Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
12-acre lake near Jal. The lake tops out around 15 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn outline gives you 0.8 miles of bank to pick apart, broken up by an island. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. You'll find it in Lea County. The nearest mapped water is Eunice Lake, 25 mi to the north.
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 15 ft. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Inlet, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Inlet, an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shoreline weed flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline weed flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shoreline weed flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shoreline weed flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline weed flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tiny spoon |
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 13 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 Jal Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
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.
Anglers target rainbow trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill on Jal 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 Jal 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.
Eunice Lake 25 mi · Green Meadow Lake 45 mi · Conoco Lake (Loco Lagoon) 59 mi · Brantley Lake 77 mi · Balmorhea Lake 85 mi, TX · Lake Van 102 mi · Lea Lake 107 mi · Lake J.B. Thomas 120 mi, TX · Buffalo Springs Lake 131 mi, TX · Lake Colorado City 133 mi, TX · Lake Alan Henry 138 mi, TX · Champion Creek Reservoir 138 mi, TX
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 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.