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4,510-acre reservoir near Los Ojos. The lake tops out around 222 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 4,501 acres wrapped in 33.2 miles of bank, with 5 islands in the mix. A development index of 3.5 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 2% of this chart. Call it 5.7 mi long by 3.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Rio Arriba County. El Vado Reservoir sits 6 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring rainbow trout on Heron Reservoir hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 20 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (20 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (23 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (23 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 19 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (81 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (81 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season kokanee use the shallows, holding in 10 to 30 ft. Expect a summer slide to 30 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 23 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (23 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (204 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (23 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (81 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny 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 Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 19 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 (14 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (81 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a feeding flat in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (204 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring common carp on Heron Reservoir hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Back-bay flat — feeding flat, 12 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (204 ft) |
Count 17 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 204 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 Heron Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Heron Reservoir is about 222 ft (68 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target rainbow trout, lake trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, common carp on Heron Reservoir.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 20 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 Heron Reservoir 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.
El Vado Reservoir 6 mi · Rio Chama (below El Vado) 10 mi · Trout Lakes 18 mi · Canjilon Lakes 22 mi · Hopewell Lake 25 mi · Abiquiu Lake 31 mi · Rio Chama (Abiquiu Tailwater) 37 mi · Navajo Reservoir 47 mi, NM/CO · Rio Grande (Taos) 56 mi · Fenton Lake 56 mi · San Juan River 57 mi · Rio Grande (Pilar / Orilla Verde) 58 mi
See how Heron Reservoir stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best yellow perch lakes in New Mexico · best common carp lakes in New Mexico
More water nearby: Rio Arriba County fishing maps (8 charts). Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.