Jicarilla Fish Weblog

Fishing Report 8-28-07

The Fishing report for the Jicarilla fishing Lakes will be brief this week. The good reports haven’t funneled down through the normal channels and the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department has been kept in the dark so to speak. This may be bad news, but then again it may mean good things are happening and anglers are keeping tight mouths as is customary to our kind. Either way you look at it, the question remains where is the pot of gold that will lead us to the large Rainbows in Stone Lake?
The fall is approaching rapidly and the nights are getting chilly. Hopefully, the cool nights will translate into cooler lake temps and in turn produce hot Trout fishing. Whisperings of dry fly action at Stone Lake are as close to a report as we have this week. There has also been an early morning (6am) sighting of boats on stone which is a welcomed sight after months of inactivity. Anglers are still congregating regularly at Mundo, which can only mean that something is biting. Realistically, there are probably a few things biting, as the Largemouth, Rainbows, and Channel Cats have all been fishing well throughout the summer. If you haven’t tried to catch the Bass and Catfish yet, a trip to Mundo may be necessary in the next month to come. Then comes October and the trout hunting will begin. Between the NFL and the Stone/Horse lake footballs, everyone loves October. As for Horse Lake, the mystery continues, and I am eagerly awaiting a good report of the fat fish that have been growing undisturbed since March. Enbom may also be worth a shot, as the aquatic weeds should begin to subside with the changing light spectrum. There are still some 20+” Rainbows in Enbom which rarely survives the winter. It’s a great time of year for fishing, and I hope you all get a chance to rip some lips.

-Kevin Terry, Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 8-21-07

Very few reports have come in this week on the Jicarilla fishing lakes. However, a couple of anglers have reported large fish caught at Mundo Lake. The other lakes have either seen little or no pressure, or the anglers are keeping good secrets. Fall is just around the corner, which means that Horse and Stone Lakes should pick up a little as the natural food becomes more scarce. Also, the weeds will begin to die off and lay down as the growing season gets shorter.
Mundo Lake has been fishing well all summer, and is still holding very close to capacity. The Rainbows have been hitting on powerbait, worms, and a wide variety of flies. Jamil Montoya caught a 22 inch Rainbow on Wednesday (8-15-07) with a worm. He was casting and retrieving slowly from the bottom and the fish hit somewhere in the middle of the water column. Another group of 5 anglers( two adults three kids) had success with nightcrawlers catching 75 trout in three hours at Mundo. Also, Don Vicenti caught an 8 ½ lb. Channel Catfish Sunday (8-19-07). The Largemouth are still very active and topwater patterns have been provoking vicious strikes. Fly fishermen coming to Mundo should pick up a couple of popper patterns to mix things up and try for some healthy Largemouth Bass.
There haven’t been any reports from Stone, Horse, or Enbom lately, but that doesn’t mean that they should be ignored. Rainbow and orange castmasters have been the lure reported most consistently at Stone over the summer. Fishing has been tough at Stone but it is still holding large trout and Bass and hasn’t had any summerkill events to date. Enbom has been slow, as is typical of summer months, but it hasn’t killed off yet which is a nice change from the last couple of years. Horse Lake still hasn’t had very much pressure, and is typically very good in the Fall, so get out and try your luck on some healthy Rainbows that shouldn’t be very shy. Please feel free to call in any fishing reports ((505)759-3255), and have a great week of fishing.
-Kevin Terry, Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 8-14-07

The fishing is consistent, and has been good on the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The action has been the best at Mundo, which has been the norm here for the past month or so. Stone Lake is still finicky, but may be looking up. The fish in Horse have grown into healthy catchables, and the fall should be good as usual. The reservation continues to get it’s fair share of monsoon action, so come prepared for afternoon rains.
Mundo Lake is fishing well for Largemouth, Channel Catfish, and to a lesser extent trout. The Bass are active and good surface action on poppers, floating rapalas, and other topwater lures has been reported. Whether fishing from the shore, or a boat, you should be able to entice hard strikes around the weeds. The catfishing is still good and improves in the afternoons and into the night. Trout have been rising throughout the day, with a little more action in the mornings and evenings.
Another hopeful, but not to hopeful report has come in from Stone Lake. A local caught a 16 inch rainbow from the south side boat ramp with a rainbow colored castmaster. While this one fish report may not seem like a big deal, it may be a good sign especially considering the ultralight pressure it has had this summer. Large lures and flies are a good bet at Stone, which has plenty of small natural food close at hand. It’s possible that the larger lures and flies will make the fish move a little.
The fish at Horse Lake are getting big, and the fall is typically a good time to fish it. We haven’t had a report from Horse in a long time, and chances are that you will have a private experience.
Enbom has been devoid of anglers as well, probably due to the weeds and the good fishing at Mundo. The fish continue to rise sporadically throughout the day, and there are some big boys in there. A good spot for float tubing, Enbom is a scenic spot with good camping. Have a great week, and tear’em up out there.

Fishing Report 8-7-07

The fishing report for the Jicarilla fishing lakes hasn’t changed much from last week. Mundo Lake continues to draw 90% of the anglers and remains the most consistent and diverse. Afternoon thunderstorms have also remained consistent, and afternoon-evening anglers should be prepared for some weather.
Mundo Lake has been fishing well all summer and not much has changed. The trout fishing has been steady and is better in the mornings or under cloud cover. Open water surface activity will be your indicator of active trout feeding. During these feeding times the trout will hit a wide variety of dryflies, but they will still hit subsurface flies, lures, and bait, including powerbait and worms. The Largemouth Bass continue to tempt anglers with surface action around the emergent weeds. Fishing poppers or topwater lures could elicit very intense strikes. More traditional Bass lures and grubs should also do well. Whether you’re fishing from a boat or the shore, keep moving as the fish are well dispersed. The Channel Catfish have been biting as well, as some secondhand reports have come in of monsters being pulled out over the weekend. One such report suggests that a fish as long as 36” was taken at Mundo on Saturday. Anything stinky (no fish/amphibians/children) should get some attention, as long as you stay put and let the fish come to you.
Enbom Lake is going through another small algal bloom. Consequently, the visibility is low and there haven’t been any reports. We will be keeping a close eye on Enbom through this bloom, as August can be a very tough month for the lake.
On Friday the 3rd the game and fish department went on a reconnaissance mission to try and find out how the rainbows have been growing since they were stocked in March. The result of two rods for two hours was 4 lost fish that are definitely no longer 4-6 inches. Three of the fish were hooked on a ¼ oz. brass colored panther martin and one on a green beadhead nymph behind a bubble. One fish did show his face, but only to display his new shoulders and leaping ability, as he spit the treble hook back at me. We only stocked around 15,000 Rainbows into Horse this year, so densities are relatively low, but our little outing seems to suggest that they are aggressive and healthy(10-14”). A float tube, cataraft, or small boat is a good idea if you want to get out and test the waters.
A report from Stone Lake has come in from over the weekend. Two anglers spent five hours and hooked up with 5 fish between them. Three snapped the line and the other two were 14” and 17” Rainbows. All five fish hit lures including flatfish and castmasters. I went out to Stone this morning for two hours to try and catch a fish and check out the lake conditions. The only things rising were salamanders, despite a pretty good hatch of white mayflies (#12). The fish didn’t hit on anything I threw, but I did see ten to twelve large rainbows cruising near the shore on the western side of the southwest cove. The water quality is cause for concern since the ph is hovering around 9.75 and the surface temperature is at 73°F making for pretty stressful conditions for trout. Good luck out there, and make sure to adjust your drag just in case.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 7/31/07
Fishing has been good on the Jicarilla lakes, and some intriguing reports have come in to the office this past week. The majority of anglers have been going to Mundo Lake, which continues to be good for all three species. We had a very successful Catfish night at Mundo Lake on Friday (7/27), catching, cleaning, and cooking over 40 Channel catfish between 12-20”. The monsoons continue to drench folks almost every afternoon, so come prepared with rain gear.
Mundo Lake has been fishing really well for Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish. The Bass have been hitting grubs, jigs, and lures including top water lures along the shorelines and weeds. Reports indicate that there may be higher densities of larger Bass 15+” on the southeast and south shorelines. The Channel Catfish have been very active in the afternoons and well into the night (bring your night bobbers). While fishing on the bottom may get some cats, the likelihood of losing the really big boy in the weeds is high. Instead, I recommend fishing from a bobber between 2 and 6 feet depending on how close the weeds are to the surface in your particular spot. The chance of losing the bigger fish in the weeds is still there so try to kip the rod tip high and don’t give them too much line if it can be helped. Ripe beef liver and traditional stink baits are working well. If you stay patient, and in one spot, the action should pick up over time as more fish will move in to see what smells so good. Jeena Velarde, a tribal member and Dulce local caught a 26” 6.5 lb Channel Catfish at Mundo on 7-28-07 (picture coming soon). The trout continue to hit better in the mornings on bait, spinners, and flies, but cloud cover, when available, has helped to extend the surface activity.
Enbom Lake has had light pressure, and we have not received any reports this week. I especially recommend Enbom to float tubers and fly fishermen, who can cover water and avoid the weed beds along the shorelines. The lake is very scenic, and lately fairly private, with free camping to anglers with Jicarilla permits. Any reports from Enbom would be greatly appreciated.
If you are camping at Enbom, or just looking to catch that one fatty hog, Stone Lake may be worth a try. Nick Perea, a tribal member and Dulce local caught a 21 ½” Rainbow on Tuesday (7/24/07) with a green Bass jig from the north shore (Picture coming soon). He was targeting largemouth, and ended up hooking this big male estimated at 4 -5 lbs. on his second cast. This is the first I have heard of any trout action at Stone in over a month and the news is intriguing to say the least, especially considering that virtually no one has been out there. Doubly exciting is that this large trout took a big Bass jig, which means that while fishing for the Bass, which are understandably more active in the summer heat, the opportunity still exists to catch Large Rainbows. Fishing from a boat or tube at Stone Lake is recommended, to cover water and stay away from the weeds.
Horse Lake is still the big unknown in terms of fishing reports. Being that it is off the track so to speak, and Game and fish employees are around Horse Lake less frequently than the others, it is difficult to tell if anyone at all has been fishing there. In terms of reports, I haven’t received any. This is the perfect place to get away for a peaceful picnic, and might as well try to catch a couple of trout while you’re at it. In any case, have a great week, and keep your lines tight.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist