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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
120-acre reservoir near Raton. The lake tops out around 40 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 117 acres of water rimmed by 2.8 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.8) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 62% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.9 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. The water lies in Colfax County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Alice, 2 mi south 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 8 to 40 ft for winter. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Chicorica Creek inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 4 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 | Chicorica Creek inflow (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (20 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 12 to 40 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. Start at Chicorica Creek inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Chicorica Creek inflow (4 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Chicorica Creek inflow (4 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Chicorica Creek inflow (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Lake Maloya carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 34 ft down.
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 Lake Maloya specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Lake Maloya is about 40 ft (12 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, brown trout on Lake Maloya.
Chicorica Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for brown 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 Lake Maloya 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.
Lake Alice 2 mi · Trinidad Reservoir 15 mi, CO · Maxwell Lake 13 30 mi · Springer Lake 43 mi · Rio Costilla (Valle Vidal) 54 mi · Cimarron River (Cimarron Canyon) 54 mi · Eagle Nest Lake 59 mi · Charette Lakes 60 mi · Cabresto Lake 64 mi · Clayton Lake 66 mi · Rio Hondo 69 mi · Eagle Rock Lake 69 mi
See how Lake Maloya stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best brown trout lakes in New Mexico
More water nearby: Colfax County fishing maps (6 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.