported Brown Trout. Stone Lake was stocked with one last load of fish for the year as we continue to bump up numbers in hopes of getting on top of the prey abundance issue. Time is running short for open water at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes.

            Mundo Lake was fishing well from the shore with powerbait over the weekened. The average catch was approximately 12-14 inches. We suspect that a portion of those fish were the ones that were recently transplanted from Enbom lake. The year’s first Brown trout (17”) was also reported just a few days after we were surprised to capture them via the electrofishing survey. These fish have been in the lake for over two years and somehow they have stayed off the radar until now. The docks have been removed at Mundo and time is running short.

            Stone Lake is the other option for fishing this week. The wind is doing its job of keeping the ice away, but unfortunately it is also keeping the anglers out too. Historically, this is a good time to catch big fish at Stone Lake so I wish you brave souls the best of luck. For everyone else, have a wonderful Turkey Day!!

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department

Fishing Report 11/17/2010

            Open water fishing at the Jicarilla Lakes is approaching its end for 2010. Cold nights are leaving ice around the edges and the water temps are down in the mid 40’s. There have not been very many reports this week and pressure is down. Both Mundo and Enbom are unknowns from the reports standpoint but they are both expected to be fishing well. We are in the middle of our annual fall sampling and I have some interesting reports from Stone. We will be conducting a removal effort at Enbom today via electrofishing and relocating the fish to Mundo Lake. I will have a report on numbers next week.

            Enbom Lake is clear and weed free. After today’s removal effort there will still be plenty of trout in the lake, as electrofishing is far from 100% effective. My suggestion is for flies and lures given that the fish can see farther with less obstructions. The limit remains at 20 fish per day at Enbom.

            Mundo Lake is also an unknown this week. We are removing the docks, but shoreline access is still good. The sonar showed big numbers of fish in the deeper areas of the lake, suggesting that a boat or tube will get you into more fish.

            Stone Lake appears to be fishing better based on 2 reports. The first report is from a local angler who caught one fish trolling lures. This was one of the spring fish estimated at 16 inches. The second report is from yesterday. Rosenberg Tafoya broke off 2 fish in less than an hour in the SW cove near the aerators. Rosie was fishing lures on a slow troll. Also yesterday, we pulled the fall gill nets and had fish from three age classes in them. The spring class was the most abundant in the sample but we did catch 2 holdovers from last year. One of the holdovers was 20 inches and the other was 24 inches and 7.5lbs. Both fish died in the net and their stomach samples revealed two different feeding strategies. The larger fish was full of salamanders and fat head minnows. The smaller fish had mostly damsel flies and snails as well as a couple of fat head minnows in its stomach. In the past few years the second half of November has been hot at Stone. I don’t expect it to compare to last year, but it may be worth a trip. I will include a picture of the big girl from yesterday to help with your decision. Good luck and have a great week.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish

Fishing Report 11/9/2010

            This week’s report starts with a big Thank You to all of the folks that took the time to send an email or call in a fishing report. We have direct, detailed reports from the three primary fishing Lakes and that is great considering the low pressure lately. I was hoping all weekend that people were slamming them at Stone Lake but that was not the case and more than a few folks struck out completely. There were a few lucky anglers at Stone and the falls first two 20 inchers were reported, but the majority of anglers spent long hours for a couple of bites or even none at all. Enbom Lake continues to offer excellent opportunities for very nice trout and a 20 fish per day limit. Mundo Lake is fishing good to excellent based on one very good report from 2 anglers that were fishing from a boat. Dulce Lake and the Navajo River are the only unknowns this week.

            Stone Lake is considered very slow in lieu of a good effort from at least 10 anglers over the weekend. The best reports came from fly fishermen but that’s not to say that all of them have been successful. I am aware of 2 anglers who caught 2 fish each and those were the 2 best outings as far as I know. On the other hand, I heard that at least 8 anglers were skunked completely on Saturday (11/6) after many hours of effort with both lures and flies. 2 anglers fishing lures from a boat were also skunked on Friday (11/5) after 5 hours. The first 2 fish that were not from the spring stocking class were reported this week. One fish was just under 21 inches and estimated at 4-5lbs. This fish was a mean fighter and he fell victim to a leech pattern. The other big boy was caught by Dixie McAllister of Albuquerque. She took this 20 ½ inch 4.3 lb. Rainbow on a big brown streamer with a deer hair head and brown rabbit tail body. Both of these big fish were absolutely packed with small 1-3 inch salamanders furthering our suspicions of a serious overabundance of prey items at Stone Lake. Just think what the browns are up to in there? All told, I would suggest Stone Lake only to those who assume a very real chance of no action at all.

            Enbom Lake is and has been a very nice refuge for frustrated anglers fed up with Stone Lake. Even though the increased daily limit (20fish/day) has been in place for over 3 weeks there are still folks catching and taking their limits in half a day or less. The best reports are coming from folks using dark colored woolly buggers and leech patterns, but I did get a report of an angler catching 12 fish in 4 hours with small spoons. The water is very clear and sight fishing for cruisers is a good possibility right now. The Rainbows in Enbom are a chunky 12 inches on average but fish up to 18 inches are still around.

            Mundo Lake has had some attention at last. I received a report that 2 anglers fishing from a boat on Saturday (11/6) caught a combined 39 fish. Most of the fish were Rainbows and the biggest was 17 ½ inches. They were using black pistol petes. Besides that I haven’t heard a word. The water is a milky blue with reduced visibility and the weeds are not a problem right now. While fishing, this couple also observed a very large (8lb.+) dead catfish that was floating around. I haven’t heard from anyone who has caught cats of this caliber in over a year so it is good news to hear that they are still in there.

            I was out setting up the aeration system at Dulce Lake yesterday (11/9) and couldn’t help but notice that conditions are perfect for float tubes and small hand launched boats. The weeds are down and the water is clear. I have no hard evidence, but I had a very fishy feeling out there. We only stocked around 3,000 rainbows this spring to gauge survival in the low water conditions. I am not sure how they did but in August the one fish I caught was an obese 12 inches. There are also catfish in Dulce for those interested. That’s it for this week but check out Dixie’s beauty below.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department

Dixie McAllister- Stone Lake 11/7/2010- 20 ½ inches 4.3 lbs. Caught on a Brown Streamer.

Fishing Report 11/3/2010

            November is off to a good start at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. At least 2 anglers were successful at Stone Lake, and I have a feeling there weren’t many other folks out there. Enbom Lake continues to produce fat healthy 12 inch average Rainbows despite the limit increase over 2 weeks ago. Mundo has been neglected lately but fishing is typically consistent out there. The weather this week has been incredible with t shirt conditions and very little if any wind. Dulce lake is fishable now that some of the weeds have fallen out. I haven’t had a report for a long time but there should be fat 12-14 inch rainbows cruising around. A float tube or small portable boat is recommended if you want to try Dulce Lake since the boat ramp will not work for a typical trailered vessel.

            Stone Lake is finally producing fish and so far they have all been from the spring stocking class. As you may recall, we stocked over 100,000 6 inch rainbows in April and haven’t seen scale nor tail since. The fish reported were all in the expected 14-18 inch range and estimated at or over 3 lbs. After weeks of delay we moved the weed harvester to Stone Lake on Monday (11/1). Operations are now focused on the southwest bay but we do our best to avoid anglers while removing the material. In just 2 days of operation we have more than proven our suspicions of an incredible year class of tiger salamanders in Stone Lake. We have been getting thousands of small 3-5 inch salamanders in every load of weeds which is by far the highest density we have encountered to date. Take a look at the picture below to get an idea of their size color and shape. One of the reports was from a local angler who was using lures and the other report was from a fly fisherman fishing woolly Buggers on a sinking line. I will also mention that big ugly streamers, especially patterns with some red, have been very productive for me at Stone in Novembers past. Over the years folks have developed strategies and superstitions at Stone Lake, and in 2010, now is a good time to work on yours.

            Enbom Lake has been productive for anglers fishing wooly Buggers and streamers. The anglers covering water with float tubes and small boats are doing the best and folks have been doing quite well in the shallow north side of the lake. This area is patchy and fishing the open spots will pull fish from nearby weed beds. Take your time when tubing on the north side and try to avoid kicking up too much sediment. Water clarity is excellent and the temperature is hovering at 50°F. The Rainbows in Enbom are averaging 12 inches but I saw a few big cruisers yesterday while poling the shallows in our jon boat.

            Mundo Lake is an unknown at this time. I ran into a few locals yesterday but they had just started with no luck. Besides that I haven’t heard a thing. The water is still a milky blue color with clarity to a few feet. Any info from Mundo is appreciated at this time.

            I didn’t get any reports from the Navajo River but it is looking quite fishy as I cross it every day on my way to and from work. The adventure of the week is Dulce Lake. We stocked 3,000 trout on an experimental basis this spring and to the best of my knowledge the fish have survived and they are fat. The last time we were out there (August) I caught one and missed one on a shiny green bugger. That fish was a very obese 12 inch Rainbow and I suspect his buddies are fatties as well. The limit at Dulce Lake is 6 trout per day. Good Luck and enjoy the sunshine.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department

Fishing Report 10-26-10

            The Fishing Report this week will be brief due to a lack of reports and my absence last week. I have some good news albeit rumor about Stone Lake. Enbom Lake is fishing well and anglers are taking advantage of the increased daily limit. Mundo is slow to fair and should pick up as the effects of turnover subside. Nights are getting cool with hard frosts and the high country is adorned in a fresh blanket of snow.

            The news from Stone is partially unsubstantiated but a Jicarilla Game and Fish employee spoke with a group of anglers at Stone Lake who had caught a 14 inch Rainbow providing evidence of the 100,000 spring stockers. They also reported that they caught a fish or 2 earlier in the trip but no size was reported for them. We have had a few holdups on weed removal operations at Stone Lake, but we hope to get started this week. At long last we have some action at Stone and we hope to get more info on the website by the end of the week including possible video footage.

            Enbom Lake is fishing good to excellent with bait, flies and small lures. Rainbows up to and over 14 inches have been caught recently and the new daily limit is 20 fish per day until March 15^th 2011. Reported bait includes worms and powerbait of various colors. Flies fished subsurface are working well also. These flies are beadhead nymphs, woolly buggers, and streamers. Castmasters and panther martins spinners are good choices for lures right now.

            Mundo Lake has been slow to fair for trout with low pressure. The effects of turnover are diminishing and clarity is improving. We did not receive any reports on anglers targeting Bass or Catfish this week.

            As we head into November the clock is ticking on open water fishing. Based on the past few years we hope to have another month which happens to be one of the best for big trout on the Jicarilla Lakes. It can be cold and wet but with the proper clothes and equipment trophy memories can be made. I hope to see you out there.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department

Fishing Report 10-13-10

            Fishing has been fair to good at the Jicarilla Lakes this week. Mundo Lake was the last to turnover this year and is now an opaque glacial blue color with visibility limited to 3-4 feet. Water temps are hovering around 60 °F with Enbom Lake dipping down to 58°F. The best reports this week are from Enbom Lake where a black or brown Woolly Bugger seems to be the ticket. Stone Lake has had low pressure again, but thankfully we did have a report this week albeit a negative one. The Navajo River is looking good and I suspect that the browns are in full spawning condition.

            Mundo Lake is slow to fair this week with most of the positive reports tending towards trout anglers. The best success has been from anglers using black woolly buggers deep in the water column and from bait anglers fishing powerbait in orange, yellow, and green on the bottom. There were even a few reports of trout in the 16 inch size. However, most folks reported slow action with less than 1 fish per hour catch rates.

            Enbom Lake is fishing good to excellent this week. I expect a fair amount of pressure at Enbom this weekend since the limit on trout at Enbom will go up to 20 fish per day with a total possession limit of 40 fish on Friday October 15^th. This increased limit will remain in effect until March 15^th 2011. The reason we increase the limit at Enbom is due to the very low overwinter survival rates. This may be the last year for this management strategy if the new solar powered aerators do their job and keep fish alive through the winter. The best reports are from anglers using black or brown woolly buggers in the middle of the water column. There were also a few reports of success with yellow and rainbow powerbait fished on the bottom. Today (10/13) will be the last day for weed harvesting at Enbom. The water is very clear and the weeds are not a significant issue right now. Leroy Castaneda from Albuquerque was on Enbom yesterday when I showed up to do water quality work. He and his fishing buddy caught 3 fish in the 20 minutes I was there including one 18 inch rainbow in excellent condition. Leroy was using a #8 brown Woolly with crystal flash and the fish offered quite a battle on his 3 wt fly rod.

            Stone Lake is very slow again this week. There has been very low pressure and even less feedback. However, I did get a report first thing yesterday that was again a disappointment. 2 anglers spent 2 full days at Stone without so much as a sighting of fish. These anglers really gave it a good shot and struck out nonetheless. The water temp is just over 60°F and the algae bloom is all but done with a little particulate matter in the water lowering visibility to 5 feet or so. The aquatics weeds are beginning to break up and float around and the weed machine will exacerbate this for several days beginning tomorrow. Please send any and all reports to me at terrykev@gmail.com or call them in at 575-759-3255. I really want to get as much info as possible to folks during what a lot of people believe is the best time of year at Stone Lake.  

            The Navajo River has been off and on muddy and clear due to the recent rain and high mountain snow. The spawners should be in the river and doing their thing but so far no reports. Spinners, Streamers, and eggs are my suggestion at the Navajo River this week. Good Luck.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department     

Fishing Report 9/22/2010

            The Harvest moon is in the sky beckoning all of you nighttime cat fishermen for one more outing. The few reports this week also suggest that they are ready to hit your bait at Mundo Lake. Enbom has been good with a few hints of big fish being caught in the past week. The tribal celebration of Go-Jiya limited pressure at the lakes last week, but a few very large fish were seen near the surface at Stone Lake. There were also several reports of float tubers on Stone, but so far there haven’t been any reports from them. The Navajo River was shaping up very well but this morning rain is back in the picture and it is predicted to continue through tomorrow. The algae blooms that were affecting Enbom and Stone Last week are in their final stages and water clarity is getting better daily. Any anglers fishing Enbom or Stone in the mornings or evenings will also enjoy a chorus of Elk bugles coming from the Horse Lake Mesa Game Park.

            Mundo Lake is still crystal clear and cooling off nicely. The few reports this week suggest that trout fishing is fair to good with flies and fair with bait. Anglers in tubes and boats trolling flies and small lures are doing the best catching 10-12 inch average trout. Powerbait and worms are working for trout and incidentally for catfish. There haven’t been any reports from anglers targeting Bass for several weeks and I am hearing less and less about the sometimes aggravating Bluegill. Mundo Lake Campground has been almost vacant, as have the docks, so consider Mundo for your next fishing trip.

            Enbom Lake is at the end of a green algae bloom, and the water is clearing up daily. Again, there hasn’t been a lot of pressure but the few things I have heard are good. Woolly Buggers, Pistol Petes, and small castmasters and spinners are good right now. Olive seems to be a hot color for flies. Float tubes should be able to access some of the shallow areas on the north side after the recent weed harvesting. There are still big fish out there and I have heard some gossip of a 20 inch Rainbow being caught at Enbom last week.

            Stone lake has had pressure lately from float tubers but for one reason or another I haven’t had a single report from them or anyone who has talked to them. I did talk to a few locals who were on the lake during Go-Jiya and saw big torpedo fish cruising near the surface like fresh water sharks. FYI, we will be getting a very nice underwater camera in the next few weeks so that we can observe and record the fish in Stone to further frustrate us while fishing for them. I am very excited about this purchase and hope that it will help us understand more about the behavior of our beloved fresh water hogs.

            On a side note, I want to mention again that Brown Trout spawning season is just around the corner in the Navajo River. The fish should currently be doing the best they can to pack the pounds on for the spawn. Streamers and egg patterns are both likely to get attention. On Monday we did a short (100ft)  electrofishing survey near the north boundary and caught a beautiful 18 inch Brown in excellent condition. He is still there waiting for you to show up. I will be out of town for the next 2 weeks pursuing antelope, deer, and behemoth trout in Wyoming, and I desperately want to hear big fish stories when I return. See you then.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department   

Fishing Report 9/13/2010

            Fall fishing is often the best time of year at the Jicarilla Fishing lakes. Water temps are coming down across the board and all three lakes have de-stratified with a mild turnover. The nutrient rich bottom water has come to the surface and spurred what we hope will be the last algae bloom at Stone Lake and Enbom Lake. Mundo Lake is still crystal clear, but it may have a bloom also in the next week or so. The water temps are hovering just over 62 °F and the nighttime temps have been in the upper 30’s, so I expect the water will cool off into the fifties in the next week or so. Enbom is fishing good to excellent and Mundo Lake has been fair to good. Stone Lake hasn’t had any pressure, and fishing probably won’t pick up until the algae bloom clears up.

            Mundo Lake is very clear and fishing has been fair. The best action for trout has been from anglers in float tubes fishing woolly buggers and beadheads on a slow troll. The deep area in front of the dam is producing a few fish on the bottom with powerbait. There were only a few reports this week and pressure has been low.

            Enbom Lake has a slight algae bloom going off right now. The lake has recently been harvested for weeds and float tubing is prime right now. The best action is on damselflies, woolly buggers, and streamers. I spent 30 minutes fishing Enbom this Morning from the shore. I was using an olive sculpin streamer followed by an olive conehead bugger. I caught 2 small 11 inch fish on the bugger and stuck a nice chunky 17 inch Rainbow on the streamer pattern. I also missed several good hits and had a few follow ups. That is the only report this week.

            Stone Lake is in the midst of an extensive algae bloom. The entire lake has been affected and globs of algae are floating all over and accumulating in some areas. One local reported seeing several very large cruisers in the middle of the lake late last week but that was about it for reports. I tried fishing for a couple of hours but struck out. I was fishing deep (12-16 feet) with big streamer patterns and was surprised that I didn’t catch more weeds and slime. When this bloom subsides it will be game on at Stone for the next couple of months.

The Navajo River is clearing up a little, but it remains susceptible to high mountain rains which can’t seem to stay away for any longer than a week. It is a little early, but don’t forget to check the river in October for big spawner browns. This week is a tribal holiday called Go-Jiya. Therefore, the Jicarilla Game and Fish office will be closed Tuesday through Thursday (9/14-9/16). Have a great week on the water.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department

Fishing Report 9-7-10

            The holiday weekend was good for fishing on the Jicarilla Lakes. The weather held up until Monday when the wind picked up, but all in all it was a good weekend. We received a few positive reports from trout anglers at both Mundo and Enbom. Bass and Catfish were also hitting well at Mundo. As far as I know, Stone was pretty vacant but we would love any reports, good or bad, from Stone. I didn’t hear anything from the Navajo River either, but the break in rains has allowed it to clear up a bit. The nighttime temps are still very pleasant and fishing season is far from over up here.

            Mundo Lake was fishing well with flies including wooly buggers, beadheads, and damsel patterns. Bait anglers were catching trout on powerbait and salmon eggs. The salmon eggs were also working for catfish. Bass are hitting plastic grubs in blue and even top water patterns like frogs. The average trout is 10 inches but a few of the 14-16 inch fish were caught in the deep water near the dam. The water is clear and the weeds are down.

            Enbom Lake has been cleared of weeds and the trout fishing was hot over the weekend. Float tubers and shore anglers alike were slamming chubby 10 inch trout, with a few bigger fish mixed in. Woolly buggers, Prince nymphs, and parachute adams on top were all reported. Yellow powerbait was catching them quickly according to one report that claimed two limits in around an hour. Overall, the catch rate has been around 3-5 fish per hour at Enbom.

                        There were no reports from Stone Lake or the Navajo River this week. Considering the pressure at Stone, I think you have a fair chance of catching the first fall fish. Those 100,000 stockers are fat and feisty by now and they are just waiting for you to get out there and tug on them. See you on the water.

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department  

Fishing Report 8/31/10

       September is here at last, and the start of the fall fishing season is officially underway. Overall, fishing pressure has been way down this week and Mundo is getting most of the attention. A few fish have been caught in Enbom, and Stone is still driving me crazy. The weed harvester will begin operations at Enbom today (8/31) and it should be pretty cleaned out by the weekend. The river is high and muddy right now, but if the weather man is right we should have fishable conditions by Saturday or Sunday. Water Temps are on their way back down, but surface temps are still around 70°F and bottom temps are as cool as 62°F. We have been working hard to get our hands on some Stone Lake trout, but the gill nets have gone dry again. Camping for the holiday weekend might be a bit crowded since the trapping contest is still underway at Enbom. However, Stone Lake has plenty of sites as well as electric hook ups in the RV park. All of the camping, including the Stone Lake RV park is free with a valid Jicarilla Fishing Permit.

            Mundo is fishing fair to good for Rainbows averaging 10-12 inches. The best reports are from anglers fishing bait near the bottom. The deep area in front of the dam has been especially good. Powerbait in various colors and worms have been reported. One angler told me that he observed some folks trolling at Mundo who apparently caught a bunch of trout in a short period of time. I haven’t spoken to any fly anglers this week, but I assume the float tube fishing is good considering the recent weed harvesting efforts at Mundo. The water is very clear and cooling off nicely. There were no reports of Bass caught this week, but there was a report of a trout angler catching Catfish on powerbait one after the other. The Bluegill bite has also slowed down, which is good news to trout fishermen using flies.    

            Enbom is very weedy, but that is soon to be resolved. The Harvester will start today and we are trying our best to have things cleaned up for the weekend. The reports I received were second hand but according to our trapper, 13 chunky Rainbows lost their lives over the weekend. Buggers, Beadheads, and Bait will work and small spinners and lures should get some attention also. Early September mornings at Enbom offer an extra special experience to anglers if the Elk are Bugling in the Game Park.

            Stone Freakin Lake continues to haunt my dreams. I am holding out hope for this fall and doing my best to remember the 9.5 lb beauty I caught last October, but I just can’t wrap my hands around the current situation out there. I set overnight gill nets last night, and again they were completely empty this morning. My favorite fish finder is super confident that there are hundreds of big fish hanging deep in the middle of the lake, but again today I was tempted to swim the thing. The northern half of the lake, especially the NE side has a substantial green algae bloom, but the south and southwest is fairly clear. I observed small salamanders, snails, and hatching Callibaetis Mayflies as well as millions of fathead minnows nut not a single Trout or Bass. The lake level is excellent thanks to the rains and the weeds are not as bad as usual this time of year. Good Luck and go deep.

            On behalf of the Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department, have a wonderful and safe Holiday weekend filled with plenty of fishing and very little or no LABOR!

Kevin Terry

Fisheries Biologist

Jicarilla Apache Game and Fish Department