Cibola Fishing Report – June 5 – 13

  • Kai Sandoval battled and caught two catfish using worms on June 7. Courtesy Photo
    Kai Sandoval battled and caught two catfish using worms on June 7. Courtesy Photo
  • Santos Rodriguez caught three tiger muskie using Joe’s Flies on June 6. Courtesy Photo
    Santos Rodriguez caught three tiger muskie using Joe’s Flies on June 6. Courtesy Photo
  • This chart shows Bluewater Lake’s reservoir storage from June 9 to June 16, 2025, dropping from 8,295 to just above 8,070 acre-feet. “Acre-feet” refers to the total volume of water in the lake—one acre-foot equals enough water to cover an acre of land one foot deep. As the lake's elevation falls, surface area and shoreline access can shrink, which may affect fishing, boating, and park conditions. Courtesy Photo
    This chart shows Bluewater Lake’s reservoir storage from June 9 to June 16, 2025, dropping from 8,295 to just above 8,070 acre-feet. “Acre-feet” refers to the total volume of water in the lake—one acre-foot equals enough water to cover an acre of land one foot deep. As the lake's elevation falls, surface area and shoreline access can shrink, which may affect fishing, boating, and park conditions. Courtesy Photo
  • As of June 16, 2025, Bluewater Lake holds 8,077 acre-feet of water—down more than 2,200 acre-feet since early April. Despite the drop, fishing and boating access remain open as summer begins. Courtesy Photo
    As of June 16, 2025, Bluewater Lake holds 8,077 acre-feet of water—down more than 2,200 acre-feet since early April. Despite the drop, fishing and boating access remain open as summer begins. Courtesy Photo

    The action on Bluewater Lake continued this past week, with anglers reporting fair to good success on catfish and tiger muskie—a sign that early summer conditions are reshaping the bite.

    Those casting from shore found worms to be the go-to bait for catfish, particularly in warmer afternoon hours. Several solid channel cats were caught and submitted, proving that patient shoreline anglers still have a good chance to hook into something heavy this time of year.

    Meanwhile, tiger muskie remained active around rocky outcrops and submerged brush. The winning setup this week came from those using Joe’s Flies, a compact spinner-fly combo that continues to produce surprisingly effective results on these elusive predators.

    As of June 16, Bluewater Lake’s water level has dropped to 8,077 acrefeet, marking another steady decline as summer evaporation increases. Boaters and shoreline anglers are encouraged to check with park officials for ramp conditions and access updates.

    Stage I Fire Restrictions are in effect at Bluewater Lake State Park. Campfires and wood stoves are prohibited except in developed campgrounds where state-provided grills and stoves are installed.

    Elsewhere in Cibola County, the Board of Commissioners has passed a set of fireworksuse restrictions due to ongoing dry conditions. The Village of Milan also falls under strict restrictions; the City of Grants does not have a fireworks-use restriction in place.

    Grants Riverwalk Pond

    No reports were received this week from anglers at the Grants Riverwalk Pond, and no new fish have been stocked. The pond was last stocked with catfish in May.

    Reminder to Anglers

    Help us celebrate Cibola’s fishing culture! Share your photos and reports by emailing editor@ cibolacitizen.com, or contribute directly to the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish to support the state’s weekly report.