Morgan Lake offers warm water fishing

Morgan Lake offers warm water fishing

July 7, 2001

FOUR CORNERS POWER PLANT is in this view looking at the southern end of Morgan Lake, which is used for cooling the coal-fired electro-generating facility. The water is heated as it comes out of the plant. The warm-water gamefish such as largemouth bass, are thriving. The lake is stocked with shad minnows which the bass love to eat. The lake is a great place to go fishing especially during the cooler months.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

UPPER FRUITLAND, N.M. — This small man-made lake located in Northwest New Mexico is one of the best places in the state to catch largemouth bass. It never freezes over and is a haven for windsurfers during late fall, through the winter, and into early spring. Boating is allowed, although the lake is not that big.

What and where is this lake? It’s called Morgan Lake and it is located beside the Four Corners Power Plant, operated by Arizona Public Service. From Cortez, take U.S. Highway 666 south to Shiprock. Turn east on U.S. 64 (towards Farmington) to San Juan County Road 6100. Turn south to CR 6675. Turn back west and drive about seven miles (approximately 64 miles from Cortez).

"That lake is a good place to go bass fishing especially during the winter months," Len Hartley, president of the Cortez BASS Masters, said. "They have really started to take care of that lake and it has turned into a good one. The cooler months are definitely the times to go fishing there."

Morgan Lake is known throughout the nation as a good windsurfing lake. Located on a high mesa top, there are no windbreak formations. The wind blows almost constantly, especially in the spring. Windsurfers like it because of the winds and because the water temperature is warm. Windsurfers come from all over. There is a site on the Internet giving up-to-minute weather conditions for windsurfers.

The lake supplies water for the coal-fired, steam-turbine, four unit power plant. It is also used for cooling and hot water is returned into the lake. The center of the lake runs about 100 degrees and even hotter near the outlet. But towards the shoreline, the water is much cooler and that’s where anglers find the bass.

Some salt cedar trees and tamarack bushes are in knee-deep water along the shoreline (west all the way around to east side of the lake via the north shore). The bass like the cover there. Some rocky structures are located along the west side of the lake, near the protected quasi boat ramp. There are several small coves on the north side of the lake to try.

"The bass like it on that side because it is cooler. During the summer it can get awfully hot so they are looking for a place to stay cool. Jeff Cole, a biologist for the Navajo Nation, has kept the lake stocked. They put in some shad (small minnow) which the bass like. There are some big largemouth bass in that lake," Hartley added.

A Navajo Reservation Fishing Permit is needed. For non-Navajo, a season pass is $35 per person. A three-day pass is $15 and a one-day is $7. Permits can be purchased in Shiprock at City Market, and at Bonds and Bonds. Permits can be purchased in Kirtland at Kirtland Pawn Shop and in Aztec at Handy Bait and Tackle, and in Farmington at Zia Sporting Goods.

There are no facilities. Period. Roads around the north and west sides are dirt. The road is paved along the east side. Fishermen can’t access the lake on the south side because of the power plant.

The day friend Fred Foster and I went we caught several bass. We fished in the willows and cedar trees at along the north side of the lake. There is a lot of vegetation and some rock structures where the fish like to hid. We flipped salty dogs and worms. I also tried some salty crawdads and had several strikes.

Later in the day, we got into some crappie which provided us with good action for a few minutes. We never could find that school again, though. I used plain old salmon eggs and caught several nice ones.

Navajoland offers fishing year-round at its 12 major lakes. Most popular are Wheatfields and Tsaile in Arizona, and Whiskey Lake in New Mexico. Most of the tribe's lakes are nestled in the Chuska Mountains located in the east-central area of the Navajo Reservation. Avid fishermen match wits with an array of fish ranging from rainbow and cutthroat trout to channel catfish.