Jicarilla Fish Weblog

Fishing Report 1-22-08

The report for this week is based upon the outcome of the 2008 Jicarilla Ice Derby, which was held on Saturday Jan. 19th . The derby was a tremendous success despite relatively slow fishing and a very cold start. The temperature was a chilly negative 18 at the start, but quickly warmed up for a pleasant day in the sun. We had a great turnout with 157 contestants coming from all around the State. Mundo and Stone Lakes quickly became the focus of the contestants and strategies emerged for making the best out of these different fisheries. The majority of folks started at Stone, the memories of last years big creel fresh in their minds. The remainder felt that a solid day at the more productive Mundo would land them in the prizes. It turned out that both lakes were fishing slowly, and a scramble to make the best of it sent a few folks back and forth. When it was all said and done, Josiah Montoya of Dulce came out with the heaviest creel of the day with 17 Rainbows from Mundo Lake. His creel weighed in at 9.53 lbs and took the 1st prize 3hp Ice auger. Carl Romness, another local and avid fisherman came in 2nd with two fish from Stone Lake for 8.80 lbs. Carl also won the longest fish of the day prize with a Stone Lake slammer that measured 23” and weighed 6.45 lbs. Third place went to Benny Garcia who caught 15 Mundo Lake Rainbows for 8.48 lbs. The door prizes and raffle took a big step up this year thanks to some very generous donations. A very special thanks goes out to those donors which include the Jicarilla Apache Nation, Classic Eyewear of Farmington, the Jicarilla Shopping Center, 64 Express Gas Station, the Jicarilla Inn, the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department, and Elliot K. Vigil and Family. The Raffle was also a big success, raising $1,000 in one day which will be used to purchase Trophy class Trout for the Spring stocking. This year the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department offered a guided cow elk hunt along with two Spring Turkey permits, three waterfowl permits and three fishing permits. We typically hold these one day raffles at all of our Fishing Tournaments, so Hunters stay tuned for upcoming events.
Now, back to the Fishing at hand. The current outlook is sad for both Enbom and Horse Lakes. Enbom is suspected of winterkill due to foul turbid water associated with decomposition and lack of sufficient oxygen. Horse Lake does have sufficient dissolved Oxygen levels for the time being, but this can change fast and the recent trend of poor fishing indicates stressed fish. Horse Lake may be worth a shot, but expectations should not be too high.
Mundo Lake is the last holdout for Non Tribal Ice anglers at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. This lake is not in danger of winterkill, and has a good population of Rainbows in the 11-13”range. Corn and Salmon eggs are the local favorites, but jigs of various colors tipped with wax and meal worms can work well also. Worms, powerbait, and catfish stink baits can also work. A 22 ¾” Rainbow was pulled out of Mundo for the Derby so there a few big boys here and there.
Feel free to call Kevin Terry at 505-759-3255 for more information. Also, check out the Ice Derby Photos on the www.jicarillahunt.com website.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 1-15-08

The 2008 Jicarilla Ice Derby (1/19/08) is just a few days away and the stage is set for a great event. The fishing has been good at Mundo Lake and Stone Lake, and variable at Horse Lake. Enbom Lake has good fish but zero pressure, which means that it may be an ace in the sleeve or may be a complete bust. Either way this unique event which combines 4 Lakes, up to 5 Species, and unlimited Angling strategies is sure to be fun for everyone. Adults are $15 for anglers with a valid Jicarilla Fishing permit and $20 will include a one day permit and derby entry. Kids (12and under) are $5, which includes a day permit and derby entry. More information on this event can be found in the fishing section of the www.jicarillahunt.com website or by calling Kevin Terry at (505) 759-3255.
Mundo Lake continues to fish well for Rainbows in the 11-13” range with a few up to 18” being reported. Corn and Salmon eggs have been the fan favorites, but worms and powerbait have been fair as well. Jigs have also been working at Mundo. Yellow, green, and white Perch jigs as well as curly tail Shad patterns and Glow Bugs have been reported. A few Channel catfish have also been yanked through the ice, as well as one 15” Largemouth. The presence of these guys may tweak strategies a bit at the Derby.
Horse Lake does have plowed roads with snow packed conditions and afternoon mud. 4 WD is highly recommended right now. A few fishermen have been back there since the storm hit, and the reports have been variable. A few reports have suggested that the fishing is very slow with one or two bites and that’s it. One report claimed a limit of 6 with Salmon Eggs on Saturday (1/12). The Rainbows in Horse are all between 15-17” and near 2 lbs. More information on Horse will be posted online before the Derby.
Stone Lake, which is closed to Non-Tribal anglers but will be open for the Derby looks to be popular again this year. Tribal Members have been catching fish in the 16-26” range on a number of lures and jigs. The identity of these lures remains obscure but I have seen the fish and they look good. The Ice is right at 10” right now and the forecast is for cold weather so things look good out there.
Enbom Lake presents the one complete unknown right now. There were fish biting three weeks ago but then the storm hit and access has been blocked ever since. We will have it opened and plowed before the Derby and we will possibly post fishing info online. Registration for the derby begins at 7am Saturday morning (1/19/08) at the Mundo Lake pullout and I hope to see you all there.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

2008 Jicarilla Ice Derby

Adult Division- 4 lakes No Limit

$20 without Permit- (price includes day use permit)
$15 with a 2007-2008 Jicarilla Fishing Permit

1st Place- Combined Species Creel by weight (lbs.)
2nd Place- Combined Species Creel by Weight (lbs.)
3rd Place- Combined Species Creel by Weight (lbs.)

Longest Fish (mm) - The longest fish of the day in the adult division. (may come from any creel)

Kids Division- (age 12 and under)

$ 5 (Includes Day Use Permit)

1st Place- Longest Fish Any Species
2nd Place- Longest Fish Any Species
3rd Place- Longest Fish Any Species

Individual kids cannot win more than one prize.


Prizes-
Adult Division
1st Place- Jiffy Stx Pro 8” 3hp Ice Auger, Cabelas Auger Hauler Bag, Jicarilla Game and Fish Department Hooded Sweatshirt- ~$530.00

2nd Place- Frabill Outback 6067 3 person ice shelter, Nils Master High Velocity Hand Auger 8”, ~$375.00

3rd Place- Nils Master High Velocity Hand Auger 8”, Jet Sled, Fish TV underwater video camera, ~$260.00

Longest Fish- Marcum LX-1 Portable Sonar, Jicarilla Game and Fish Dept. Hooded Sweatshirt ~$150.00

Kids Division-

1st Place- Jet Sled, Lindy Rattlin Flyer Spoon Kit 1/4oz. -~ $60.00

2nd Place- St. Croix Premier Ice Combo Rod and Reel, Northland Forage Minnow Kit- ~$50.00

3rd Place- Cabelas Whuppin Stick Ice combo Rod and Reel, Jiffy Chipper Dipper, Jicarilla Cap - ~ $40.00

Door Prizes

HT Ice Fishing Mitt- $20-5 pairs
Jiffy Chipper Dipper-$15- 2
Power Pro Ice Fishing Line-$8- 3
Jicarilla Nation Cap with Light- $30.00
Jicarilla Nation Cap (Fish and Elk) - $20.00-2
Jicarilla Nation Buck Knife- $85.00
Two Pairs High End Fishing Glasses- $200.00
Jicarilla Nation Glass Mugs- $10-3
Jicarilla Nation Book Bag- $25

More to Come!

Jicarilla Ice Tournament Rules and Regulations


General Tournament Rules: (valid 1/19/08 only)

1. Game and Fish employees will be patrolling the lakes, and have the authority to disqualify and possibly cite any contestant for breaking the Jicarilla fishing regulations or tournament rules.

2. Every contestant must have their own separate stringer of fish. Sharing fish will not be tolerated and will result in immediate disqualification. All of the involved parties will have to stop fishing for the day.

3. Tournament fishing hours are from 7:30am until 3:30pm Anglers may prepare to fish prior to 7:30am but cannot drop a line until the starting gun has been fired.

4. All fish must be turned in at the registration station by 4:00pm in order to qualify for prizes. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

5. Contestants must treat each other and the reservation with respect and civility. Harassment is grounds for disqualification, as is littering and or vandalism. If cheating is suspected between contestants please locate a Game and Fish employee to investigate. DO NOT confront each other on suspicion of cheating.

6. Any species of fish caught in the four lakes will be acceptable for entry in the tournament. There will be no catch limit on any of the four lakes for tournament contestants.

7. Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times during the tournament.

8. Motor vehicles including ATV’s and snowmobiles will not be allowed on the lakes.

Stone Lake Rules: (valid on 1/19/08 only)

1. Natural Baits of any kind will not be allowed on the ice at Stone Lake. Please leave these items in your vehicle. A list of prohibited baits includes but is not limited to; salmon eggs, powerbait, corn, worms, pieces of fish, or any other natural product. If you are not sure about a specific artificially scented product, ask a Game and Fish employee before taking it onto the ice.

2. All lures used at stone lake must have barbless hooks. Treble hooks are ok, but please pinch back the barbs.

Horse, Enbom, and Mundo Lakes:
1. Bait fishing is allowed at these lakes in accordance with the 2007-2008 Jicarilla fishing proclamation.

2. The road to Horse Lake is prone to bad conditions. It will be muddy and slick if warm temperatures exist. 4wd is highly recommended.

Jicarilla Fishing Lakes 2nd Annual Ice Derby

When: The tournament will be held on Saturday January 19th, 2008. The tournament begins at 7:30am and ends at 4pm.

Who: The tournament is open to the general public as well as Jicarilla Apache Tribal members. There will be an adult division and a kids 12 and under division.

Where: The Jicarilla Apache Nation, Dulce, NM. The tournament will take place on Horse, Mundo,Enbom, and Stone Lakes combined. Contestants may fish any combination of these lakes during tournament hours.

Registration: A registration/ judges table will be set up at the Mundo Lake pullout off of the J-8 road (refer to map on jicarillahunt.com website). Registration will be held from 7-10am. The entry fees are $20 for adult contestants that do not possess a valid Jicarilla fishing permit (includes day permit) or $15 for adult contestants that have a valid Jicarilla fishing permit. The entry fee for kids 12 and under is $5.

Rules: Contestants must follow the regulations, excluding creel limits, identified in the Non-Tribal Member Fishing Proclamation available on the website www.jicarillahunt.com, with the exception of Stone Lake. Non-Tribal ice fishing at Stone Lake will be allowed for tournament contestants on this day only (1/19/08).

Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to 1-3rd place in total creel weight (lbs.) as well as for the longest fish (Total length mm) caught in the adult division. In the kids division, prizes will be awarded to the three longest fish (total length mm) caught (one/contestant). There will also be randomly drawn door prizes for registered contestants and an on-site raffle will be held at $10 a ticket. The grand prize for this raffle will be a guided Cow Elk hunt valued at $1,000. (100% of the proceeds from this raffle will be used to buy Trophy Class Rainbow Trout for the 2008-09 season.)

For more information please call Kevin Terry (fisheries biologist) at (505)759-3255 Monday through Friday 7-4.

Fishing Report 1-8-08

The storm has passed, but the fishing goes on at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The ice is stable and averaging 6-8” on all of the lakes. The road to Horse Lake is deep with snow and 4wd is highly recommended. The Jicarilla Ice Derby (1/19/07) is coming up fast, so its time to get a game plan and maybe a scouting mission together. We have great prizes and a raffle to help stock trophy class fish in the spring of 2008. The derby will be very similar to the 2007 event and the rules and prize information will be posted on the www.jicarillahunt.com website.
Mundo Lake continues to fish very well, especially with bait. Corn and Salmon eggs have proven themselves to be the hot bait lately. Powerbait and jigs have also paid out for anglers. On Saturday (1/6/08) three anglers managed to catch their limit of trout (18) and three channel catfish in just 1 hour. They were using both corn and salmon eggs and simply could not keep em off the line. Expect the Rainbows to be in the 11-13” range with the occasional 15”er. All species of fish will be acceptable for the derby, so the Catfish which have been known to be up to 10lbs. in Mundo, present an interesting twist to this unique event.
Horse Lake has been very slow with a number of anglers striking out completely in the past week. There have not been any signs of a fish kill to date but this lake is prone to winterkill. We will be investigating the water quality including dissolved oxygen levels, and will report this information prior to the tournament. The road is very bad with 12-18” of new snow, so 4wd is necessary right now. Given the recent fishing reports you may want to consider Mundo or Enbom as alternative to digging out a truck this week.
Enbom Lake has solid ice and should have some hungry trout ready to bite. There have not been any recent reports, but the fish should be around 15” with a few up to and over 20”. We will also be monitoring the water quality at Enbom this week as it too is susceptible to winterkill.
Stone Lake, which is closed to non-tribal fishing right now, is looking good for the upcoming derby. Some really nice fish including a 26” 7lb (estimated) Rainbow have been pulled through the ice by tribal members. Stone will be open on 1/19/08 for the derby. Remember that ice fishing is never entirely safe so please be careful out there.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 1/2/08

The recent cold snap has made the difference for the ice conditions on the Jicarilla Lakes. The ice is now considered stable with approximately 6-8” of good clear ice on Horse, Mundo and Enbom. Ice does not always set up uniformly and may have vulnerable spots so please use caution and fish with partners if possible. This week the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department is pleased to announce the date for the 2nd annual Jicarilla Lakes Ice Derby. The derby will be held on Saturday January 19th 2008, and will begin at 7:30 am. Entry fees will be $20 for anglers without a Jicarilla Fishing permit and $15 for anglers with a valid permit. Kids 12 and under are $5. This event was a lot of fun last year and promises to be even better in 2008, with great prizes, a raffle, and a one day shot to ice fish for the big boys in Stone Lake. Specifics will follow shortly on the website www.jicarillahunt.com or questions can be directed to Kevin Terry at 505-759-3255. Don’t forget that a second pole permit can be purchased at the office or through our vendors for the ice fishing season (12/5-3/31). The second pole is $10 per season and $3 per day.
Mundo Lake has been fishing well through the ice with lures and bait. We measured 6” of ice on 12/27 near the spillway boat ramp. Jigs including curly tail shad are fishing well for rainbows in the 11-13” range. Salmon eggs and powerbait are also fishing well. Approximately 4 fish per hour is the current average at Mundo and anglers can expect to catch a limit right now.
Horse Lake has been off and on for the relatively short time that it has been fishable. The first folks to get out there were doing well with salmon eggs and jigs were getting some attention as well. More recently (12/28) the fishing was slow all around with bait and lures. One angler fished salmon eggs for 6 hours to get three fish, and another fished two hours to get 1 fish and two bites with a curly tail jig, while others were skunked completely. The fish are in great shape, and are all between 15-17” and averaging just under 2 lbs. which helps with the patience factor. The winterkill last year seemed to hit Horse Lake hard in the first few weeks of February. Given the late set up of ice and earlier date for the derby, we hope to have better fishing at Horse for this years ice derby. Stay tuned for more info on Horse Lake.
Enbom Lake has stable ice in the 5-6” range with less stable slushy ice on top. This slushy layer can be kind of spooky and exercise caution when you observe these conditions. There has been very low pressure at Enbom so far as people have become quite accustomed to quick winterkill. However, I did receive one report from Saturday Dec. 29th which may elicit a little more action. This angler spent 2.5-3 hrs. for 4 Rainbows in the 15” range. He was using a white crappie jig and caught the first three in approximately 45 minutes but had to work for that fourth fish. The season is here and the tournament is just around the corner, so come out and start the New Year with some fat Trout on the line.

FYI: Stone Lake, which is closed to non-tribal angling except for the Ice Derby seems to be ready to offer some more big fish for this years event. Jacob Leon a 14 year old tribal member and Dulce local caught a 20 ¾ inch 4.5 lb rainbow in less than an hour last week with a jig.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist