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Best white bass lakes in New Mexico

10 New Mexico waters hold white bass, 1 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. Hard-fighting schooling bass. Legendary spring river runs, then open-water surface blitzes chasing shad all summer.

1. Elephant Butte Lake — 174 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
2. Ute Lake — 88 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
3. Brantley Lake — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
4. Conchas Lake — 105 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
5. Santa Rosa Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
6. Caballo Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
7. Sumner Lake — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
8. Cochiti Lake — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
9. Rio Grande (Middle, Albuquerque) — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Common Carp
10. Canadian River (below Conchas Dam) — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Common Carp

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When to fish white bass in New Mexico

• Spring 2–12 ft — The famous spawning run — fish stack in tributary rivers and below dams by the thousands.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Follow the shad — surface blitzes early and late, suspended schools over structure midday.
• Fall 6–25 ft — The best surface action of the year — gulls diving means white bass feeding.
• Winter 15–40 ft — Huge tight schools in deep basins and channel bends — vertical spoons.

Also in New Mexico: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye 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 brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes

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