JemezCentral Up to Date Fishing Report

July 18, 2024
   

 

To put it mildly, fishing in the Jemez is not very good right now, as water conditions in the lake and most streams are too warm to stock. The exception being the upper reaches of the East Fork, Rio San Antonio and Rio Guadalupe with their good populations of resident brown trout.

 

You can find information about specific Jemez area waters below. Also, if you have info to add, please send to: fishingreport@jemezcentral.com. All photos in this report are of summer time conditions unless otherwise noted.

 

 

 

Jemez River

Fishing Report July 12, 2024…Rating… (poor) The Jemez River is running pretty low and with color at times right now and is too warm for Game and Fish to stock. Fishing will be a little slow until we get some monsoonal rains. Certainly, worth a try. Fireballs and worms are the go-to for the bait fishers. Fly guys are tossing mostly sub-surface bugs. Hare’s Ear, Prince and Pheasant Tail nymphs have been reported as doing well.

 

The Jemez River was stocked on Tuesday, April 16th with 700 Rainbows and most recently on Thursday, May 9th with 1700 Rainbow Trout.

 

 

 

 

                  

East Fork Jemez River

Fishing Report July 12, 2024… (Rating… Good).

The East Fork of the Jemez River is running low but is in pretty good shape right now. Worms are always a good bet this time of year. Sub-surface flies are recommended for the fly fisher. Try the very lower portion near Battleship Rock.

Just a reminder that the East Fork is now being managed as a Brown Trout fishery and is no longer being stocked with Rainbows. The brown trout population has come back after the burn scar flooding of years ago. Please, because of the delicate nature of this population of browns, I would encourage a strict catch and release practice.

 

 

San Antonio

 

Fishing Report…July 12, 2024. (Rating…Fair)

Rio San Antonio is running pretty low right now and has been deemed un-stockable because of high water temps. This river is certainly worth a try north of Hwy 126 where there is an abundance of hungry browns. That section between La Cueva Picnic Area and Battleship Rock is worth a try as well. 

Rio San Antonio was stocked on Thursday, May 9th with 640 Rainbow Trout and most recently on Wednesday, May 22nd with 636 Rainbows. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Fenton Lake

 

 

 

Fishing Update July 12, 2024 (Poor)

 Fenton Lake State Park is open for day use from 6am to 9:00pm every day. Because of poor water quality (warm with algae) NMDGF has been unable to stock for over 4 weeks making for very poor fishing. Give it a couple weeks and things should improve.

 

Fenton Lake was stocked on Wednesday, May 29th with 1564 Rainbows and most recently on Thursday, June 6th with 860 Rainbow Trout.

 

 

 

 

 

Rio Guadalupe

Fishing Update July 12, 2024…. (Good) 

 FR 376 is open, providing access to this great river. Rio Guadalupe is in good shape right now but is subject to added color after PM thunderstorms. Give this river a try and you might latch onto some of the large browns that call this river home.

This gem of a river is being managed as a brown trout fishery so you will not see the stocking truck along this wild river.

 

 

 

Rio de Las Vacas

 

Fishing Update July12, 2024 (Rating…Fair)  

Rio de Las Vacas is running low right now and has not been stocked since May making for difficult fishing. The upper portion above Hwy 126 is worth a try for the plentiful resident browns.

 
 The Rio de Las Vacas was stocked on Tuesday, May 7th with 425 Rainbows and most recently on Thursday, May 16th with 425 Rainbow Trout.
 

 

 

 

 Rio Cebolla

Fishing Update July 18, 2024 (Recently Stocked)

Rio Cebolla is fishing quite well right above and below the lake. The upper portion (above the hatchery) is a good bet as well. Give this little creek a try, as it is a good bet when all other rivers in the Jemez are running low, warm and difficult to stock. There are a lot of fish in this little creek right now.

 Rio Cebolla was stocked on June 27th with 400 Rainbows and most recently on Tuesday, July 16th with 1646 Rainbow Trout.

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Gregorio Lake

Fishing Update July 12, 2024… (Rating…No Bueno)

 This high-altitude lake is accessed by a beautiful one-mile hike. San Gregorio is no longer part of the stocking rotation because of its wilderness status. NMDGF did, however, pack some Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout fingerlings into the lake during the fall of 2022 as an experiment to see if they can survive and thrive through the harsh, high altitude San Pedro Parks Wilderness winter. The lake level is very low right now and has been most of the last two summers, so it is unlikely that any of the RGCT survived.

San Gregorio has not been stocked with rainbow trout since June of 2020 and will not be stocked for the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

 

 

Fishing The Jemez

Children Are Welcome!

The Jemez is a great place to bring your young children to fish.  They can be successful fishing anywhere in the Jemez, but for those that are 11 yr and younger, the Kid’s Pond at the hatchery is a great place for the youngsters.  Stop in at Amanda’s Jemez Mountain Country Store for any supplies or snacks that you might need. Make sure you take proper precaution with your children around the water.  Early Spring can often bring high water and strong currents, which can be a danger for kids and adults alike.

                         Fenton Lake Catch

Facts about Fishing

The cost of a license for New Mexico residents is $35 for a license that is good for the license year  April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. Non-resident licenses are $65 for the year. Short-term licenses are the same price for residents and non-residents alike and can be purchased for one day ($22) or five days ($34). Seniors (ages 65-69) and handicapped can purchase an annual license for $18. Juniors (age 12-17) pay $11 for an annual license. Active duty military and military veterans that are NM residents are being offered reduced priced licenses.  Licenses are free for individuals over the age of 70. All necessary habitat stamps and fees are included in the pricing structure notated above.  A second rod validation (optional) is available for $4. Applicants for hunting and fishing licenses are required by law to provide the last four digits of their social security number. Special trout waters are found in the Jemez and are normally well-marked, but it might be a good idea to consult your fishing proclamation for special regulations that may exist.  The website http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us has complete fishing rules and information. Fishing and hunting licenses are available at Amanda’s Jemez Mountain Country Store in La Cueva (575-829-4333).