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Best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico

64 New Mexico waters hold rainbow trout, 3 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. The classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.

1. Navajo Reservoir — 333 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Heron Reservoir — 222 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
3. El Vado Reservoir — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee
4. Abiquiu Lake — 117 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. Bluewater Lake — 90 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Cutthroat Trout
6. Eagle Nest Lake — 90 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
7. San Juan River — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
8. Rio Grande (Taos) — 10 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
9. Jemez River — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
10. Storrie Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
11. Ramah Lake — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
12. Maxwell Lake 13 — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
13. Lake Maloya — 40 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
14. Charette Lakes — 30 ft max · Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
15. Quemado Lake — 55 ft max · Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Brown Trout
16. Clayton Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish
17. McAllister Lake — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
18. Rio Hondo — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout
19. Snow Lake — 30 ft max · Rainbow Trout
20. Lake Roberts — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
21. Santa Cruz Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish
22. Bonito Lake — 65 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
23. Bill Evans Lake — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
24. Rio Grande (Pilar / Orilla Verde) — 12 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
25. Grindstone Reservoir — 45 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout

…plus 39 more New Mexico waters holding rainbow trout.

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When to fish rainbow trout in New Mexico

• Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
• Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.

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 yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes

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