Guide To Excellent Striped Bass Fishing In New Mexico

New Mexico offers excellent opportunities for striped bass fishing, with several major lakes in the state known for their populations of these hard-fighting fish. One of the top destinations for striped bass fishing is Elephant Butte Lake. This expansive reservoir is home to a thriving population of striped bass, attracting anglers from near and far. The lake's clear waters and diverse underwater structures provide ideal habitat for striped bass, making it a prime location to target these powerful fish.

Another notable lake for striped bass fishing in New Mexico is Caballo Lake. Situated downstream from Elephant Butte Lake, Caballo Lake also offers excellent opportunities to hook into trophy-sized striped bass. Anglers can troll or cast with various lures and baits to entice these aggressive predators. The open waters of Caballo Lake provide ample room for anglers to explore and discover productive fishing spots.

When it comes to state records, New Mexico boasts some impressive striped bass catches. The current state record for striped bass is held by a catch from Elephant Butte Lake, weighing in at over 53 pounds. This record showcases the potential for landing trophy-sized striped bass in New Mexico's major lakes.

Anglers targeting striped bass in New Mexico's lakes often use techniques such as trolling with deep-diving crankbaits, casting with swimbaits or jerkbaits, or fishing with live bait such as shad or anchovies. Striped bass are known for their powerful runs and aggressive strikes, providing an exciting angling experience for both novice and experienced anglers.

New Mexico's major lakes, such as Elephant Butte Lake and Caballo Lake, offer fantastic opportunities for striped bass fishing. These lakes are home to healthy populations of striped bass, and anglers have the chance to land trophy-sized fish. With the state record for striped bass exceeding 53 pounds, New Mexico's lakes provide the potential for memorable catches and thrilling battles with these prized fish. Whether trolling, casting, or fishing with live bait, anglers targeting striped bass in New Mexico are sure to have an exciting and rewarding fishing experience.

Striped Bass Lakes

Elephant Butte Lake, Caballo Lakes and Red Bluff Reservoir are the lakes in the state offering striper or hybrid striped bass fishing fishing. Elephant Butte offers some of the premiere striper fishing, not only in NM, but in in the entire southwest. And, this is the place to catch a monster striper on topwater baits.

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New Mexico State Record Striped Bass

The state record striped bass was caught from Elephant Butte Lake.

Fishing Elephant Butte Lake, Carlos Mercado landed this 25 pound stripper fishing a ten inch fresh caught gizzard shad.

Fishing for Stripers in New Mexico

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check New Mexico fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams become the ideal spawning grounds for stripers. Landlocked stripers then populate the lakes.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Striped bass fishing information, by state.