The 13 Best Fishing Lakes in New Mexico (And the Types of Fish to Expect!)

Written by Mitchelle Morgan
Updated: August 7, 2023
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Summertime is the best if you want to enjoy fishing in New Mexico. Here, there are many different lakes and reservoirs available. Anglers will have a blast catching different types of fish on a wonderful day out. Plus, there are other activities and attractions to enjoy in the area.

13 Best Fishing Lakes in New Mexico
New Mexico’s beautiful lakes offer stunning views and a variety of fish.

Which lake stands out to you? Enjoy this list of the 13 best fishing lakes in New Mexico!

1. King Lake

New Mexico is home to one of the most magnificent lakes. King Lake is, in fact, one of the best places to enjoy fishing. And, interestingly, a glacier formed this lake.

Anyone who heads to King Lake will relish fishing in this 118 sq. ft water basin. It’s situated in Colfax County, about 25 miles from Raton. There are so many different types of fish here, so you can expect to enjoy several bites before the day ends.

Enjoy fishing at king lake.

The views at King Lake are breathtaking. Remember to carry a camera and snap some amazing pictures!

©Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.com

At King Lake, the different types of fish include white bass, crappie, catfish, largemouth bass, and rainbow trout. Baitcasting, spinning, and fly fishing are permissible at the lake from around 4 am to 8 am. Other times are possible, but early morning yields the best results.

The views at King Lake are breathtaking. So, carry a camera to snap some amazing pictures. For instance, early risers can behold the magnificent New Mexico sunrise.

2. Conchas Lake

Next, head to Conchas Lake State Park to enjoy a day of fishing! The lake covers a surface area of 9,600 acres and has a 4,200 feet elevation.

Add Conchas Lake to your list if you want a year-round fishing experience. The waters of this lovely lake are nice and warm during summer. The family can also enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming.

Lake Conchas in new mexico

The waters of this lovely lake are nice and warm during summer.

©Cristi Croitoru/Shutterstock.com

Still, fishing remains one of the best pass times for folks on Conchas Lake. Here, you can take home a catch that includes smallmouth bass, crappie, bullhead, largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. Additionally, bring your boat for a wonderful experience. There’s little access to the shore, so having a boat is ideal.

Furthermore, you can enjoy many other activities before or after fishing. Conchas Lake is a great place for watersports, and you can camp nearby.

3. El Vado Lake

Add El Vado Lake to your list of the best fishing spots in New Mexico. This reservoir is in the northern part of the state in Rio Arriba County.

Folks must access El Vado Lake State Park to get to the reservoir. The lake is five miles long and one mile wide and covers 3,200 acres. And there are numerous other activities and attractions for families and friends to enjoy.

El Vado Lake In Chama Valley Northern New Mexico

Visit Lake El Vado and catch some trout or kokanee salmon.

©richardamora/Shutterstock.com

However, if fishing is your main agenda, you won’t be disappointed. El Vado Lake is home to kokanee salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout, and bluegill.

Apart from fishing and water activities such as swimming, take a chance to enjoy the sights. El Vado Lake State Park has magnificent views of nature and wildlife. Look out for the majestic bald eagle, ospreys, and red-tail hawks.

4. Navajo Lake

An excellent lake in New Mexico is Navajo Lake. To get there, head to the northwestern part of the state, in Rio Arriba and San Juan Counties.

The Navajo Lake is a reservoir that stores water mainly for irrigation. It’s 25 miles long and covers an area that’s 15,600 acres. The good news is this is a visitor-friendly lake with two marinas and two boat docks.

Navajo Lake / Dam / San Juan County, New Mexico

Apart from fishing, there’s much else to do at Navajo Lake. Families and friends can delight in swimming, boating, scuba diving, and picnicking.

©James Orndorf/Shutterstock.com

Once you arrive at Navajo Lake, get your fishing gear ready. There are numerous types of fish, like black crappie, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, northern pike, and brown trout. The lake is an angler’s dream. Additionally, boat rentals are available.

Apart from fishing, families, and friends can delight in swimming, boating, scuba diving, and picnicking. The areas around the lake have lots of amenities, including campground facilities.

5. Brantley Lake

New Mexico has numerous water reservoirs, and Brantley Lake is one of the best. Folks who want to fish on this magnificent lake can head to Brantley Lake State Park. This area is home to New Mexico’s southern lake, and it has lots of nature.

Brantley Lake is an excellent place for anglers to relish their favorite activity. It’s 11 miles long with a surface area that’s 4,000 acres. Fish species you can find here include bluegill, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, coho salmon, white bass, and lake trout.

Brantley Lake State Park in New Mexico, USA

Brantley Lake is an excellent place for anglers to relish in their favorite activity.

©Traveller70/Shutterstock.com

This lake, 12 miles from Carlsbad, is the place to be. Fishing is a top activity on Brantley Lake, but there’s much more to do. Visitors enjoy hiking on different trails and lots of water sports.

6. Bill Evans Lake

Head to Bill Evans Lake for another splendid fishing experience in New Mexico. Bill Evans Lake is in Grant County, and its ownership isn’t with the state of New Mexico. Instead, a local mining company owns and leases it to the state.

Many anglers will enjoy the tranquility in this location. It’s a small lake with lovely views. It’s only 100 feet deep and requires using smaller boats that can easily maneuver throughout the water.

Bill Evans Lake in new mexico

Here, you can take home rock bass, largemouth bass, common carp, rainbow trout, and green sunfish.

©Carson Klemp/Shutterstock.com

Despite the small size of the lake, it’s full of different types of fish. Here, you can take home rock bass, largemouth bass, common carp, rainbow trout, and green sunfish. It’s a family-friendly lake, so the entire crew will have a blast.

Other attractions and activities in and around Bill Evans Lake include swimming, wildlife watching, nature walks, and primitive camping.

7. Elephant Butte Lake

The Elephant Butte Lake is a reservoir in Elephant Butte Lake State Park. It’s the largest state park in New Mexico and a hit with visitors. There are lots of sights in the park, so it warrants a visit!

Both locals and tourists can enjoy fishing at Elephant Butte Lake. It ranks as the 84th largest man-made lake in the United States and is the largest in the state. The lake covers 36,500 acres.

Elephant Butte Lake

Elephant Butte Lake is home to different fishes, such as walleye, white bass, and black crappie.

©Jonathan Manjeot/Shutterstock.com

Fishing is a top activity at Elephant Butte Lake and with good reason. Here, you can find different types of fish. A healthy catch can include smallmouth bass, walleye, largemouth bass, white bass, striped bass, black crappie, and channel catfish.

Swimming, canoeing, and kayaking are top activities. There are also different hiking trails worth exploring to enjoy bird watching.

8. Santa Rosa Lake

Santa Rosa Lake State Park is home to Santa Rosa Lake in Guadalupe County. This reservoir is a top attraction at the park, as folks head there for fishing.

Anglers will enjoy the 3,800-acre body of water. And the best part is there are over 20 miles of shoreline.

A peaceful rest spot overlooking Santa Rosa Lake, at Santa Rosa Lake State Park, in New Mexico.

Visit Santa Rosa Lake in New Mexico and enjoy fishing, swimming, canoeing, and boating.

©Steve Lagreca/Shutterstock.com

Still, this is a great place for fishing. The lake has white crappie, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, walleye, and smallmouth bass. There’s a boat launch ramp, which makes bringing a boat to the lake easy.

Folks at Santa Rosa Lake can also enjoy the nearby campground. Swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, and boating are some of the popular activities.

9. Eagle Nest Lake

Anglers can head to Eagle Nest Lake State Park to spend time at Eagle Nest Lake. Summers are a big hit with locals and tourists. And fishing remains one of the top pass-times for folks at the lake.

Eagle Nest Lake State Park

The state park is set at 8,200 elevations and is perfect for escaping the city.

©Traveller70/Shutterstock.com

Eagle Nest Lake is surrounded by breathtaking scenery, including Moreno Valley’s high mountains. It covers 2,400 acres with a 90-inch maximum depth. The state park is set at an elevation of 8,200 and is perfect for escaping the city.

Here, anglers can catch smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, northern pike, lake trout, catfish, sockeye salmon, channel catfish, and largemouth bass.

10. Ute Lake

Another wonderful fishing spot in New Mexico is Ute Lake. Head to Northwest Raton and spend time exploring Ute Lake State Park. It’s home to the 8,200-acre water reservoir.

Ute Lake is on the Canadian River, stretching for 13 miles. Different types of boats are allowed on this lake.

Ute Lake State Park New Mexico

Head to Northwest Raton and spend time exploring Ute Lake State Park.

©Jonathan Manjeot/Shutterstock.com

Spend time searching for the long list of fish in Ute Lake, like channel catfish, black crappie, walleye, white bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, striped bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, catfish, and yellow perch.

Enjoy other fantastic activities. Ute Lake is a place for splashing around, having a snack at the picnic tables, water skiing, sailing, and paddle boarding.

11. Caballo Lake

Caballo Lake State Park features an expansive lake. The recreational lake is beautiful and framed by the Caballo Mountains.

Aerial Timber Mountain Caballo Lake

Remember to visit Caballo Lake in New Mexico for a fun fishing experience.

©EaglesAero/Shutterstock.com

The lake covers 11,500 acres and has an average depth of 23 feet. It is home to numerous fish species such as walleye, spotted bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, common carp, blue catfish, smallmouth bass, striped bass, green sunfish, brook trout, and white crappie.

12. Heron Lake

A trip to Rio Arriba County is worth the trip to explore Heron Lake State Park. This state park has lots to see and do, including spending time at the magnificent Heron Lake.

Northern New Mexico hosts this water reservoir with a surface area covering 5,900 acres. The lake is 1,250 feet long and has an elevation of 7,186 feet.

Late afternoon sun settling in over Lake Heron in New Mexico with views of the mountains in the distance

The lake is 1,250 feet long and has an elevation of 7,186 feet.

©dunn4040/Shutterstock.com

Heron Lake is quite popular in the area, and a top attraction is the Heron Dam. Anglers spend time in the lake catching different types of fish. Expect to find lake trout, kokanee salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout.

Amenities make the experience better. Heron Lake has a marina, rental boats, a launch ramp, and camping grounds.

13. Sumner Lake

Lastly, Sumner Lake offers a wonderful fishing experience to both newbies and experts. Head to Sumner Lake State Park in De Baca County. Here, the views and the grassy plains beckon and offer a fantastic experience.

the beautiful landscapes around Lake sumner lake

The lake has spotted bass, white bass, walleye, largemouth bass, catfish, channel catfish, and rainbow trout.

©Adrian Sorgen/Shutterstock.com

Sumner Lake is a crucial reservoir in the area due to the Sumner Dam. It covers 4,500 acres and is home to a ton of fish species. Anglers will have a splendid time!

Summary of the Best Fishing Lakes in New Mexico

RankLakeSize in Acreage
#1King lake118 square acres
#2Conchas Lake9,600 acres
#3El Vado Lake3,200 acres
#4Navajo Lake15,600 acres
#5Brantley Lake4,000 acres
#6Bill Evans Lake62 acres
#7Elephant Butte Lake36,500 acres
#8Santa Rosa Lake3,800 acres
#9Eagle Nest Lake2,400 acres
#10Ute Lake8,200 acres
#11Caballo Lake11,500 acres
#12Heron Lake5,900 acres
#13Sumner Lake4,500 acres
Comparison table of the sizes of the best fishing lakes in New Mexico

The photo featured at the top of this post is © culturalrelic/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Mitchelle is a content writer who loves nature. She loves writing about animals and plants. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and going for nature walks.

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