What are the most effective flies? Since the best lakes in New Mexico tend to weed, the most common foods can be damselflies, snails, and scuds. There may be more variations of the nymph damsel than any other fly, but the one that worked well for me is the “dirty damselfish”. The key element of this variant is a mother-of-pearl mylar body, which gives it a bit of lightning in the often murky waters of these lakes. The Double Hackle Peacock is supposed to be a snail pattern and size 12 works well, but I don`t see how trout can digest something that big and hard. However, it works well in many different variants. I`ve also had good results with black, brown and olive Woolley buggers in sizes 8-12 as they look like all sorts of things including minnows, leeches and crabs. Another pattern that worked well was a size 12 gray nymph. I believe the pattern mimics the nymph Callibeetis which is very common in these lakes. Another fly produced for me is the traditional Mickey Finn Streamer. I used it because I grew up in the East fishing for Brookies, but it worked particularly well at Ramah Lake. Scud patterns are a new addition to this article, based on a conversation with a biologist who claimed that these lakes are just full of Scuds. A recent trip with olive scuds confirmed that this is a useful fly.
I also spent an unforgettable day in Stone Lake with a crab fly. I caught 15 fish 16 to 22 inches on a crab tied mostly with pheasant tail fibers, caught with a floating line and a race indicator. Salmon roe are also very good, especially in late fall and early spring. Summary of the best lakes: If the number of restockings is a little low, the fish grow faster. If your pond is slightly crowded, individual fish may not grow as fast, but almost as many pounds are produced in a given amount of time. Spring seedlings (2 to 3 inches long, two or three months) or fall seedlings (5 to 6 inches long, seven or eight months) can be used in seeding ponds. Both species reach a catchable size in the spring after seeding. However, results with young spring trees are variable, sometimes leading to poor survival, except in ponds fed by strong permanent sources.
Therefore, it is usually wiser and more economical to equip the largest fallen plants. Lake Ramah and Lake Quemado in the southwest of the state can also be excellent trout lakes. Both share a very beautiful landscape and although camping in Quemado is better, the mesa land around Ramah is one of the most beautiful in New Mexico. Ramah also has a largemouth perch. After three years, only a few large trout will remain and their total weight will be much lower than the carrying capacity of the pond. Since trout survival in ponds is extremely low after two years, ponds should be replenished every two years to maintain adequate fishing. Autumn seedlings are recommended for replenishment. They are eaten much less often by large remnants from previous storage than by small spring seedlings. Rainbow trout usually migrate upstream in the spring to spawn when water temperatures range from 41°F to 59°F.
However, it is also about spawning in autumn. The female builds redness (nest) in gravel grooves (usually at a depth of 6 inches) and covers the red-orange eggs with gravel. NMGF and other western hunting and fishing organizations have launched extensive programs to manage native trout species. People with private trout ponds may be able to help protect state and private sector interests by raising native trout species. Water temperature is usually the most critical water quality factor, as temperature affects egg survival, growth, and production. Therefore, water temperature plays a crucial role in a pond`s ability to produce trout (Table 1). In general, trout can live in water temperatures of 33 to 78 °F, but they grow faster in water of 50 to 55 °F. Trout are farmed both for sale in markets and for stocking recreational ponds.
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is the most commonly cultivated species. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brown trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are also stocked in recreational ponds (Shelton 1994). However, recreational ponds are mostly populated by brown trout or rainbow trout, which are more readily available on fish farms. Brown trout live longer and grow in many recreational ponds, but they are more cannibalistic and harder to catch than rainbow trout. Brown trout also grow more slowly than rainbow trout (Marriage et al. 1971). Therefore, brown trout in the west is generally not recommended for stocking recreational ponds. Native to Europe and western Asia, brown trout was first introduced to the United States in 1883 and is now widely distributed throughout much of the United States and Canada. Brown trout inhabit small to large streams, ponds and cold-water lakes.
They tend to occupy deeper, slower, warmer waters than other trout species. The optimal dissolved oxygen content is believed to be at least 9 ppm at temperatures less than or equal to 50°F and at least 12 ppm at temperatures above 50°F. The lethal concentration of dissolved oxygen for adults is about 3 ppm. Brown trout are in a pH range of 5.0 to 9.5, although optimal growth occurs at pH 6.8 to 7.8. The San Juan River is famous for its large trout, but New Mexico offers even better opportunities for very large trout in lakes like Jicarilla Apache, MacAllister, Ramah, Quemado Lake and others that contain very large fish that haven`t attracted much attention from fly fishermen. Navajo Lake State Park – This 15,000-acre irrigation reservoir in the Four Corners area is home to rainbow trout, brown trout, kokanee salmon (inner Pacific sockeye salmon), largemouth perch/smallmouth perch, pike, canal catfish, crappie and bluegill. Here you will find information about Lake Navajo and the San Juan River below the lake. It is clear that Rio Grande cutthroat trout and other native trout species continue to be the subject of petitions and disputes, particularly with respect to the use of public lands, such as national forests. Private landowners can help ensure that native species such as cutthroat trout are not listed with ESA by understanding how their private stocking program may affect the management of native species. Rio Peñasco on private land – The Peñasco is a spring stream with nine miles of trout water full of wild browns and rainbows along NM 82 east of Cloudcroft.
A number of springs help maintain a water temperature of 52 to 60 degrees throughout the year. Most wild brown and rainbow colors average 10 to 14 inches with realistic chances of trout reaching 20 inches. The constant water temperature and the huge population of aquatic insects allow trout to grow all year round. The entire length of the Peñasco is privately owned. Mel and Jennifer Foley (505-687-2221) operate a 2-mile section known as The Rio Penasco Fishing Company. The Foleys offer day trips and overnight camping in comfortable tent cottages with a full public bath. Fly fishermen from the Mesilla Valley have two-mile public access to the Cleve Ranch. A $10 day pass is available at well-signposted parking lots along U.S. Highway 82 or by calling Anglers Nook in Las Cruces, NM (505-522-3810). Five miles from Penasco to Mulcock Ranch (505-687-3352) are available for daytime fishing with a small rod fee. Mulcock Ranch currently has a dormitory available for camping.
When setting up a pond for trout production, several factors must be taken into account to ensure success. The three main factors to be studied are water quantity, water quality, and subsurface type at the proposed site (Barrington, 1983). Humans have been breeding trout in captivity in the United States for more than 150 years. Initially, trout were farmed to replace wild populations, which declined for a variety of reasons. Today, trout are bred in captivity to feed public and private lakes, ponds and streams. In addition, trout are bred and sold as food in restaurants and food markets. This guide gives budding aquaculturists recommendations for raising trout in New Mexico ponds. In particular, guidelines are given for site selection, pond size, species selection, seeding, feeding and harvesting. While site-specific issues should be considered on a case-by-case basis, the following recommendations provide a general overview.
