Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Jal Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Jal Lake: what the data says
12-acre lake near Jal. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Jal Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Jal Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. Summer fish stay in 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 15 ft. Inlet is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Channel Catfish fishing at Jal Lake
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. Inlet is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Jal Lake
Spring largemouth bass on Jal Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. Shoreline weed flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Jal Lake
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline weed flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 13 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Inlet: inflow / creek mouth, around 6 ft
- Shoreline weed flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Jal Lake?
Jal Lake is about 15 ft (5 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.
What fish are in Jal Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, rainbow trout on Jal Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Jal Lake?
Inlet is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Jal Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Eunice Lake · Green Meadow Lake · Conoco Lake (Loco Lagoon) · Brantley Lake · Lake Van · Lea Lake
See how Jal Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best bluegill lakes in New Mexico · best channel catfish lakes in New Mexico · best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico
Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.