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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
15-acre lake near Questa. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Shoreline on the chart totals 1.1 miles. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 43% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.2 mi across. The water lies in Taos County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Eagle Rock Lake, 5 mi southwest of here.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 6 to 30 ft for winter. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Inlet, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 30 ft one. Start at Inlet. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Inlet is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring brook trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Inlet (6 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Inlet (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 26 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Mexico waters are set by the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish — and special regulations can apply to Cabresto Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Cabresto Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout on Cabresto Lake.
Inlet is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Cabresto Lake is regulated by the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish. Check the official New Mexico regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Eagle Rock Lake 5 mi · Red River (Questa) 9 mi · Rio Costilla (Valle Vidal) 12 mi · Rio Hondo 13 mi · Eagle Nest Lake 21 mi · Cimarron River (Cimarron Canyon) 23 mi · Rio Grande (Taos) 28 mi · Rio Grande (Pilar / Orilla Verde) 36 mi · Hopewell Lake 41 mi · Coyote Creek 42 mi · Canjilon Lakes 49 mi · Trout Lakes 50 mi
See how Cabresto Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best brook trout lakes in New Mexico · best cutthroat trout lakes in New Mexico
More water nearby: Taos County fishing maps (7 charts). Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.