“It’s been really great,” says Manny Sanchez, manager of Fenton
Lake State Park .
“We’re well stocked and people are catching plenty of fish.”
The lake hasn’t been open to ice fishing for several years
but this year’s winter storms and colder temperatures have produced ice thick
enough to safely support anglers, Sanchez says.
The lake has been stocked with thousands of trout in recent
weeks and the fishing has been reported good with meal/wax worms, salmon eggs,
spoons or other baits and lures jigged off the bottom.
It remains to be seen how long the ice will hold up so it’s
best to hit this lake sooner than later. Sanchez thinks the ice which is over a
foot thick should last another three weeks or so.
“It’s not busy during the week so that’s a good time to come
too,” he says. Weekends have been busy at the popular park that serves outdoor
recreation enthusiasts from the Albuquerque ,
Los Alamos , Espanola and Santa Fe
areas.
To get started all an angler needs is an axe to chip through
an already existing hole and a slotted kitchen spoon to keep it clear.
“There’s already hundreds of holes drilled out there,”
Sanchez says.
Anglers venturing out onto the ice might want to wear strap-on
cleats as it can be very slick going, Sanchez says.
Bring a sturdy plastic bucket to carry your gear in and then
sit on. Dress warmly and in layers.
Other than that keep the wind at your back, the sun in your
face and enjoy the fishing.
The park has five camp sites with electricity available for
$14 a night. Three are first come, first served and two can be reserved through
the state parks reservation website at https://newmexicostateparks.reserveamerica.com/.
Anglers with a valid fishing license needn’t pay a $5 day
use fee but will have to leave their vehicle in a lot by the park entrance and
walk in.
Visit www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/ for more information about New Mexico State Parks including the latest information about conditions or call the park at (575) 829-3630.
Fishing licenses bait and tackle and groceries can be
purchased at Amanda’s country store in La Cueva. Visit www.jemezcentral.com for more
information about visiting the area including fishing reports and local businesses.
Other lakes open to ice fishing in northern New
Mexico include Heron and Eagle Nest and Mundo on the
Jicarilla Apache reservation. The Albuquerque
area drains also provide good winter trout fishing.
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