The Best Places To Fish in New Mexico
New Mexico offers a variety of excellent fishing destinations for anglers to explore. The purpose of this page is to share basic information about the best fishing opportunities in the state, for a variety of fish species.
One of the top spots is the San Juan River, renowned for its world-class trout fishing. The river is known for its abundance of rainbow and brown trout, with some trophy-sized specimens that attract anglers from near and far. Another popular destination is Elephant Butte Lake, which offers fantastic angling opportunities for species such as largemouth bass, white bass, walleye, and catfish. The Rio Grande River is also a favorite among anglers, where they can target trout, bass, and pike. Additionally, the Pecos River and the Gila River provide scenic settings and excellent fishing for trout and smallmouth bass. Overall, New Mexico offers a diverse range of fishing experiences, with its rivers, lakes, and reservoirs providing ample opportunities to catch popular species and create lasting angling memories.
There are many great places to fish in The Land of Enchantment. Anglers will find a nice variety of cold-water and warm-water fisheries. Lakes, rivers and ponds across the state provide a wide variety of species to pursue.
New Mexico's Top-Five, Amazing Fishing Spots
- Elephant Butte Lake in west-central NM
- Navajo Lake in northern NM
- Ute Lake in east-central NM
- Abiquiu Reservoir in northwest NM
- Conchas Lake in northwest NM
These lakes are among the overall best places to fish in the state Other individual lakes might make this list one year over another, but these have a track record for producing great fishing, over time. Learn more...
Most Popular Fish Species In New Mexico
In New Mexico, anglers can chase after three species of bass, five species of trout, three species of catfish, two species of salmon, striped bass, crappie, walleye and numerous sunfish. Learn more...
Best Bass Fishing Lakes In New Mexico
- Elephant Butte Lake in west-central NM
- Navajo Lake in northern NM
- Ute Lake in east-central NM
A relatively long growing season allows largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass all to grow fat and healthy. These lakes are known as some of the best places to fish for bass in New Mexico. Learn more...
Top Places To Fish For Trout In New Mexico
- Eagle Nest Lake in northeast NM
- Heron Lake in north-central NM
- Abiquiu Reservoir in northwest NM
Fly fishermen can fish for trout in some excellent rivers and streams across the state. However, here we only cover major lakes. These three have a long-standing reputation as lakes with good trout fishing. Learn more...
Best Lakes To Fish For Catfish In New Mexico
- Elephant Butte Lake in west-central NM
- Ute Lake in east-central NM
- Navajo Lake in northern NM
River systems in the state turn out some big catfish. We focus on major lakes, and the lakes with fertile rivers feeding into them tend to produce some of the best catfish fishing in the state These three lakes are a great place to start. Learn more...
Best Lakes To Fish For Salmon In New Mexico
- Heron Lake in north-central NM
- Navajo Lake in northern NM
- Abiquiu Reservoir in northwest NM
Salmon fishing enthusiasts have a few options to fish for coho and kokanee salmon in New Mexico. These are three are among the top places to fish for salmon here. Learn more...
Best Lakes For Striped Bass Fishing In New Mexico
- Elephant Butte Lake in west-central NM
- Caballo Lake in southwest NM
Elephant Butte Lake is a quality striper fishery with both quality and quantity. It was home to the state record striped bass of over 54 pounds. Caballo Lake also offers good striper fishing. Learn more...
Enjoy these top spots to go fishing in New Mexico
Find the best places to fish, by state.
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