Fishing Report For Heron Lake, NM

By Rick Seaman

May 13, 2025

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Fishing Report Heron Lake, NM

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Heron Lake, NM

Rainbow Trout

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Each Winter, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish stocks both catchable, and fingerling, rainbow trout to maintain a consistent fishery for anglers. The diet of a rainbow trout consists of insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Use flies, or small lures imitating their natural food, to tempt them into biting. Small spinners, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are currently catching rainbows, as are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and prepared baits. Casting, jigging and trolling are all catching some nice ones.

Kokanee Salmon

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good

Ice fishing for kokanee was good this winter, and the fishing has been good since ice-out. Schools of these tasty fish are still relatively shallow, which varies from day to day, but will begin moving deeper as Summer arrives. Trolling, using downriggers or leaded line are the two primary methods for catching kokanee here. Kokanee school up and hang out over deep water, usually above some type of structure. The ideal water temperature is mid to low 50's, identify the depth for that range, and the kokanee will be hanging around. Worm harnesses and wedding ring spinner setups are popular when trolled behind a 4" dodger. Locals are tipping these baits with shoepeg white corn, PowerBait, Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ, or live nightcrawlers to helps attract bites. Experiment with depth, starting around 20', and go deeper as needed. Trolling between 1.2 mph and 1.8 mph is a good speed for these kokes.

Lake Trout

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good

As we come to the end of the prime lake trout season, March through May, anglers are still catching some very nice fish in relatively shallow water. Come June, move to deeper water, trolling above deeper structure like river channels and humps. This lake was home to the state record lake trout, weighing over 32 pounds, and there are plenty of big lakers yet to be caught. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. Other choices include jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or Berkeley Power Crawlers. Flashy spoons can be fished at any depth, either jigging, trolling or cast and retrieve. It's reported that many of the lakers are being caught on larger baits.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon at Heron Lake in New Mexico.

Heron Lake is a 5,900-acre lake with about 35 miles of shoreline. It offers good trout fishing and kokanee salmon fishing. At an elevation over 7,000 feet. the lake freezes over in winter and offers ice fishing opportunities.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a New Mexico Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".