Jicarilla Fish Weblog

Fishing Report 9-25-07

Fishing has been good on the Jicarilla fishing lakes over the past week. The crowds have been down, even on the weekends, and the weather has been nice for the most part. The water temps have been in the low 60’s and the weeds are falling down and accumulating on the windward shorelines. Water clarity is good on all of the Lakes, especially Mundo which is crystal clear. The nights are getting very cool, and we have had a couple of frost laden mornings. My favorite fishing month, October, is almost here and things seem to be shaping up.
Mundo Lake continues to fish very well for Rainbows in the 10-13 inch size class, and a few of the 20+ fish are still around. In fact, an angler caught a 19 inch rainbow last week while fishing for Cats. The clarity is spectacular right now and the docks make for a great viewing platform. Within a few minutes you should be able to see one of each species in the Lake. People are fishing with the usual stuff at Mundo since there hasn’t been a reason to change things up. Powerbait, nightcrawlers, and liver are the hot baits, and wollybuggers, pheasant tails, copper johns and various other nymphs are all good fly choices. There is always a fish or two on the top and some decent mayfly hatches have been coming off.
Enbom Lake is hot, and the Rainbows are slightly longer and fatter than those in Mundo. The average size is right around 13 inches and 1-1.5 lbs. There are some big boys still cruising around and reports of line breakers and fish from 18-22” have come in. The weeds are accumulating around the shore, so if possible a boat or float tube would put you in a good position to land the big boys. There have been some olive mayflies in the #14 size hatching and top water action has been observed in the evenings. I also saw a few # 12 caddis around Enbom, which have a light green body and distinct antennas. Matching the hatch right now is probably not as important as being out there when the fish are on the top. An angler reported catching 19 fish with one at 19 ½ inches yesterday (9/23/07). He was flyfishing from a float tube, and was using a variety of bead head nymphs including pheasant tails and wollybuggers. Powerballs fished a couple of feet off the bottom were also reported successful.
There hasn’t been a report from Stone this week, but everything looks good. By that I mean that the water is clear, cool, and bugs are around. I saw quite a few of the Caddis that I mentioned for Enbom. These guys were returning to drop eggs around 11:00 am when I was at Stone and are probably around most of the day and into the evenings. There were a few fish rising but not what I would call a frenzy. If you’re going to hit stone I would definitely be prepared with some caddis patterns but don’t forget your nymph arsenal including the ever present damselfly larvae and chironomids, as well as wollybuggers and a good bead head selection.
I finally came across an angler at Horse Lake. He had just started and didn’t have anything to report, but was very impressed by the peace and beauty of the Lake. A float tube or small boat is the way to go at Horse Lake right now, and the road is good when dry. The ruts so common on the Horse Lake road are not as severe as usual this time of year, but that can change at any moment. With any luck we will get a report for Horse Lake soon, and I will keep you all informed on that end. Until then get out and give it a shot.

Kevin Terry- Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-18-07

The Fall fishing season is here and things are looking up for the Jicarilla fishing lakes. Water temperatures, clarity, and PH levels are all moving towards optimum for good trout fishing. The Aquatic weeds are beginning to fall down and break up, but are still an issue in Horse, Stone and Enbom. However, this too will pass as the light spectrum continues to lose intensity. Some promising reports have come in from Enbom and Stone, and all signs point towards good things for the uneducated fatties in Horse.
Mundo Lake is still fishing very well for Rainbow trout in the 9-12” class with a few fish up to 20”. Powerbait/eggs and nightcrawlers have been getting consistent action, as have a number of flies including olive wollybuggers and beadheads like pheasant tails, prince nymphs, and copper johns. There has been sporadic surface action for small hatches of tan mayflies and various midges, including a few of the larger lake midges (zebra striped) common to the Jicarilla Lakes. The Bass have slowed down with the cooler water temperatures (currently 65°F), but can still be taken with grubs and jigs presented to good holding habitat. The catfish are also moving more slowly, but patience, persistence, and stink will prevail.
Enbom Lake still has substantial weed accumulations around the shorelines, but the middle is open and the conditions are perfect for float tubes and small boats. Two anglers reported catching there limit of fat 11-13” Rainbows with one 21” hog in a few hours. They were using flies (nymphs) and a float tube. The water temperature at Enbom is currently 64°F and the PH is below 9 which is uncommon there. Lots of ducks are on the Lakes right now and the comfortable daytime temperatures make for a cool Fall outing.
Stone Lake also has weeds around the shorelines, but the southside boat ramp is in good condition and the water quality is good. The temperature is right at 65°F and the large Rainbows seem to becoming more active as a result. Over the weekend (9/15,9/16) three anglers caught 7 nice fish in 4 hours. The fish were all Rainbows and were between 18-21”. This may still seem a little slow to you as it does to me, but it is a good start and I think things are going to get better and better. Fishing from a float tube or boat is recommended, as is fishing close to the aerators were the disturbance of water has helped to break up the weeds. Please call (505-759-3255) or email terrykev@gmail.com with any reports or pictures from Stone Lake. As things seem to be looking up, I would like to get as much information to you all as possible.
Horse Lake is still untouched for the most part, and is a great place to float tube right now. There should be around 10,000 fat trout in the 10-14” class just waiting for you. The shorelines are clogged with weeds and debris, but there are some nice open sections in the middle. The road to Horse Lake can get very bad when wet so watch out for storms. Early morning and evening anglers may also get a chance to hear the Elk bugling at Horse Lake. Fall is for roasting chilies, hunting, football, and above all, fishing, so get out here and wet that line.

Kevin Terry – Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-12-07


Fishing pressure has dropped substantially around the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes since Labor Day. The water is slowly cooling off and the weeds are beginning to break up. The tribal members are preparing for the big fall festival Gojíiya, which is coming up this weekend (9/15, 9/16). Hunting has also started on the Reservation and the sounds of elk are in the air. All in all, this is a great time of year to get out and enjoy nature.
Mundo Lake is fishing well for all three species. The Rainbows are hitting night crawlers, powerbait, and a wide variety of flies. The Largemouth Bass have slowed down a little, but can be provoked by well placed grubs including curly tails and plastic crayfish lures. The Channel Catfish are biting as well on the normal stinky baits including beef and chicken liver. As the water temps drop, it might take longer to move the fish into your hole but they will eventually pile up in the stink zone. Campers and night anglers will need warm clothes.
There haven’t been any reports from Stone, Horse, or Enbom Lakes this week.

Kevin Terry – Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-4-07

Mundo Lake continues to be the spot of choice for local anglers. The Rainbows are hitting powerbait, worms, and various flies including pheasant tails and prince nymphs. Steve Gallegos, a Dulce local caught a 23” 4lb. Rainbow on powerbait last week. Early mornings and evenings have produced the best dry fly action. The Bass have been hitting well on curly tails, mid sized Rapalas, and spoons. The catfishing has been consistent as well, with 20+ inch fish being caught regularly. The nights are cooling off, so campers and late night fishermen should come prepared for chilly weather.
Horse, Stone, and Enbom haven’t had any fishing pressure lately, but the fishing should improve as temperatures drop. The aquatic weeds are beginning to break up, adding debris to the water and turning the clarity slightly greenish. There has been a bumper crop of Fat Head minnows at Stone this year, which may translate into good action on spoons and shiny streamer patterns. As most of you know, Enbom, Horse, and Stone all have thriving populations of salamanders, so replicas might be worth a try. As always, feel free to call 505-759-3255 for more information or to give reports.

Kevin Terry – Fisheries Biologist