By Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@currentargus.com

The calendar says fall is here but the weather forecast says summer is hanging on with highs in the 90s. Weather aside, a fishing trip to a lake or stream in southeast or southwest New Mexico is a good way to enjoy the last days of September.

In Lincoln County, Fishing for trout was reported fair to good using Panther Martin spinners at Bonito Lake.

At Grindstone Lake, fishing for trout was good using worms.

Alto Lake remains closed due to extensive damage from this summer’s South Fork Fire.

Around Truth or Consequences, fishing for white bass was good using white jigs and chrome Kastmaster lures at Elephant Butte Lake.

Fishing for walleye was fair using jigs tipped with worms. Fishing for drum was slow to fair when using white jigs.

Fishing for crappie was fair using live minnows near the Dam Site Marina. Fishing for catfish was good using live minnows and shrimp.

Along the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, streamflow was 1,400 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver and cut bait.

Around Carlsbad, fishing for bass at Brantley Lake was fair using Whopper Plopper lures.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good using cut bait and worms at Bataan Lake.

In Roswell, fishing for catfish was fair using shrimp bait at Spring River Pond.

In Eastern New Mexico, fishing for catfish was good using chicken breasts and cut bait along the Pecos River near Fort Sumner. Fishing for bass was fair using nightcrawler worms.

At Oasis Park Lake in Portales, fishing for bass was fair to good using plastic creature baits.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good using nightcrawler worms at Greene Acres Lake in Clovis.

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish in cooperation with Dustin Berg of www.gounlimited.org, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or via email at msmith@currentargus.com