Jicarilla Fishing Blog

April 16th, 2025

Folks,

A few reports over the weekend include "Best fishing of my 72 years", "Strongest fish anywhere in the west", and "Best lake fishing anywhere in the Rocky Mountains". 75 fish days with average size for 18". Dozens and dozens of trout over 20" and quite a few over 22". "Strong Healthy Fighting Fish". "Excellent Fishing", "Caught fish all day"...

Mr. Jeffery for his consistent and awesome reporting won a Simms Backpack/vest and some assorted goodies this week (Photo below). While Mr. Dave is getting a $100.00 gift card from our friends at Los Pinos Fly & Tackle for writing the most descriptive, extensive, and useful fishing report ever submitted (inthe last decade at least) .

If you don't want to hear about Catch and Release (C&R) angling and the ramblings of the Fish Crew on the subject, please do not read any further and go fishing instead!

Happy fishing wherever you end up!

With the large C&R numbers possible at our little lakes it is important to understand that C&R is not a 100% successful operation, and poor catch and release tactics can end up depleting the resource faster than legal catch and keep anglers without the benefit of getting tasty fish tacos. Every C&R angler you talk to, will tell you with a straight face the years of experience they have and how they are perfect at it, but you'll watch them use undersized tackle, or subpar fish fighting technique, but they will always be able to recite from rote the number of fish caught (usually a really big big tremendous number) and the years of experience they have. This does not change the fact that some percentage of the fish they encounter do not survive the experience. Nor does this fact need to be a critism or slight, instead an oppurtunity to do better, to improve their craft and skill. One who has no improvement left to make must indeed be perfect?

Now I know we are just a random Fish Crew and we will never match the crafty angler we are chatting, but...The crafty angler does not have to trust us, they could look to any trusted resource on the topic to find statements like "Use the heaviest practical tackle" "Don't fish as water temperatures exceed 68 degrees", "Do you need to catch a 100 and risk a 10% post release mortality, or could you satisfy your day with 20?".

As I sat and watched the osprey follow the tubes around the lake I couldn't help but wonder if he wouldn't be so well fed if there were not 100 recently released fish to pick off as they try to recover...How more likely is a recently released fish to be predated? If 4x increases your catch over 3x, then how in the world do people consistently outfish flies with 50lbs test snelled to a size egg bait hook covered in a golf ball rainbow play dough? If you are breaking rods on 3x, maybe you hit it with a conehead on that single errand cast you made last year, or maybe the breaking strength of a normal 5 weight blank is lower than the tippet? Why is it where strong 20 plus inch trout are often captured 6, 7 and even 8 weights are used (Alaska, patagonia, New Zealand...The Jicarilla), you know, places where they don't measure the trout in inches but in pounds or kilograms. How does your average spinner or spoon angler catch fish after fish with 15 or 20 pound tests?

We know the readers of the blog are probably well aware of these principles and ethical debates, heck, they probably know more about it than we do. Many anglers have feelings about the recent changes to bag limits but have not considered their impact on a very finite resource. As resources (not only here) but through the public domain see increased pressure, all users are going to have to deal with these types of thoughts and at least attempt to grapple with their approach to the ramifications.

Some groups like NOAA, Fly Fisheries International, Trout Unlimited, and others have posted some excellent and thought provoking content on the subject. I've put some snippets of that below:

It is always fun to wade into the deep end, the grey area filling the triangle of ethics, morals, and law around fishing. What is fair chase and sportsmans conduct? Thank goodness if you just read the proclamation and follow the laws you're good.

April 8th, 2025

Folks,

Quick update, lots of anglers catching lots of fish, only one report submitted.

I'm starting to think that reports are not needed since no one submits them. I've even offered some fairly large prize bribes over the years with limited success. Maybe the expert anglers that haunt these waters have reached a state of angling enlightenment where they have risen above the need for simple extravagances like advice or kind tips.

The one reporter mentioned a "decent" twenty two inch fish and dozens of less de. He also noted everyone and their grandma catching fish on all tackle imaginable. He did indicate a hot and cold bite depending on time of day. A couple or three catfish captures have been noted which is cool, especially if you actually like to eat yummy fish tacos.

Batman Nymphs, Prince Nymphs, worms, powerbait (but not as good as anything else it seems), spoons, leeches, and buggers of all flavors.

Just some reminders: Once a limit of fish is retained you are done fishing, so if you keep the first two you catch in the first ten minutes, you sure cut your fishing day short... If you retain a fish for consumption it is yours, you can not release him after you catch a bigger fish and "pad" your stringer. You can not give your unlucky buddy your fish without a donation tag and keep fishing until you catch both your limits... There are reasons for all of these rules, we want to maintain the highest level of fishing possible so everyone gets to catch the fish of a lifetime.

Be sure to read the proclamation, some big changes...

Spring is going fast.

Best of luck wherever you end up fishing.

March 31st, 2025

Folks,

Last week was pretty busy at Mundo as folks tried to squeeze out a few more hours of fishing for the 2024-2025 season. Anglers looked like they were doing very well with quite a few large fish being caught on all types of gear. Boat and tube anglers had an advantage. The normal flies, lures and baits were produced.

April first (tomorrow) is the start of the 2025-2026 season. Non-Tribal Online permits are available through the website pre-season (Click the blue button). All permit types will go on sale in the office April 1st.

Be sure to review the new proclamation as there are significant changes.

March 24th, 2025

Folks,

The first day of spring is behind us.

Updates:

All three docks are out at Mundo
Surafce water temp is around mid-forties
Mundo Lake Campground remains closed for renovation, we hope to have an announcement for a grand opening some time soon. The bathroom is open for foot access
Gate at Enbom is locked during renovation and heavy equipment and traffic is occuring most working days
No fishing reports have been submitted
Leaving your boat trailer in the water when you fish is very inconsiderate and also bad for the lake (not to mention your trailer bearings). Starting April 1st blocking a launching area or leaving a trailer in the water is a ticketable offense and will be strictly enforced
New fishing season starts April 1st. New rules, read up to avoid tickets
All lakes are low due to poor winter conditions no run-off is anticipated
On-Line permit system will be down to update to 2025-2026 permits throughout this week. If you would like a 2024-2025 permit they are still available in the JGFD main office

March 10th, 2025

Folks,

Quick update anglers are starting to poke around. Only one report was submitted from a local angler. The young lad indicated balanced leeches and conehead buggers in (black and red) to be fishing well and certain times of the day, as were silver and green spoons. Rumors are indicating slower fishing with low water temps, but who knows.

We are planning to start selling new 2025-2026 Fish Season permits starting the last week of the month as daily permits are still quite popular for this season.

If you are chomping at the bit for the new season please review the 2025-2026 Fishing Proclamation which has some significant changes you may want to to aware of.

March 3rd, 2025

Folks,

Quick update. All ice is off the lakes as of this weekend. Winter is returning this week, but I'm doubtful there will be significant ice development.

We will be transitioning to selling the new 2025-2026 Fishing permits near the end of the month. I'll keep you posted.

The new proclamation has been released so you all can start reviewing it.

Some folks went fishing this weekend but no reports have been submitted.

February 20th, 2025

Folks,

Just a quick update. We are officially in the "inbetween" season. Not enough ice to stand on, but not enough open water to fish the right way on either.

I have been getting quite a few calls and it is essential for me to return your call that you leave me your phone number (I'm looking at you Hermie...)

Work will be starting at Enbom Lake in the upcoming weeks so be forewarned there will be extensive closures of the lake and recreational area throughout construction.

The 2025-2026 Fishing Proclamation should be released in the next few weeks and shortly after that online permits for the new season will become available. BUT NOT YET.

February 10th, 2025

Folks,

Warm weekend, I sat in my backyard in a tshirt most of saturday, no frost on the windshields this morning. Ice sheets are starting to seperate from shore, there is open water at all lakes, and ice sheets are deteriorating rapidly. Snow expected this week but unlikely to be cold enough to salvage an ice season. Ice travel is extremely dangerous. If snow does arise it will make visually inspecting the ice sheet near impossible. Photos from this afternoon (10FEB2025). These are classic NO GO conditions.

February 5th, 2025

Folks,

Just starting to realize this is the worst winter in my time here. Today is day two of over 55 degree high temps and barely below or at freezing lows. The truck said 58 degrees today when the ice was checked... The Fish Crew is recommending no ice travel. We are also very concerned about how the spring and summer are going to fair if it doesn't start snowing soon.

Ice sheets are starting to seperate from shore, there is open water at all lakes, and ice sheets are deteriorating rapidly. The weatherman is calling for high temperatures for Thursday and Friday with chances of high wind. Wind with disconnected sheets is a recipe for disaster. Ducks are back at Stone.

Below are a few photos from this afternoon:

February 3rd, 2025

Folks,

Kind of a roller coaster the last few days. Ice sheets are in decline as we checked the sheets today it was 64 degrees outside... All sheets lost thickness over the weekend.

Stone Lake: 5" at the south ramp with 1/2" of slush/water on top of the sheet. Large pressure ridges are expanding through the middle of the lake. No snow on the sheet.

Embom Lake: 4" air pockets in ice sheet extensive. 1/2" Slush/water on the sheet.

Mundo Lake: 8" with 1/2" of slush/water on top of the sheet. Water gathering in low spots, and edges becoming rough.

If these unseasonable warm conditions continue there could be inches of slush and water on all sheets by mid week.