Jicarilla Fish Weblog

Fishing Report 6-30-09

We are gearing up for the Holiday weekend at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The Weed Harvester has been fixed and will be running at Enbom Lake this week. The lake will be fishable by this weekend. Mundo Lake continues to offer the most diverse and best fishing opportunities at the Jicarilla Lakes. Stone Lake has been lonely again, and I have not received a single report for two weeks. We have had a tremendous year for spring rains, which has caused temporary issues with roads and flashy turbid conditions in the river. The roads are currently dry, and the outlook is pretty good for the weekend with a chance for thunderstorms in the afternoons.
The 3-species derby is set to go on July 11th and we have some great prizes this year.
Mundo Lake continues to fish excellent for all four species. The Trout are averaging 12”, but there are Rainbows up to 18” showing up here and there. The bait fishermen are using powerbait and worms. Flies are still catching more trout on average, and are fishing well behind a bubble or with a fly rod. Small beadhead nymphs are also catching high numbers of bluegill around the docks and vegetation. The Bass are hitting well on plastics and spinner baits. It is definitely time to break out the weedless stuff, as the best Bass action is in the thick stuff. The Bass have also been making some acrobatic surface appearances chasing the blue damsel fly adults. Fly fisherman after Bass should try a popper or dry damsel pattern. The catfishing has been the least predictable lately. The fishing has been hit or miss, but the best reports have been on liver. Several folks have reported a limit of catfish (15/day) and fishing from a bobber down seams to be the ticket.
Enbom has been fishing well for the few float tubers, boaters, and hardy shore anglers out there. The weed harvester is finally in action though, and things will be murky for a few days as we clean out the weeds. The lake should settle down by the holiday weekend with access open from the bank. Fish have been jumping throughout the day and appear to be shooting for the damsel adults. A wide variety of flies and small lures will take these chubby little (12-13” avg.) Trout. There are almost certainly some of the big boys still out there also, so be prepared.
Stone Lake is looking for a few good anglers. The depths are cool and productive and the trout are getting fatter and fatter. At this point, the 100,000 plus spring stockers (6”) should be baby whales at around 10-12”. There are also some very healthy largemouth waiting in the shallows.
The 3rd annual 3-species derby will be happening at Mundo Lake on Saturday Jully 11th,2009. Adults are $25 which includes a daily permit. Adults who have an annual Jicarilla Fishing Permit will be $20. Kids 12 and under are $5 and the daily permit is included. Registration will begin at 7:00am at the Mundo Lake spillway under the big white tent. We have some excellent prizes this year as well as a one day on-site raffle for hunting and fishing permits. This has been a great event for the past two years, and promises to be even better this year. We’ll see you at the lake.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 6-23-09

The longest day of the year has come and gone and the dog days of summer are on the brink. The cure to hot lazy days is and always has been fishing so come out and toss a line. Mundo Lake continues to fish well across the board for all 4 species. Enbom is weedy but productive for a few folks. Stone Lake has been neglected lately, and may be a sleeper. The Navajo River may also be worth a shot for the occasional Rainbow and Brown Trout.
Mundo has been fishing fair for Rainbow Trout with bait. Catch rates appear to be in the 1-2 fish per hour range with powerbait, worms, and salmon eggs. Fishing bait on the bottom will result in the occasional weed fish this time of year. Fishing for trout with flies continues to be the most productive method at Mundo Lake. The catch rates are around 5-6 fish per hour and float tubers have had very high success rates. The best flies reported have been beadhead nymphs including princes and hares ears, wolly buggers in black, purple, and olive, and also several dry flies including parachute adams. The Largemouth Bass have been hitting well near shore especially in the weedy hard to get at areas. Weedless grubs, lures, and flies are the key for Bass right now. Spinner baits in purple have been reported this week. Channel Catfish have been hit or miss lately, but the fishing is still considered good. The best action reported is from night time anglers using liver.
Enbom is still weedy, and we are having issues getting our weed harvester transported to the lake. Several anglers have had success however, and they are primarily using a float tube or small boat to access the small open water areas spread out on the south side of the lake. Flies are the best bet right now, and fish are hitting the surface throughout the day increasing in the evening.
Stone Lake is a lonely place to fish right now. There has been such low pressure that a passer by might think it devoid of fish altogether. The algae bloom is persisting in areas, but has not engulfed the entire lake by any means. The one report I did hear was 1 fish in 5 hours and I am not sure what the angler was using. My guess would be that the trout are holding deep (+12 feet) in the cooler water and feeding on damsel flies as they migrate to the shorelines. Please let us know what is happening out there if you fish Stone Lake.
The Navajo River has been looking good with relatively clear water. Folks that know this 12 mile section of river also know that clearish water is almost never the case. There is a bumper crop of grasshoppers along the river this year and several local anglers have had success fishing them. The average Navajo River Rainbow is going to be around 10-15” and the rarely caught browns can be over 20”. There is very little fishing pressure on this section of Navajo River and the lower end will almost certainly provide peace, quiet, and solitude
This week we would like to announce the opening of P.A.S.S Boat and Tackle Shop at Mundo Lake. This is a small business run by the local Higher Education P.A.S.S. (Planning Ahead for Student Success) program. They will be renting 12’ jon boats with trolling motors, as well as selling tackle, fishing permits, and snacks and drinks. The business will be located at Mundo Lake on Wednesday through Sunday 3:00pm-8:00pm. For details or to make a reservation please call (505) 860-8403.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 6-16-09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes have made the transition to summer like conditions. The surface water temperatures are at 65°F across the board, and the aquatic vegetation is becoming a nuisance at Enbom Lake and Stone Lake. Fishing at Mundo has been excellent for all four species and the water quality is in good shape. Pressure is way down at Stone Lake, and there is still a large algae bloom affecting water clarity with a milky green hue. Enbom has plenty of feeding trout, but the weeds are a major issue that is driving anglers crazy. Weed Harvesting will begin at Enbom within the week.
Mundo Lake continues to be the Hot Spot on the Jicarilla Lakes. All four species are biting, and a wide variety of techniques are working. The usual baits including powerbait and worms are catching trout that average 10-12”. Flies are probably working the best for trout, and wollybuggers, beadheads, and damselfly nymphs have been used most frequently. There is a little dryfly action in the evenings. Largemouth Bass have been biting well on buzz baits, plastic worms and streamer flies. The Bass are congregating near shore around emergent vegetation and habitat structure. The large Bass (15”+) are spawning, and can be spotted near shore guarding nests. Catfish are hitting the usual stinkbaits and liver. Fishing for Cats seems to be better on the south end of the Lake.
Enbom is a weedy mess right now, but the fish are biting near and on the surface. Bait fishing on the bottom is not recommended until we get in there with the weed harvester. The harvester will be moved to Enbom late this week and the lake should be cleaned up pretty well by the weekend of the 27th. There are some spots with adequate depth to prevent weeds growing all the way to the surface but a small boat is the only efficient way to access them.
Stone Lake is still battling an algae bloom. Visibility is poor in spots and decent in others. Fishing pressure has been low, and there have not been any reports this week. The damsel flies are crawling out in good numbers. The North side of the lake has been least affected by the bloom, and would be a recommended starting location if you want try and fool some big fish.
The 3rd annual Pony Express 3-Species derby is set to go on Saturday July 11th, 2009 at Mundo Lake. The format will be very similar to years past, with prizes for 1st-3rd place for each of the 3 species , and a grand prize for the heaviest combined creel. We are ordering prizes right now, and there will be information on them soon. As usual, we will have an on-site raffle for hunting and fishing permits. These permits include a guided cow-elk hunt, 2 Spring Turkey Permits, 3 annual Waterfowl Permits, and 4 annual fishing Permits. This is a fun, family friendly event and the proceeds will help fund the Little Beaver Pony Express Race that will be held on Friday July 17th, 2009.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 6-9-09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes are beginning to fish with summer-like conditions. The water is warming up into the mid 60’s on the surface. Mundo Lake is fishing well for all 4 species and the weeds are still not a problem. On the other hand, Enbom is getting weedy enough to cause annoyance but fish are still being caught in good numbers. Stone Lake is slow and has a green algae bloom that is affecting clarity. Two Bass were caught and reported at Stone over the weekend, but I haven’t heard anything else this week. The date has been set for the annual Pony Express 3-Species Fishing Derby at Mundo Lake. The date will be Saturday July 11th, 2009 and details will be available soon.
Mundo Lake is fishing excellent for all 4 species, which include Trout, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, and Bluegill. The Bass are spawning, which means that you can find them near shore and often sight fish to them. While they are protecting the nests and courting, they can sometimes be antagonized to strike since they are displaying aggressive territorial behavior patterns. Tube jigs and other plastics are working, as are spinnerbaits and quite a few other Bass Lures. The electrofishing survey at Mundo revealed that there are huge numbers of Bass in the 10-12 inch class, with fewer large fish (>15”) and fewer small fish (<6”). By removing some of these 10-12” fish, anglers can help us manage the Bass fishery. They taste great and offer a nice filet at these sizes. Carlos Carrasco from Albuquerque caught a beauty at Mundo on Friday. It was a fat female that measured 17.5” and weighed in at 5.5 lbs. Check out the picture in the photo gallery!!
The Rainbows are biting well on flies (especially beadheads), small lures, spinners, and bait. The best bait reports are on powerbait. Channel Catfish are biting well and anglers on the south and southwest side of the lake are doing the best. Mundo Lake is overpopulated with Channel Catfish and the fish are slightly underweight. Liver and stinkbait have been reported, and cats are getting picked up occasionally by powerbait and worms.
Enbom is fishing very well for 10-13” Rainbows with a few larger fish mixed in. The weeds are starting to cause trouble in areas, but fishing from the shore is still possible and productive. The best reports are on yellow powerbait, and flies. There has been some dry fly activity at Enbom especially in the afternoons and evenings. A parachute adams is a good all around pattern for the rise at Enbom. Beadheads and wollybuggers are also pulling fish. Fishing from a float tube or small boat will decrease the weed problems and allow anglers to target different areas. Aquatic weed harvesting will start at Enbom this year, and might begin as early as next week.
Stone Lake has been fishing slow, with very low traffic. The one report this week was from a Bass angler who worked hard to catch 2 nice Bass in the 14” range. There is a green algae bloom that has reduced visibility substantially (2ft). There has been a caddis hatch lately, and several fish that were sampled in gill nets last week were packed with green caddis pupae. The damsels have also started to migrate to the shorelines. It’s hard to tell exactly how the fishing is with such low pressure, but there is certainly plenty of insect activity at Stone Lake right now. As usual, electrofishing was not a very productive means of sampling Stone Lake. However, we did shock some extremely chunky Trout and Bass between 14 and 22”. We are suggesting Stone to the serious trophy anglers again this week. Please let us know how you do out there if you go to Stone. Catch the Big One!!!!

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 6/1/09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes are fishing well for multiple species. The water temperature is rising, with surface temps in the low to mid 60’s. These warmer temperatures make successful catch and release more difficult. By reducing fight time and handling time you can give the fish a better chance at survival in warmer water. Stone Lake is still fishing slow, but several fish have been caught in the past week. Both Enbom and Mundo are on fire, and the warm water species in Mundo have really turned on. 1,000 lbs. of Trophy sized (16-18”) Rainbow trout were stocked into Mundo and Enbom Lakes on Friday May 22nd. This load was divided equally between the two lakes, and these nice fish have been caught at both lakes.
Mundo Lake is definitely the hot spot right now on the Jicarilla Lakes. Trout are biting on a wide variety of lures, flies, and bait. Powerbait has been the bait reported most frequently in several colors including rainbow, orange, and green. Lures including castmasters, daredevils, and spinners are working for trout and have also produced Bass near the shorelines and around the docks. A huge assortment of primarily nymph patterns have been successful on the fly side of things. The most common reports are wollybuggers and beadheads including princes and pheasant tails. Some Bass have been picked up by the larger wollybuggers and streamers, and the bluegill are hitting well on the smaller beadhead’s. The Bass are really turning on, and can be caught near the shorelines, especially around vegetation and structure including the docks. Plastics, jigs, rapalas, and spinnerbaits have all been proven. The catfish are also biting, and in some case the numbers are high. Eudane Vicenti a tribal member and Game and Fish employee caught 80 catfish with tainted liver in a day, and approximately 15 were in the 20” range. The Cats are a little on the skinny side, as Mundo is currently overpopulated with Channel Catfish. The limit on Channel Cats went up to 15 fish per day this year, so come and get some filets.
Enbom has been excellent for the past two weeks, and the latest infusion of trophy class Rainbows has made for a good mix. The average fish is still in the 8-12” range, but watch out for the line jerker that is bound to show up when least expected. Bait reported has been powerbait, worms, and salmon eggs and it appears that most of the bait action is at or near the bottom. Lures and spinners are working well with a better hit to hook up ratio in the smaller sizes. Flies including buggers, beadheads, and even some dry stuff like #12 chironmidaes have been catching good numbers. The weeds are starting to show up, but haven’t become an issue thus far.
Stone Lake is still considered slow and is currently recommended to only the most serious of headhunters. The damsels are getting going and fish typically line up near the shore in 6-10 feet of water gobbling these nymphs as they actively swim to the shorelines to crawl out and complete their life cycle. There have been a few reports of success on damsels in the olive to chartreuse colors. Also, a couple of fish were reported caught with a frog pattern daredevil from the shore. There haven’t been any reports of Bass being caught but they have been visually observed in likely spots with vegetation or structure. We will be conducting electrofishing surveys this week at Mundo and Stone with the helps of the USFWS, and will have good data to report to all of you next week. Get your fish on!!!!!

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist