Keep a sharp eye out between pools, though. I have actually discovered big flatheads feeding aggressively, hanging in the shallow water at the head of a deeper pool. With a careful approach and a gentle upstream cast that drifts bait into their feeding lane, these fish are sure to hit, since they are actively seeking food.

No matter where you fish in the Gila River, the best fishing is found as far away from the beaten path as possible. This means hiking, or riding. The wilderness section of the Gila, between Grapevine Campground (downstream of the Gila Cliff Dwellings) and Turkey Creek approximately 15 miles downstream, is accessed from either end via Forest Service trail.

You can also use Forest Service Road 282 off State Highway 15, which brings you to a winding trail at Sheep Corral Canyon that drops into the middle of this long section at Sapillo Creek. Strap on a backpack, or give Lee a call at (505) 536-9685.

The Middle Gila Box, below the villages of Cliff and Gila, is likewise a great catfish destination. Again, the best waters require some hiking, but it's not normally necessary to do an overnight expedition, as with the wilderness area upstream. This area is accessed via public roads stemming from Bill Evans Lake, FSR 809.

NAVAJO LAKE
Navajo is another productive catfish water where cold-water species such as trout and even kokanee salmon live side by side, making for some of the firmest, most delicious catfish filets you'll ever taste. The possibilities are limitless because the structure found throughout the lake -- including a plethora of cliffy drop-offs, benches, ledges and submerged river channels -- make for prime catfish habitat.

I've had especially good luck trotlining at the two heads, or arms, of the lake, where the San Juan and Florida rivers create the large still water. As on other big New Mexico lakes, areas surrounding boat ramps are always a good bet for concentrated channel and blue catfish stockers released by Game and Fish.

Cut bait of any kind -- shad, carp or sunfish -- is highly productive in Navajo waters, in addition to traditional whiskerfish attractants such as liver. Friends who live in the area swear by fishing live waterdogs along ledges for the lake's biggest cats. Hook them through the lips with a 1/0 hook, weighed with a slip-sinker so they can swim freely.

Of course, you're likely to catch the lake's monster smallmouths. The state's former record, a 6-plus-pounder, came from here.

Get the scoop on current fishing conditions and what the big ones are biting today at Handy Bait & Tackle, (505) 334-9114) in nearby Aztec.

UTE LAKE
Droughts have kept Ute's water levels in constant flux, but a couple of years in a row of decent precipitation have brought the lake back as a prime angling destination. In fact, the state-record smallmouth of 7 pounds, 3 ounces, just caught here, testifies the lake has remained productive.

As Ute's water levels rose, New Mexico Game and Fish was quick to toss in plenty of stocker catfish, and limits are common again. This makes standard-issue catfish baits the way to go. Canned corn, commercial stinkbaits, dough baits, garlic cheese and the like all work well. Of course, worms and cut bait seem to work in any catfish water, and that also holds true here.

Not that long ago, I was fishing with a buddy on the north end of Ute. Swallows had built nests in the cliffs above the water's edge, and we saw that a couple of dozen unfortunate nestlings had toppled from their nests and met their end in the water below.