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.
32-acre lake near Dexter. The lake tops out around 20 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Lake Van runs 32 acres with 0.9 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 59% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 0.3 mi, about 0.2 mi across. The water lies in Chaves County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lea Lake, 9 mi north of here.
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 5 to 20 ft covers summer, 4 to 20 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Inlet, an inflow / creek mouth in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Spring channel catfish concentrate at Inlet, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Inlet (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (17 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 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 | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tiny spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The chart marks 5 structure features on Lake Van; the deepest is Deep basin at about 17 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 Lake Van specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Lake Van is about 20 ft (6 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, crappie on Lake Van.
Inlet is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Van 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.
Lea Lake 9 mi · Brantley Lake 43 mi · Conoco Lake (Loco Lagoon) 44 mi · Green Meadow Lake 76 mi · Rio Ruidoso 76 mi · Grindstone Reservoir 77 mi · Alto Lake 77 mi · Bonito Lake 82 mi · Eunice Lake 83 mi · Oasis State Park Lake 94 mi · Sumner Lake 99 mi · Jal Lake 102 mi
See how Lake Van stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best crappie lakes in New Mexico · best bluegill lakes in New Mexico · best channel catfish 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.