The Best Fishing Spots in New Mexico
New Mexico offers diverse fishing from high-elevation streams and alpine lakes to warm lowland reservoirs and slow rivers. Anglers chase wild and stocked trout—notably rainbow trout, brown trout and native cutthroat trout—in tailwaters, creeks and mountain lakes, while larger waterbodies produce strong bass fisheries with largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, plus plentiful catfish (including channel catfish) and select reservoirs holding kokanee and walleye. You’ll find excellent fly-fishing in cool streams and lake edges, and productive shore and boat angling for warmwater species in the big lakes.
Top Cities For Fishing
River Fishing
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Ute Lake
Long and canyoned near Logan , Ute Lake is a premier destination for smallmouth bass, walleye, and white bass; anglers troll crankbaits along ledges, jig rocky points and riprap, and chase schooling sandies on windblown flats and coves.
Abiquiu Lake
Backed by red rock scenery near Abiquiu , Abiquiu Lake offers smallmouth bass, walleye, and trout; anglers jig deep points and bluffs for walleye, cast tubes to rocky banks for bronzebacks, and troll open-water breaks when bait schools gather.
Bluewater Lake
Near Grants , Bluewater Lake is renowned for tiger muskies alongside trout and catfish; big predators roam weedlines and points where anglers throw large plugs and flies, with additional action around the dam face and creek mouths.
Rio Chama
Flowing from El Vado Lake and Heron Lake through canyons to the Rio Grande , the Rio Chama features mixed water with brown and rainbow trout; anglers wade riffles and deep bends, and float select sections when flows align.
Cimarron River
Below Eagle Nest Lake through Cimarron Canyon , the Cimarron River is a classic freestone with brown and rainbow trout; fish undercut banks, pocket water, and faster riffles, with terrestrial and small nymph patterns producing steady action.
Cochiti Lake
Situated between Albuquerque and Santa Fe , Cochiti Lake is known for smallmouth bass, pike, and catfish; work rocky shorelines, submerged timber, and inflow areas, with kayak and small-boat anglers finding productive water in protected coves.
Conchas Lake
With sandstone bluffs and branching arms, Conchas Lake produces strong catches of largemouth, smallmouth, white bass, and catfish; target submerged brush, secondary points, and creek channels by boat, or work accessible shorelines near Conchas Dam for mixed-bag action.
Eagle Nest Lake
Set in the Mora and Colfax county high country, Eagle Nest Lake fishes well for rainbow trout, kokanee, and yellow perch; boaters work open-water contours and points, while shore anglers find success near the state park and inlet areas.
El Vado Lake
El Vado Lake near Tierra Amarilla is a scenic reservoir known for brown trout, rainbows, and seasonal kokanee; anglers troll main-basin contours, cast at rocky points, and find shore opportunities around the state park coves.
Elephant Butte Lake
New Mexico’s largest lake near Truth or Consequences , Elephant Butte Lake offers excellent multi-species action for striped bass, white bass, largemouth, smallmouth, catfish, and seasonal walleye; work main-lake points, humps, and creek mouths by boat or fish from shore around marinas, coves, and long sandy flats.
Fenton Lake
A compact mountain lake in the Jemez Mountains , Fenton Lake provides convenient shore and small-boat access for rainbow trout and brown trout; work the dam face and weed edges with spinners, bait, or small streamers, especially during cool mornings and evenings.
Jemez River
A mosaic of tributaries in the Jemez Mountains , the Jemez River and branches like the East Fork Jemez and San Antonio Creek provide great small-stream fishing for brown and rainbow trout in pocket water, beaver ponds, and meadow runs.
Navajo Lake
Straddling the New Mexico–Colorado line near Navajo Dam , Navajo Lake is a deep, clear reservoir known for smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, and quality trout; anglers troll for walleye along tapering points, cast jigs to rocky banks for bronzebacks, and target pike in weedy coves.
Pecos River
From alpine runs near Terrero to meadow sections by Pecos , the Pecos River offers classic pocket-water trout fishing for browns and rainbows; fish pools and plunge structure with nymphs and small dries, while lower reaches also hold warmwater species in slower bends.
Red River
Accessible along Red River town and upstream toward the Enchanted Circle , the Red River offers fast-action trout fishing for rainbows and browns; target pocket water, cutbanks, and deeper pools with small nymphs, dries, and streamers.
Santa Rosa Lake
Just north of Santa Rosa , Santa Rosa Lake delivers steady catches of walleye, smallmouth, largemouth, and catfish; troll along old river channels, jig rocky points, and fish night edges for prowling walleyes and cats.
Sumner Lake
Near Fort Sumner , Sumner Lake produces walleye, white bass, largemouth, and catfish; anglers work wind-driven points, creek inlets, and rocky shoals, with both bank and boat access throughout the state park.
Brantley Lake
South of Carlsbad , Brantley Lake is a warmwater fishery noted for largemouth bass, white bass, and catfish; fish submerged trees, creek channels, and riprap, with productive trolling passes for schooling sandies on open flats.
Rio Grande
Flowing through the Rio Grande Gorge and urban stretches near Albuquerque , the Rio Grande offers diverse fishing for trout in the cooler northern reaches and warmwater species like bass and catfish farther south; fish eddies, seams, and boulder gardens on foot or float accessible runs.