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Best brown trout lakes in New Mexico

25 New Mexico waters hold brown trout, 2 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Wary, nocturnal-leaning predator. Shorelines and inflows in cold months; the thermocline in summer.

1. Navajo Reservoir — 333 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
2. El Vado Reservoir — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
3. San Juan River — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
4. Rio Grande (Taos) — 10 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
5. Jemez River — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
6. Lake Maloya — 40 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Rio Hondo — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Rio Grande (Pilar / Orilla Verde) — 12 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
9. Fenton Lake — 20 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
10. Cimarron River (Cimarron Canyon) — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
11. Morphy Lake — 20 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
12. Rio Guadalupe — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
13. Rio Chama (Abiquiu Tailwater) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
14. McGaffey Lake — 12 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
15. Lake Alice — 15 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Monastery Lake — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
17. Eagle Rock Lake — 12 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
18. Pecos River (Upper) — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
19. Mora River (Upper) — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
20. Rio Ruidoso — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Red River (Questa) — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
22. Rio Chama (below El Vado) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Quemado Lake — 55 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Brown TroutWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Coyote Creek — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Bonito Lake — 65 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

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When to fish brown trout in New Mexico

• Spring 3–25 ft — Cold-water browns hug shorelines, river mouths and mud lines — often in a few feet of water early and late.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Browns sit at the thermocline by day and slide shallow after dark — the night troll takes the giants.
• Fall 5–30 ft — Spawn-run browns stage off tributaries and gravel shorelines, aggressive and territorial.
• Winter 5–35 ft — Browns feed all winter — nearshore when bait is in, deeper breaks otherwise.

Also in New Mexico: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes

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