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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
35,786-acre reservoir near Elephant Butte. The lake tops out around 171 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Elephant Butte Lake maps at 35,756 acres behind 267.4 miles of shoreline, with 1267 islands in the mix. A development index of 10.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 22% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 33.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 6.4 mi at the beam. It sits in Sierra County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Caballo Lake, is 32 mi to the south.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: striped bass in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 60 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shoreline point, a point in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | 3-5 inch baitfish swimbait, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Baitfish swimbait, Metal jig |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | open water | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Spring puts white bass in skinny water — 2 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Fall white bass concentrate at Shoreline point, a prime-rated point around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 4 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Spring walleye concentrate at Shoreline point, a prime-rated point around 4 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rio Grande inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 93 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Rio Grande inflow (93 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | open water |
Elephant Butte Lake also holds blue catfish (10 to 40 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 32 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 156 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Elephant Butte Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Elephant Butte Lake is about 171 ft (52 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, blue catfish, crappie, bluegill, common carp on Elephant Butte Lake.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for white bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For striped bass, 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 Elephant Butte 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.
Caballo Lake 32 mi · Escondida Lake 53 mi · Lake Roberts 65 mi · Young Park Pond 77 mi · Snow Lake 80 mi · Bonito Lake 80 mi · Grindstone Reservoir 83 mi · Alto Lake 83 mi · Trees Lake 84 mi · Rio Ruidoso 84 mi · Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) 88 mi · Bill Evans Lake 91 mi
See how Elephant Butte Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best walleye lakes in New Mexico · best white bass lakes in New Mexico
Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.