Jicarilla Fishing

Fishing Report 3-16-10

2010-03-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Fishing Report 3/16/10
The Ice Fishing Season is officially over as of Monday (3/15/10) and the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes will be temporarily closed to fishing until open water conditions exist. The ice slab is still solid at both lakes but the shoreline areas are rapidly deteriorating, creating unsafe conditions. Historically, we are right in the prime time for runoff and breakup of the ice, but everything seems to be a little late this year. At this point it is hard to predict when we will have open water to fish, but I am hard pressed to say that we will be fishing anytime before 4/1/10. I should have a much better grasp by next week, as we are expecting warm weather and plenty of sun for the next few days.
Remember that April 1st is the beginning of our annual fishing year for those of you who want to purchase an annual Jicarilla Fishing Permit. The new proclamation will be online and at our vendors will have them on this date as well. There are very few changes predicted for this year’s fishing proc and I will detail those changes as soon as we have approval from the legislative Tribal Council. If you are planning to purchase your annual permit ahead of time, please remind the vendor that you want the 2010-2011 fishing year (4/1/10-3/31/10).
Today 3/16/10 is scheduled to be the launch date for our new and improved website. Much of the format will remain the same, but there will be subtle differences and new applications available. Please contact me through the website www.jicarillahunt.com if you are having any problems, or if you have questions concerning the new site.
I will continue to provide updates on conditions at the lakes on a weekly basis during the temporary closure. Most of you know the drill, but it is prep time for what is typically great ice-out fishing at the Jicarilla Lakes.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 3/8/2010

2010-03-08T16:01:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 3/8/10

Fishing is not recommended on the Jicarilla Lakes right now for several reasons. The primary factor is that the fishing has just not been very good lately. With that said, there are several other factors to consider before coming out. The roads are in poor condition with a mixture of heavy wet snow, snow drifts, and thick nasty mud. I had to use 4wd to get around Stone Lake where the only current access is at Manghani Point. I also had to use 4wd at Mundo Lake to get to the spillway (parking area) and barely made it in due to a thick layer of slush over very soft gooey mud. We are supposed to continue getting wet snow and rain until Wednesday (3/10). Also, the edges of the ice sheet are beginning to melt in areas and you may fall through where the ice hits the shore. The ice itself is still thick (14-18 inches) but the top is slushy and there are some areas where water is pooling up on top of the ice on warm days. This will most likely be the last week of possible ice fishing, but the policy this week will be USE AT YOUR OWN RISK !!!!!!
The one and only report this week is from Russell Vigil, a Dulce local, who fished Stone Lake on Wednesday (3/3/10). He was using a pink jig fishing near Manghani Point and caught 2 big Rainbows. One fish was 21 ½ inches and weighed 7 lbs. The other fish was 21 ¼ inches and weighed 5lbs. Despite the intriguing results of Russell’s outing, I want to reiterate that fishing has been very slow at both lakes. With any luck, we’ll be fishing open water by the season opener (4/1/10).

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 3/2/10

2010-03-02T11:56:00.001-08:00

Fishing Report 3/2/2010
It is beginning to feel spring like around the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The days are growing longer and water is beginning to run on warm afternoons. Fishing has been Slow with a capital S this week. The ice is holding strong at 16-18 inches, but the top is slushy and the edges have soft spots in many places. Historically, the ice begins to break up anywhere from March 1st to April 15th, but the typical timing is around the 2nd or 3rd week of March. We do have the kind of snowpack that would be regarded as an average year so I expect the ice to break up after March 15th. With that said, I want to express caution to anyone looking to get on the ice for one last winter foray. The edges of the ice field are already getting soft due to water that is beginning to run into the lakes. We have had several reports of folks breaking through near the edges and getting wet to the knee in some cases. It is a good idea to use a stick or shovel to probe the ice in these areas to find solid ice and save your shoes. Also please use caution around the aeration holes at Stone Lake and stay at least 100 ft from the open water.
Mundo Lake has been fishing very slow for all species with all types of gear. Several anglers have spent multiple hours with two rods and various techniques without so much as a bite. About the only positive report from Mundo Lake is that the weather has been very nice with warm afternoon temps.
Stone Lake is less of a surprise but it too is fishing extremely slow and pressure has been way down. By March there is typically very little ice fishing traffic out there, which sheds some light on the historical ice fishing conditions this time of year. The one report I received is from 2 anglers who spent 2 hours with 2 rods each and all of it adds up to zilch. My suggestion for anglers that want to catch a Stone Lake hog is to gear up for open water and visit us in April for sight fishing from the shoreline.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 2-24-2010

2010-02-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 2-24-2010
This week’s fishing report will be quite short and to the point. Fishing has been very slow lately at Both Mundo Lake and Stone Lake. The ice is approximately 17 inches thick at both lakes and the slushy watery laters are no longer present. The roads around the lakes have not been plowed and there is around 8 inches of snow on them. The main access at Mundo Lake and the Manghani point access at Stone Lake have both been used, so there are tracks made to those parking areas. Road crews should get to the lakes in the next week or so.
The news from Mundo is that fishing is very slow. Several anglers have spent multiple hours on the ice for a few bites. This is the last month of ice and fishing tends to taper off during this time.
Stone Lake is also very slow, and there have not been any recent catches reported out there. 4wd will be necessary at Stone Lake until the road crews get it plowed out.
There is what looks to be a large storm heading our way this weekend with snow accumulations expected. Please use caution and be prepared for bad weather. Open water is on its way, so let’s be patient and hope that we get a bunch of new snow to help with run off.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 2-17-10

2010-02-17T09:27:00.001-08:00

Fishing Report 2-17-10
The almost constant barrage of storms has passed and clear skies have been dominating the horizon at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The clear star filled nights make for a chilly start, but the afternoon temps will tempt you to strip the jackets and don your t-shirts and sunglasses. The ice conditions are holding steady with approximately 15 inches of ice at both lakes. The top 5 inches may have slushy areas or water gaps in some areas, but the base layer is solid and strong at 10 inches. Fishing remains slow at Stone Lake and has been slow to fair at Mundo Lake.
Mundo Lake is fishing fair for rainbows in the 10-12 inch class with a few larger fish in the bunch. The best bite reported has been on powerbait fished high in the water column. Jigs may also produce high up especially when tipped with bait like wax or meal worms. I have even been told of anglers having success within a foot or two of the ice. There have been times when the bite is just not on, and several anglers spent substantial time on the ice (4 hrs) without catching a limit.
As far as I know, Stone Lake has been slow and pressure has been down. I say this because I only received one report this week and didn’t hear any gossip at all. The one report was from Russell Vigil a Game and Fish employee who caught one fish on a pink jig at 12:45 on Monday. The fish was 22 and ½ inches and weighed 8 lbs. He had a purple jig still hooked on his jaw and seems to prefer the more feminine of jig colors. There is approximately one month left in the ice season and the fish in Stone are hunkered down with low metabolism and limited movement. The aerator holes will begin to grow in the next month so please use caution around the open water and remain 100 ft. from the edge. Enjoy the good weather and good luck out there.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 2-10-10

2010-02-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 2/10/2010
This week’s report will be based on the results of the 4th annual Jicarilla Ice Derby which was held on Saturday February 6th, 2010. The Jicarilla Game and Fish Department would like to thank our generous sponsors and each of the 179 contestants that made this year’s event another success. We raised over $6,000 from the Ice Derby and every cent will go back into the lakes in the form of Trophy Class Rainbow Trout that will be stocked in April 2010. This year’s event was a close race between Stone Lake which continues to fish slow and Mundo Lake which was slow for most, but productive for a few anglers. In the end, Stone Lake prevailed with Gary Williams taking first place with 3 Rainbows from Stone Lake and a total creel weight of 14 and ½ lbs. Gary’s longest fish was 24 and 3/8 inches. In second place was Trinidad Perea with 26 fish from Mundo Lake and a total creel weight of 12 and ½ lbs. Leonard Perez took third place with 14 fish from Mundo that weighed in at 8 and ¾ lbs. The prize for the longest fish went to Chad Sullins who caught a 24 and ¾ inch Rainbow from Stone Lake that weighed 8 and ¼ lbs. The kids division was led by Lashay Willie with a 12 and ¾ inch Rainbow from Mundo Lake. Lashay was followed by Thomas Griego who caught a 12 and ½ inch rainbow from Mundo. In Third place was Alex Candelaria who managed to capture a salamander at Stone Lake that was approximately 8 inches long.
The fishing was slow across the board on Saturday despite several anglers catching 10 plus fish at Mundo. The action was primarily on bait at Mundo and the majority of anglers were using powerbait. The trick it seems for those who more successful was to fish high in the water column just a few feet below the ice. The fish also seemed to turn on and off several times throughout the day. The majority of the contestants were fishing Mundo Lake, and the estimated average was 3-5 fish per angler.
Stone Lake was very slow for almost everyone except for the derby winner. I believe that he was the only angler to catch more than one fish at Stone Lake on Saturday. I am not aware of what type or colors of jigs were working for the derby. We are approaching the last month of ice season at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes and fishing tends to be slow during this period. That is not to say that fish cannot be caught, as evidenced by the derby results, only that you should expect the action to be slower than it was in late December and early January. Once again, Thanks so much to everyone that participated in the Jicarilla Ice Derby. For those of you in Albuquerque, I hope to see you at Bob Gerding’s Outdoor Adventure Show this weekend.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 2-2-10

2010-02-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 2-2-10
Apparently the fish in the Jicarilla Lakes are waiting until the derby on Saturday (2/6/10) before they bite. The trend for catch rates lately has been steadily heading downhill at both Mundo Lake and Stone Lake. The weekend news from Stone Lake was sad again this week with a lot of anglers (10-15) on the ice and very few if any fish landed. Mundo Lake, which is typically the go to water on slow days has also dropped off substantially in the past few weeks. The one upside to this trend is that there isn’t really any proven strategy out there right now, which should make for an interesting competition this weekend. The ice is in good shape but the water layer is still present and slush might be an issue on warm afternoons.
At Mundo Lake there is a 3 inch layer of slushy ice on top of 4 inches of water, which is on top of 11 inches of solid ice. In the mornings and throughout cold days the top layer of slushy ice is stable enough to support a person. Mundo has been slow, and bait seems to be fishing better than jigs lately. Rosie and I were out on the ice for 3 hours this morning. I fished a number of different jigs with only one hook up. Rosie caught one fish on a green jig and that was about it for us. The 4 gentlemen fishing next to us faired a little bit better on powerbait. They had several bites, a couple of hook ups, and 2 fish on the ice by the time we left. The only other angler on the ice did better than the rest of us. He was using a peach/salmon colored powerbait and caught 5 fish in 2 ½ hours. The reports from the weekend were similar with no better than 2-3 fish per hour reported.
At Stone Lake things have been rather dismal. I only received one direct report this week, but the hearsay was pretty bad. On Saturday there were approximately 15 anglers on the ice and only one fish between them. The report I received came from a group of 7 anglers who fished 3 ½ hours without a single bite. Sunday was similar with 3 anglers reported and another skunk for all. Stone Lake is known for off and on fishing and hopefully Saturday will be an ON day. After all, one 10 pounder can make a huge difference in the ice derby.
The 4th Annual Jicarilla Ice Derby is here at last and we are expecting another great event. We have a truck full of great prizes, t-shirts for everyone, and a one day on-site raffle for tremendous hunting and fishing opportunities. Please contact Kevin Terry at 575-759-3255 with any questions or visit the www.jicarillahunt.com website for more information. I hope to see you all out there on the ice.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 1/26/10

2010-01-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 1/26/2010
Last week’s series of storms left nearly 2 feet of fresh snow at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. It is safe to say that there were very few if any anglers out there last week and therefore we have very little to report in terms of fishing conditions. Instead, we will focus on the current road and ice conditions in this week’s report. I also have to apologize to all of the folks who use our website to obtain our fishing reports. Unfortunately, I posted both the report and a late week storm update on the wrong blog and they didn’t show up on the website.
The ice thickness is approximately 10 inches at both Stone Lake and Mundo Lake, with some areas of thicker ice at each lake. The new snow was very wet and created a layer of water between the snow on top and ice below. This water layer was around 5 inches deep initially, but it is slowly turning into ice as the insulating snow layer has been reduced to a thin layer (2 inches) of icy snow that can support the weight of a person in the mornings. The ice is still safe for fishing, but you can expect to see this slushy water layer. Warm waterproof boots are essential to your comfort in these conditions which may get sloppy on warm afternoons.
The roads are snow packed and slippery, but they have been plowed all the way to Stone Lake. 4wd is still a good idea, but it is not essential right now. The J-15 road short cut from highway 537 directly to Stone Lake has been plowed. The east side boat ramp at Stone Lake known as Manghani Point is the only current access road available at Stone Lake. However, we have a work order in with the Tribal Roads Department, and the north side access road and the south side boat ramp access road should be plowed by the week’s end. At Mundo Lake the usual parking area has been plowed but the campground has not. We are expecting a small storm on Wednesday and Thursday and the forecast is for very small accumulations (2-3”).
It is crunch time for those of you hoping to scout out the lakes before the upcoming 4th annual Jicarilla Ice Derby (2/6/10). There is just one weekend left before the derby and the weather should be nice, so get out there and formulate a winning strategy. For more info on the Ice Derby please check the fishing menu on the www.jicarillahunt.com website or call Kevin Terry at 575-759-3255.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 1/12/10

2010-01-12T13:24:00.001-08:00

Fishing Report 1/12/2010
Favorable weather has made for nice comfortable days on the ice despite sometimes frustrating fishing. The hot streak at Stone Lake has certainly cooled off, but we have several tremendous fish to report again this week. Mundo Lake has been more consistent and catch rates are pretty stable from day to day. At this point, the various regions at Stone have been explored, several of which seem to be fishing better than others. With the 4th annual Jicarilla Ice Derby coming up fast (Saturday February 6th, 2010), a dual lake approach is a good idea for people to scout out the lakes and formulate a strategy. As usual, the ice derby will be held at Stone Lake and Mundo Lake combined. The ice thickness is just shy of 10 inches at both Stone Lake and Mundo Lake as of 1/12/10.
Stone Lake has been frustrating over the past week. Catch rates are way down somewhere around 1 fish per 5 hours, but the quality of the catch has made it hard to give up. The southwest bay around the aerators has been producing fish and so has the area near Manghani point (cement boat ramp/east side). White remains the color of choice for jigs but green, red, and spoons were also reported. The average size is right around 20” but there seems to be two distinct size classes that are making up the majority of the catch. One class is between 16-18” and these fish are primarily Rainbows with a few browns mixed in. The second class of fish is between 23-26” and these fish are all Rainbows. On Friday (1/8/10) Marty Smith of Farmington and his friend Mark Vandi of Los Lunas each landed a trophy class trout. Marty’s fish was caught on a white crappie jig and measured 24” and weighed in at 7 ½ lbs. Mark’s fish was caught on a pinkish (flesh colored) crappie jig and it measured 26” and hit 10 lbs. You can see these fish in the photo gallery on www.jicarillahunt.com. In contrast, Saturday (1/9/10) found 15 anglers on the ice with an estimated catch of 5 fish between them. A good friend, skilled angler, and supporter of our program Matt Pelletier of www.fishenchantment.com spent 8+ hours on the ice with a buddy. Matt caught one fish and lost another, and his friend lost one at the ice. The best action has been from 10-2 and again at 4-5.
Mundo Lake is fair for Rainbows that average 9-12”, with larger Trout in the 14-17” range showing up occasionally. The catch rate is hanging in there with an average of 2-3 fish per hour. Small crappie jigs and plastic jigs including curly tails and tubes are working slightly better than bait. Most bait anglers are using powerbait of various colors and they are having trouble with strike to hook up ratios. The fish seem to be hitting short, and sizing down a little on the hook is recommended. Most anglers are taking advantage of the 2 pole system at Mundo with one baited and one jigging. There hasn’t been a lot of talk about moving around at Mundo and the high traffic area is just off of the emergency spillway (parking area). If the weather trend continues, you will want to bring sunscreen and a t-shirt for the warm afternoons. Watch out TROUT!!!!
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 1-5-09

2010-01-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 1/5/10
Fishing has been good to excellent at the Jicarilla fishing lakes over the past week and weekend. I have received some of the best reports from Stone Lake that I have heard of to date for ice season. Several trophies were landed, and in some cases they were literally squeezed through a 6 inch hole. Mundo Lake has been fair to good and varies primarily by technique. The 4th annual Jicarilla Ice derby is a month away (2/6/10) and we are gearing up for another great event. Ice thickness is slowly increasing at both lakes with an 8-10 inch average.
Stone Lake has been hot by Stone Lake standards. That is to say that catch rates have been better than 1 fish an hour at times, with at least one report citing 6 fish in an hour. The consensus is that the optimal times are mid morning to midday (10:00-1:00) with another good bite for the last hour of daylight (4:00-5:00). The hot color is white, and curly tails and tube jigs seem to be the preferred lure. There were several noteworthy catches this week at Stone Lake. Doug Steiner out of Farmington , NM caught a 26” male Rainbow estimated over 9 lbs on New year’s eve (see photo in gallery). This honker fell victim to a white tube jig with a chartreuse jig head. This was one of three fish reported in this size class for the week at Stone.
Mundo has been fair with bait and good with jigs. The average rainbow is 8-12”, but several 12” browns and a few 14-16” Rainbows have shown up here and there. Most folks are utilizing the 2 pole system with one on bait and another jigging small plastic jigs with various jig head colors. Catch rates have been on par with the average angler retaining a 6 trout limit in approximately 2 hours. The weather has been cold and clear with plenty of sunshine and very little exposed flesh to tan. Whether you’re after that wall hanger or just a few pan sized beauties, the Jicarilla Lakes are a great place to play on the ice.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 12-30-09

2009-12-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 12-30-09
The Jicarilla Ice Fishing season is off to a great start, with positive reports from both Stone Lake and Mundo Lake. The ice is currently 6-8 inches thick at both Stone and Mundo.
Stone Lake has been producing Rainbows averaging 16 inches with a few Browns of similar size mixed in. The best action has been in the morning and the evening. Catch rates have varied from one report to another, but at least one angler caught six fish on Saturday and several others were catching 2-3 fish in a few hours. The majority of anglers have been around Manghani point which is near the cement boat ramp on the east side of the lake. Red and white curly tail jigs are working with a variety of jig heads. Chartreuse is also a popular jig color at Stone, although it hasn’t been mentioned in reports. Please stay 100ft. away from open aeration holes at Stone Lake.
Mundo Lake has been excellent with jigs and good with powerbait. Catch rates have been as high as 6-7 fish per hour with jigs, and 3-4 fish per hour with powerbait. The majority of the fish are 8-12” Rainbows, but several larger fish as well a few Browns were reported this week. A wide variety of jig colors are working, and scented or bait tipped jigs are allowed at Mundo Lake. During the ice season (12/15-3/15) anglers are allowed 2 poles and Mundo is the only place to really take advantage of this regulation. Bait up one pole and jig another and you are bound to catch the 6 fish limit in an hour or two.
The roads are snow packed and plowed with limited access at Stone Lake. It is currently snowing lightly in Dulce with 2-3 inches of fresh snow expected tonight. Don’t forget that the 4th annual Jicarilla Ice derby is scheduled for Saturday February 6th, 2009. Dress warm, be safe, and have fun out there.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

12-22-2009

2009-12-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 12-22-09
Ice season is ON at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes!! The ice is now at 6-7 inches at both Mundo Lake and Stone Lake. After a slow start, last week’s frigid nighttime temps helped promote solid ice development. Caution should be taken as always, and please stay at least 100 ft. from the open water aeration holes at Stone Lake. There were a few local anglers out at Mundo over the weekend and fishing was good. Both jigs and powerbait were catching trout but I do not have any info on catch rates or average size. I expect the average to be between 8-12” for the Rainbows. Remember that we have Ice season fishing permits available through our vendors and they are $20 for the season (12/15/2009-3/15/2010) . Also, anglers are allowed to use 2 poles during the ice season at no extra cost. The 4th annual Jicarilla Ice Derby is set for Saturday February 6th 2010. The derby will follow the usual format, and participants will be allowed to fish at Mundo Lake and Stone Lake in any combination they desire. This event has grown every year, and we are preparing to make this year the best yet. Details will be coming soon. As most folks know, the roads around the Jicarilla Lakes can be treacherous in bad weather so please check the forecast and be prepared. As of this morning the snow began to fall again, on roads that were just getting good. This is not supposed to be a big storm, and 4-8” of snow is expected tonight and tomorrow. Have a wonderful holiday season and we will see you on the ICE.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 12-7-09

2009-12-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 12-7-09
The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes are currently closed to angling due to thin ice. Ice is now completely covering all three of the fishing lakes, but the ice is thin and considered dangerous. The recent cold weather and storms will help the ice develop, but the lakes will be unsafe for fishing for an expected 2 weeks or more. We will begin to investigate ice depth and integrity starting the week of December 14th. As soon as the ice is stable and deemed safe we will post a report on the website and in the Albuquerque Journal. The Jicarilla Game and Fish Department is looking forward to another great ice season and plans for the 4th annual Jicarilla Ice Derby are underway. Don’t forget that anglers can purchase an ice season fishing permit from any of our vendors or at the Game and Fish office in Dulce, NM. The ice season is designated from 12/15/2009 through 3/15/2010. Also, 2 rods may be used during ice season at no extra cost. Remember that Stone Lake is barbless artificial flies and lures only, but is open to ice fishing. I hope to see you out there as soon as the ice is safe.
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Ice Update

2009-12-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Hello all,
It appears that the open water fishing is done for the year at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. Overnight, Stone lake went from 90% open water to nearly 90% ice. Warm weather may open up the ice a little, but the trend is headed toward complete ice. Stay tuned for reports on ice thickness and sharpen the old auger blades. Hopefully we will be fishing again by the end of the month!!!!

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Update 12-3-09

2009-12-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hello Anglers,
This is a short update about open water at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. I just got back from Mexico and needless to say I found it quite cold from the moment we deboarded the plane. I went out to the lakes first thing this morning and wanted to shoot a quick update. Mundo Lake was almost completely covered in a thin layer of ice that is most likely gone this afternoon. Enbom was completely covered and will probably remain that way due to reduced winds and a lack of solar gain. Stone Lake was almost entirely open water with thin ice cover in both of the south bays. My feeling is that the open water will persist through the weekend at Stone. However, it is supposed to be very cold tonight. I will try to get out there again tomorrow for another update, but I thought that I would let you all know the current situation. This may be the last chance to fish for the big boys in open water.
PS. Check out some new pics in the photo gallery
Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 11-17-09

2009-11-17T09:13:00.001-08:00

Fishing Report 11-17-09

The recent storm left the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes unblemished for the most part. The sun will soon heal the muddy roads, but care should be taken at Enbom and Stone when using the dirt roads. Fishing was very tough over the weekend at Stone. There were some very nice fish taken, but the hours per fish were long. On the contrary, the fishing was good at Stone prior to the storm. Mundo Lake is fishing well for the few folks out there, and one very nice Rainbow was taken late last week. There hasn’t been any news from Enbom this week.
Stone Lake remains tough this week. Fishing just before the storm on Thursday and Friday was fair to good, but the catch rates dropped substantially on Saturday and Sunday. The biggest fish reported was 27” and the weight is unknown although Rosenburg Tafoya the fisheries technician showed up in time to weigh the headless, tailless, gutless specimen at over 8 lbs. There were also several fish (3-4) in the 24-25” class, which has been a common size this fall. The average Rainbow in Stone is just over 20” and 5lbs. With the higher catch rates before the storm we were able to see some of the falls smallest fish which were 14-15” footballs. These are the smaller end of the 6” fish that were stocked in late April. Given the diverse array of flies and lures that had some success it would be a guess this week as to what is really working the best. In my opinion it is good to go big and flashy whether it be flies or lures. All told, the catch rates this week were somewhere in the neighborhood of 1fish/4 hours. The ice season is now only a matter of weeks away, so if you want to try for that trophy, time is of the essence. The Jicarilla Game and Fish Department and the USFWS are teaming up this week to perform the standard fall sampling at Stone Lake. We should have some population and size information to report in a few weeks.
Mundo Lake is fishing well for Rainbows that average 10-12”. The only substantial pressure has been from bait anglers using orange, pink, and chartreuse powerbait near the shore along the dam. Catch rates have been variable, but a 6 fish limit should be attainable in 3 hours or less. There was one 20” Rainbow caught at Mundo late last week with powerbait. Overall, the pressure has been minimal at Mundo Lake.
Enbom has been devoid of anglers for going on 2 weeks. There are still fish in Enbom but they are few and far between right now. Enbom should still be an option for anglers if the wind drives them away from Stone Lake. This Fall has been an interesting time for fishing on the Jicarilla Lakes. There are certainly some of the heaviest trout in the state and some of the toughest fishing as well. We strive to provide you with up to date accurate info, but this is fishing after all. Please share any reports, questions, concerns, etc. Have a great week and consider this, you won’t need a butterball if you have a 10 lb. Stone Lake Trout on your table.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 11-10-09

2009-11-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 11/10/09

The warm weather continues to offer great conditions at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The water temps are in the mid to high 40’s and water clarity is spectacular. However, moody is the best way to describe the fish themselves this week. Stone Lake has been great and horrible this week, and there doesn’t seem to be any predictable pattern whatsoever. Mundo Lake has offered average trout catch rates for the few who have been out there. Enbom has been very slow which can probably be attributed to the dwindling numbers of fish remaining. The weather outlook is calling for a change later this week with overcast conditions expected for the weekend.
Stone Lake is a mystery as usual with some of the falls best and worst reports. Starting with the good, the best report was from 2 anglers who caught 11 Rainbows in 4 hours. All 11 were over 20” and they averaged 6lbs. Another angler caught 3 Rainbows from a float tube with 2 at 21” and 1 at 24” 7lbs. I also had a good outing on Friday catching my personal best at Stone Lake. The fish was a Rainbow at just over 25” and 9lbs. I caught him on a damsel fly on the northeast side of the lake. I spent 4 hours out there and caught 2 fish with one definite miss. The guy next to me was having success with woolly buggers and sinking line from his float tube. When I left he had landed 3. The best action was from 11 to 2 on Friday. The worst reports were from Sunday where almost everyone struck out regardless of the time of day or strategy. The weeds are still the biggest issue out there right now. They are especially hard on anglers using lures where every other cast is sure to land some weeds. Fishing from the shore is not recommended at Stone right now.
Enbom Lake has been very slow, with only a handful of anglers catching fish. I talked with one guy who caught 5 fish in as many hours and that was the best report this week. The numbers are down at Enbom, but there are still some fish in there. Enbom should be considered a retreat from the wind this week.
Mundo is picking up for Rainbows from 8-13”. The best reports are from powerbait fished on the bottom near the dam. I arrived at Mundo just in time to catch an angler on his way out with a stringer of 6. He told me that he was using orange and chartreuse powerbait and caught all 6 fish in 2 hours. The docks have been removed from Mundo, but shoreline access is decent. I still haven’t heard anything about Catfish. The open water is here for now, so pull the boat back out and get on the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 11-3-09

2009-11-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

Fishing Report 11-3-09

The week of November 2nd has started out with some of the falls best weather at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. Daytime temps are reaching 60°F under sunny skies and mild winds. This trend is expected to continue through the weekend offering a great opportunity for fair weather anglers to make one more trip to the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. Fishing this week is considered fair across the board. Enbom Lake is slowing down substantially and Mundo is still in need of attention. Stone has produced some real trophy size fish in the midst of otherwise slow fishing conditions. A few locals have had success on the Navajo River for Rainbow Trout.
Enbom Lake, which has been the hot spot lately, has had a significant decline in catch rates and numbers over the past week. This decline is probably the result of our effort to fish out the lake before winter hits. With that said, there are still trout in Enbom and folks are still catching them. The current catch rate is hovering at around 1.5 fish/hour with times of better action. There have also been several reports of fish hitting short on both flies and lures. In a final effort to gather information this morning I stopped by Enbom and spoke with one angler. He had 4 fish on a stringer, one of which I estimated at 18” and three others of the standard Enbom 13” class. He had fished for 3 hours at the time and only missed a couple of hits. The best action is still on small lures including panther martins and flies including damsel flies, and brown, olive, and black woolly buggers. Power bait is still working, but the fish seem to be hitting very short. You may want to reduce the size of the bait and the hook to improve hook ups.
Mundo Lake is fishing fair for 11-12” Rainbows. I did get one report of an angler having very good success on his home made top secret trout bait, but I think he has been about the only angler out there. He also tried for Catfish but didn’t even move a fish. This is the last week for the docks at Mundo, so come out and enjoy the weather while it lasts.
Stone Lake is fishing fair at best. The only reason that it is considered fair is because there are some big fish getting caught on flies and lures. Catch rates have been miserable, and the successful angler either put in long hours or simply had good timing. It would be fair to say that the average day out there right now is 2-3 strikes in 5+ hours. However, I do encourage the big fish hunters to give it a shot out there. On Sunday (11/1) Joe Unterberg out of Albuquerque caught a 26” Rainbow that weighed in at 9 lbs. This is the kind of trout that many of us know are in Stone and expect to see in the fall creels. Joe has been fishing the Jicarilla for a long time, and this is his largest catch to date. He was fishing from the shore using a brown woolly bugger with a casting bubble. After talking with Joe I have to reiterate the hard hours that are needed to be successful in Stone right now(>1,000casts). There were several other reports this week and some very good info. Stomach contents that were reported include snails, damsel flies, backswimmers (AKA boatmen), and Salamanders. The best report on lures came from Carlos Carrasco who was using a red and white daredevil. Carlos was fishing from a boat concentrating on cruising fish near the weed lines on the East and North side of the lake. He landed 3 fish and lost 2 others in two hours fishing, providing the best catch rate reported this week. The best of the other reports suggests some success with big olive buggers with flash. Overall, the repeating theme this week in every report is fish the weed lines, especially from the east boat ramp north.
Carlos and his brother also had time to fish the Navajo River over the weekend. They were looking for big spawner browns, and ended up with a couple of nice Rainbows (16”,17”). They were fishing the new pools, and had the best success with worms although a nice fish hit and shook a spinner. I am doing my best to shake off some chores and hunt the monsters in Stone on Friday. I hope to see you there.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 10-28-09

2009-10-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

Fishing Report 10-28-09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes have had low pressure over the past week. Enbom Lake is on fire, especially with lures and flies, and it is the one lake where angler pressure has been up. Stone Lake is still tricky due to floating debris and periods when the fishing shuts down, and several folks struck out over the weekend. Mundo Lake on the other hand has been empty lately and I did not receive a single report. The weather has been hinting at change and this morning found us with 3 inches of fresh snow. The storm is supposed to drop another inch or two before clearing up for what looks like a nice weekend.
Stone Lake is considered fair right now for Rainbows and Browns that average very near 20”. This past weekend was really slow, and several folks were skunked with flies and lures. Stone Lake is still considered fair however do to water conditions and the fact that this is prime time for the big fish historically. This fall has been especially inconsistent at Stone and I have talked to more than one angler who slammed them one day and couldn’t find a fish the next. If you are looking for a good shot at a real trophy, then Stone Lake is worth a trip.
Enbom Lake is the place to go if you get frustrated at Stone or if you are looking to fill up the freezer for the winter. Conditions are prime, and the weeds are a non-issue right now. Catch rates have been phenomenal with up to 10 fish per hour. Panther martins and olive woolly buggers are knocking them dead and I’m sure there are a bunch of other flies and lures that will work just as well. Catching your 20 fish limit (Enbom only) is a very good possibility. Bait anglers are also catching fish on various colors of powerbait, but catch rates are slower than flies and lures. All of the fish in Enbom are Rainbow Trout and they have a cookie cutter average at 13-14” with a few larger fish mixed in. I had the chance to survey the stomach contents of several Enbom fish last week and all of them were packed with damsel fly larvae.
Mundo Lake has been a ghost town for the past few weeks. I have not received a single report nor heard any gossip which is pretty unusual. If you are fishing Mundo for trout I would try the same stuff that is working in Enbom. The docks will be pulled out of Mundo soon, so this weekend is probably your last chance to use them. Have a good week and a Happy Halloween.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 10-20-09

2009-10-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

Fishing Report 10-20-09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes are in good shape and fishing well for trout. The water temps are hovering around 50°F and visibility is excellent at all 3 fishing Lakes. Enbom Lake is fishing extremely well for Rainbows in the 13-14” range with a few larger fish here and there. The Limit for trout at Enbom Lake went up to 20 fish per day and 40 in possession on Oct. 15th, 2009. Stone Lake is considered fair to good and has been producing primarily Rainbow Trout in the 16-24” range. Mundo Lake is fishing fair to good for Rainbows and Catfish and slow for Bass. There has been some talk around town of an early winter but I hope that we still have a month plus of open water.
Enbom Lake is clear, cool, and very productive for Rainbows that average 13-14”. There are some of the larger fish around though, with a chance of Rainbows up to and over 20”. The Best reports are from fly anglers with good action on black and olive woolly Buggers and beadhead nymphs including pheasant tails, prince nymphs, and hares ear nymphs. Bait anglers are also doing very well with powerbait of various colors. As previously mentioned, the limit at Enbom went up to 20 fish per day with 40 fish in possession. The limit increase is intended to help us clean out the lake as much as possible before the ice season hits. Enbom Lake has a 90% chance of complete winterkill and the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department is determined to minimize the waste of fish. This is the time when catch and release anglers can take home fish for friends and family who cannot understand why we put them back. You may even see me out there with a stringer for my trout loving Aunt.
Stone Lake is still tricky, but there have been some good reports. The best report was from the 16th and it suggests that the fish are off and on throughout the day. The reason I say this is because the angler hooked four fish in one hour and then the bite was off. The 3 Rainbows landed in this hour were 5lbs., 4lbs., and 1.5lbs and they were all stuffed with feed. The best reports for flies are from Buggers but some nymph patterns are working also. There has been a decent mayfly (callibaetis) hatch lately, and fish have been observed rising in the SW and NW bays. However, catching fish on the dry fly is very difficult in Stone Lake. Large lures and spoons (up to 1oz.) are also getting decent action. The best reports are daredevils and castmasters. There is a good amount of floating debris in Stone Right now and there have been several angler complaints. These debris mats make it especially difficult to troll the lake, and they cause problems for folks casting and fly fishing as well. This is typical for this time of year and a sign that our weed problems are almost over. The recent stormy windy weather should help to expedite the natural fallout and drift off of this material.
Mundo has been fishing fair to good for Rainbow Trout, with an average size of 12”. Bait fishing has been good with powerbait and worms. Woolly Buggers and beadheads are working for flies. The Bass fishing has all but turned off and pressure is very low. The Channel Catfish are hitting the usual liver and stinkbaits, but there hasn’t been any real stand out reports to share. All in all, pressure is down at Mundo Lake.
As some of you web users have noticed, I have been out of town for a few weeks. I apologize for the lack of reports and will be trying to catch up in the next week or so. If you have any question or comments please call or email. Good luck and tight lines.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-30-09

2009-09-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Fishing Report 9-30-09

The Jicarilla Fishing Lakes are following the scrub oak and aspen into prime fall like conditions. The surface water temps are just over 60°F across the board and fishing is picking up. We did get a few reports this week and there was a slight bump in fishing pressure. The colors are spectacular and the Elk are talking up a storm in the mornings and evenings. Everything adds up for a great fall trip to the Jicarilla Lakes.
Mundo Lake is in good shape with clear cool water and very limited weed issues. The only reports at Mundo this week are from trout anglers. The trout fishing is considered fair right now and the average size is 11-12”. Lures including castmasters and small spinners are working as are flies including wollybuggers and pheasant tails and probably several other nymph patterns. The docks have been relatively unoccupied and the campground is fairly empty as well.
Enbom Lake is the hotspot for the second week in a row. The average trout is 13-14” but there was some hearsay that 2 20+ inchers were pulled out over the weekend. Fishing is considered good to excellent depending on the time of day. Early morning fishing has been quite good for bait anglers using powerbait and also for the possibility of contacting rising fish with a dry fly. A size 12-14 parachute Adams will take fish if there is any surface activity. The middle part of the day is still producing fish and the bait anglers are having good success with yellow powerbait. Nymph patterns and small lures are also a good bet during the day. In the evening there may be another chance for dry fly fishing and catch rates should pick up a bit for bait and lure anglers as well.
Stone Lake is beginning to show signs of getting into that fall groove that we have all been waiting for. There were a few anglers out there this weekend and they put in some hard hours. The best first hand report that I received was from 2 anglers that fished 6 hours on Saturday afternoon and 5 hours on Sunday morning. They landed 2 fish total, with 1 Rainbow at 18” and 1 Rainbow at 20”. They also had 1 break off and several other bites. They were using the standard red and white daredevil as well as castmasters. The really intriguing part of the story is that these guys saw a bunch of fish and had a lot of follow ups to the boat. That suggests that these fish are starting to forage and search out feed and that they are willing to pursue prey. This bodes well for what can be the best 2 months at Stone Lake (October/November). There are some real monsters in Stone right now and headhunters should give a shot. This is the time to check your drag and spool some fresh line.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-22-09

2009-09-22T09:15:00.001-07:00

Fishing Report 9-22-09

The Jicarilla Lakes are getting primed for the fall fishing season. Nighttime temps have dropped below freezing for the first time this week and the water temps are dropping steadily. Enbom Lake is excellent with bait and flies. Mundo Lake is fair to good. Stone Lake is producing trout between 18 and 23 inches, but the fishing is fair to slow. Angling pressure remains low at all three of the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes.
Enbom Lake is the big producer lately. The Rainbows are averaging 13” but there are good numbers of 14-17” fish. We have received good reports from anglers using orange powerbait on the top and bottom. Flies and small lures are also working well at Enbom. Standard nymphs and woolly buggers are catching fish throughout the day and a parachute adams pattern will work for risers in the morning and evening. The weeds are not completely out of the picture, but apparently they are not as bothersome recently. The limit at Enbom will go up to 20 fish per day on October 15th which gives you some time to plan a fall trip to the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes.
Mundo Lake is in need of some attention. While the local focus has shifted to fall hunting, Mundo has been neglected recently. There have been a handful of anglers out there, and the few hearsay reports that I have received suggest that the trout fishing is fair to slow. I can’t presume as to what baits, lures and flies are working, but I can assume that the fish are going to be more active and opportunistic as the water temps drop into the prime zone for trout and the aquatic insect hatches decline with many of them in the sedentary larval and pupae life stages. There has not been any news from Bass or Catfish anglers this week.
I received 2 reports from Stone Lake this week. The first is a second hand report from an angler who was fishing jigs for the better part of the day. He landed 3 Rainbows with the largest at 23” and the smallest at 18”. He also lost a few fish and one that was significantly larger than the 23. The other report comes from a pair of anglers who again spent the better part of a day at Stone. They caught one fish between them at 18”. These folks were using spoons and large hardware. Conditions are improving daily at Stone and things are shaping up for another good fall season. We would love to see some 10 lbers this year so let’s all get together and generate some good reports. The pressure has been very moderate for the last 2 fall seasons, so there is no reason to hold back info from the other anglers.
The Navajo River has been off and on lately, with turbid conditions following the storms we have been getting almost daily. The water has been clearing up in a day or 2 after these events, so check the recent weather if you are traveling to the Navajo. Spawning season is almost here for the Browns, and some larger fish will be moving into the Navajo from the San Juan River. This is a beautiful time of year on the Jicarilla so get up here and wet a line.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-8-09

2009-09-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Fishing Report 9-8-09

This week we have very little to report from the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. Fishing pressure has been down and there have not been any reports. There has been a little hearsay but even the talk is minimal. The lakes should be fishing about the same as they have been for the past few weeks. Weed harvesting efforts continue at Stone Lake and more and more fishable water is becoming available. The trapping contest is over at Enbom and the campsites are open again. I did get a nice picture of a brown from the Navajo River but I am not sure what it was caught on.
Mundo Lake is in the upper 60’s with good clarity. Rising fish can be seen on the lake in the early morning and especially in the evenings. The Bass have plenty of small bluegill to eat thanks to a good spawn this year. There hasn’t been any news from the cat anglers but they may be at Dulce Lake.
Enbom Lake is the one place where I have heard a little gossip. The skinny is that at least 2 fish in the 17-18” class were caught over the weekend. I also heard that they are biting well on powerbait below a bobber.
Stone Lake is a ghost town again. My recent reporter has not checked in this week and I couldn’t tell you one way or the other what is happening out there. Conditions are good though, and the water temp is heading in the right direction. The Elk have just started bugling, and that has been a timer for me in the past few years.
The Navajo River is still looking good. It is low and really clear which is quite rare for the Navajo which usually has some turbidity. I received a picture of a pretty Brown but I couldn’t tell how big it was or what it was caught on. I also heard talk of a few Rainbows coming out of the newly improved stretch.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 9-1-09

2009-09-01T10:00:00.001-07:00

Fishing Report 9-1-09

The Jicarilla Fishing lakes are still in the late summer groove. The best fishing times for trout are early morning and evening with slow to fair action throughout the day. Mundo Lake has been slowing down for all species and fishing pressure has dropped off as well. Enbom is fishing fair on the top of the water column with several nice Rainbows reported this week. Our 1 man fishing report from Stone suggests that it too has slowed down. I have now had a catfish from Dulce Lake in my hands and they are nice fish with big fillets. The fish I saw measured 21.5” and 5.3lbs. The Navajo River is clear and low. The new pools are looking good and local anglers have been catching Rainbows, a few Carp, and a couple of the native Roundtail Chubs.
Mundo is considered slow right now, but mornings and evenings are fishing fair for Rainbows that average 12”. Powerbait and worms are getting bites, as are flies and small spinners. I have not received a report on Bass lately but the bluegill are still hitting on small beadheads (#16-20) of various patterns. Catfishing has been slow recently.
Enbom Lake has been producing nice Rainbows up to 16”. The best bites are on flies and lures fished high in the water column. A small boat or float tube will make this strategy even more efficient. There have also been a couple of reports from bait fishermen who are having success with powerbait under a bobber. The Trapping contest is still going on out there so the camp sites will be occupied through the weekend.
Stone Lake has been fished regularly in the evenings by a local angler for the past several weeks. According to him, the fishing as really slowed up this past week with only a couple of hits in the past few nights. We are continuing to harvest the weeds out there, and this will continue for another month or so. There will be some debris in the water column from the harvester.
Dulce Lake has some nice Channel Catfish that have only recently been fished to. I measured and weighed one this morning that was caught yesterday evening. He was 21.5” and weighed in at 5.3 lbs. This fish had a really meaty body and was thick from head to tail. Dulce Lake is open to fishing and is probably the best bet if you are looking for some nice cats.
The Navajo River is looking really fishy this week. The water is low and clear. Several local guys have been fishing it with mixed bag results. The best Rainbows I have heard about are in the 12-15” class. There have also been a couple of reports of catching big carp on flies. The most intriguing to the biologist is that there have been at least 3 Roundtail Chub caught in the past few weeks. These fish are warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act, and the Jicarilla Game and Fish Department is working to protect them in the Navajo River. I will be posting a photo of this species in the photo gallery on the www.jicarillahunt.com website. If you catch a Roundtail Chub it must be released immediately. Together we can protect this beautiful Native.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist

Fishing Report 8-25-09

2009-08-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

Fishing Report 8-25-09

Not much news this week at the Jicarilla Fishing Lakes. The low angler pressure trend has continued to result in very few reports. The water quality is in good shape for this time of year and the cool nights are helping drop the water temps. We did receive a good amount of rain yesterday (8/24) but the roads are in good shape. The rumor of catfish in Dulce Lake has been confirmed with photos of some hefty Channel Cats. A late report from last week has good news from Stone and the harvesting efforts continue out there.
Mundo Lake is fishing fair to good for Rainbows averaging 10-12”. One fairly recent report suggests that the Catfishing has slowed down lately and that the average size of cats in Mundo is around 12”. Access from the shoreline is still good at Mundo and this should be the case from here on out.
Enbom is going to be closed for camping through September 7th. The annual Jicarilla Coyote trapping contest is going to be stationed at Enbom and the camp sites will be occupied for this event. Fishing is still open to Jicarilla Fishing Permit holders. I have not received any new reports from Enbom, but my suspicion is that things have not changed much in the past couple of weeks. Fishing bait, lures, and flies high in the water column is the ticket right now. The Rainbows in Enbom are chunky 13-14” fish with a few up to 17”.
Stone Lake is looking better and better every week, and the aquatic weed harvesting efforts are underway opening up more and more water. Fishing from the shore is still not recommended but a boat or tube can find plenty of fishable water. I received one report last week about 3 hours after publishing last weeks report. The report came from an avid local angler and he had been hitting the water almost every evening for a week. He told me that the best night was 8 fish between 2 anglers over 3 hours with the smallest fish at 20” and the largest at 24” and 8lbs. They were trolling a little but having better success stopping and casting large (1oz.) silver and red spoons. He also told me that he landed at least one fish on every trip and had a bunch of missed hits and lost fish. This news bodes well for all of you head hunters that have been waiting for fall time conditions at Stone Lake. I think that we are still a month or so away from the prime time but the fishing is decent right now.
The rumor is now a fact and I have seen the proof. There are indeed some survivors of last years stocking experiment at Dulce Lake. After years of waiting for ample water in Dulce Lake, we gave a load of Channel Catfish the chance to make it. We suffered a significant loss to winterkill but apparently some hardy specimens made it through. The fish are still young, but the size for their age (14-18”) is impressive and the fillets are fat. At this point it is hard to tell exactly what the population numbers look like but if you are inclined, give it a shot.

Kevin Terry
Fisheries Biologist