Recreational Activities: Fishing

Drained by the Pecos and Canadian rivers, Northeast New Mexico is notable for the number of small streams and lakes that provide excellent fishing, including some great fly-fishing. Fishing is a very popular pastime in the streams and rivers and publicly accessible lakes and reservoirs throughout Northeast New Mexico. In these waters are rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout; lake trout; largemouth, small-mouth and spotted bass; white bass and striped bass; northern pike; walleye; bluegill; perch and crappie; channel, blue and flathead catfish; carp and longnose gar.

Fishing is available at many places year-round. Only a few waters have closures or fishing hours, but it's a good idea to call each county's Chamber of Commerce to verify the fishing opportunities available.

It's also helpful to get a copy of the current year fishing proclamation, "Public Fishing Waters of New Mexico," and a current copy of the New Mexico Recreation and Heritage Guide. For copies, contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Public Affairs Office, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504, or call 505-827-7911.

State Record: Northern pike, 36 pounds, caught at Springer Lake on March 7, 1978.

State Record: Ring perch, two pounds, 5.33 ounces, caught at Maxwell Lake #13 on October 20, 1995.

State Record: Walleye, 16 pound, nine ounce, caught at Clayton Lake on March 19, 1989.

COLFAX COUNTY

Eight miles northeast of Raton is Sugarite Canyon, New Mexico's newest state park. In summer, three mountain lakes are stocked with rainbow trout. One, Lake Alice, offers exceptional flyfishing. Sugarite also has excellent ice fishing -- winter fun for the whole family.

Vermejo Park Ranch offers unsurpassed opportunities for fishermen. This private resort and working cattle ranch in a wilderness setting is dedicated to sound land use management.

Cimarron Canyon State Park provides stream fishing along the Cimarron River, beneath the dramatic granite walls of Cimarron Canyon, conveniently located on Hwy 64.

Eagle Nest Lake's 2,000 acre impoundment alongside Hwy 64 is one of the state's premier kokanee and trout lakes. Fishing is good in open water or through ice for 14-inch and bigger rainbows and is excellent under ice-out conditions.

Valle Vidal, a 100,000 acre unit of the Carson National Forest, can be reached heading northeast of Cimarron about five miles on Hwy 64 and turning northwest on unpaved Cerrosa Road. Shuree Ponds are about 35 miles from this junction. The ponds are open July 1 through December 31 and are stocked with 15-inch or larger rainbow trout. One pond is reserved for anglers under 12. The daily bag is two 15-inch-or-longer fish. These are ideal float tube waters. The streams are catch-and-release and are good for cut-throat trout.

Springer Lake, with 450 surface acres, is about five miles due west of Springer. Fishing is best April through June and September through October for five-to-25 pound northern pike.

Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge's Lake Number 13 has some of the best trout fishing in the area and trolling is allowed up to October. This lake has about 500 surface acres and produces rainbows from 16 to 24 inches. The refuge is located just outside Maxwell, about 23 miles south of Raton on I-25

The Charette Lakes, on a mesa southwest of Springer, are actually in Mora County, but accessible from Colfax County's Hwy 569. These lakes offer good fishing for 10-to-14-inch rainbows and perch. Both Maxwell and Charette Lakes are closed November 1 until March 1 to accommodate migrating waterfowl.

For more information about Colfax County's recreational opportunities, visit the Colfax County section of this website.

UNION COUNTY

Clayton Lake, 12 miles north of Clayton on Hwy 370, was created by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department in 1955 as a fishing lake and winter waterfowl resting area. A dam was constructed across Seneca Creek. During the fishing season from March to October, the lake is a popular spot for anglers hoping to catch trout, bass, walleye, bullheads, and sunfish.

Folsom Falls is a favorite fishing hole four miles northeast of Folsom. This natural waterfall is fed by springs located on the Dry Cimarron River, which provides many fishing opportunities, including large brown trout.

For more information about Union County's recreational opportunities, visit the Union County section of this website.

MORA COUNTY

The Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest and Carson National Forest are all located in the western part of Mora County, offering access to remote fishing in the abundant mountain streams.

The Mora National Fish Hatchery Technology Center demonstrates the reuse of water in the production of game fish. Built with state and federal funds in 1993, it was the first of its kind in the nation and an important demonstration project for the whole country.

Morphy Lake State Park is an isolated and primitive mountain jewel that sits on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness in a pristine pine forest. The pretty lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout. For a quiet fishing experience filled with solitude, take Hwy 94 south of Mora to the town of Ledoux to reach this state park.

Coyote Creek State Park, 14 miles northeast of Mora on Hwy 434, is one of New Mexico's smallest state parks but has all an outdoor enthusiast needs. Coyote Creek, a tributary of the Mora River, is a favorite destination of serious anglers.

For more information about Mora County's recreational opportunities, visit the Mora County section of this website.

HARDING COUNTY

The Kiowa National Grasslands are part of a national grasslands system that also includes the Rita Blanca, McClellan Creek and Black Kettle. These four grasslands are administered for the U.S. Department of Agriculture by the Cibola National Forest and cover 263,954 acres scattered throughout New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. In New Mexico, the Kiowa National Grasslands are in Union County, Harding County, and on the border of Mora County.

In Harding County, the Kiowa National Grassland includes 12 miles of the Canadian River Canyon immediately west of Mills. This 800-foot deep canyonforms a wildlife island in the prairie.

Warm water fishing for bass, channel catfish, crappie and sunfish species draws many a fisherman to the lakes located within the grasslands. The Canadian River also provides some warm water stream fishing.

For more information about Harding County's recreational opportunities, visit the Harding County section of this website.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY

Both the Santa Fe National Forest and the Pecos Wilderness start 15 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 65 and offer numerous opportunities for remote alpine stream fishing.

The Pecos River is well-stocked, sometimes with 14-inch rainbows especially for a 20-mile stretch north along Hwy 63 from the village of Pecos to Cowles.

Also on the banks of the Pecos River is Villanueva State Park, located 31 miles southwest of Las Vegas via I-25 and Hwy 4. Fishing is best from fall through spring, when the river is stocked with rainbow trout, German brown trout and channel catfish. When the water level is high enough, usually from early May through mid-June, the river is open to canoeing.

Storrie Lake State Park is a man-made reservoir located only six miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 518. Fishing is popular at this water wonderland nestled in the city's backyard.

Two other favorite fishing spots near Las Vegas are McAllister Lake State Park, eight miles east of Las Vegas on Hwy 104, and the Gallinas River (Canyon) Recreation Area, 15 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 65.

The clear, blue-green water of Conchas Lake is 72 miles southeast of Las Vegas and just 32 miles northwest of Tucumcari, via Hwy 104, in San Miguel County. This lake is a 9,000 acre U.S. Corps of Engineers impoundment of the Conchas and Canadian Rivers. Crappie, bass, walleyed pike and catfish are stocked in the lake. Two modern marinas provide facilities for boating and fishing either from boats or on the rocky shoreline.

Cow Creek Ranch in Pecos, 505-757-2107. Orvis-endorsed fly fishing lodge. Horseback riding, hiking, sporting clays, archery. cowcreek-ranch.com

For more information about San Miguel County's recreational opportunities, visit the San Miguel County section of this website.

GUADALUPE COUNTY

Santa Rosa is known as the "City of Natural Lakes" and is fast becoming a recreational paradise for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Santa Rosa actually has 15 separate lakes and streams and four city parks. Numerous fishing opportunities are available at almost all of the city parks and along the Pecos River.

A wide range of free recreational activities is available at Park Lake in Santa Rosa, including free fishing for kids and senior citizens at the kiddie ponds and fishing at beautiful El Rito Creek.

Janes Wallace Memorial Park and Power Dam, a beautiful spring-fed lake on the southern outskirts of Santa Rosa, provides some of the best trout, catfish and bass fishing in the area.

Picturesque Perch Lake is located on Hwy 91 near Santa Rosa. It contains a twin engine plane, submerged 55 feet deep and is used primarily for advanced scuba diving training, although fishing is allowed.

Santa Rosa Lake State Park, located seven miles north of Santa Rosa, is a recreational paradise. With 1,500 acres this state park is a popular fishing spot for channel catfish, bass, crappie and prize walleye. Santa Rosa Dam and Lake was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1954. It serves for conservation of irrigation water, sedimentation control and flood control. There is no permanent pool; however, the irrigation pool will frequently be available for water recreation.

For more information about Guadalupe County's recreational opportunities, visit the Guadalupe County section of this website.

QUAY COUNTY

Ute Lake State Park is 25 miles northeast of Tucumcari on Hwy 540, three miles west of Logan. This beautiful lake is known for its numerous coves and inlets -- excellent fishing territory for walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. Ute Lake is the second largest lake in New Mexico. It was created in 1963 with construction of the 5,750-foot-long earth-filled Ute Dam, which impounds the Canadian River and is also fed by Ute Creek. Ute Lake has 8,200 surface acres and is the only major reservoir in New Mexico built entirely with state funds. It is also the largest Labyrinth Weir Spillway Facility in the world. The lake is almost 13 miles long, but it's only a skinny one mile across.

The Walleye Lakes are located near I-40 between Tucumcari and Santa Rosa. These three lakes offer excellent fishing for walleye, along with smallmouth and largemouth bass and channel catfish. Fishing for crappie is great some years.

For more information about Quay County's recreational opportunities, visit the Quay County section of this website.

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