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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
300-acre reservoir near Maxwell. The lake tops out around 25 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Maxwell Lake 13 draws 306 acres inside 2.6 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 72% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 0.9 mi end to end and 0.8 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Colfax County. The nearest mapped water is Springer Lake, 12 mi to the south.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 25 ft before dropping to 5 to 25 ft for winter. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Shoreline break, a prime-rated drop-off around 11 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 | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 25 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 21 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 Maxwell Lake 13 specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Maxwell Lake 13 is about 25 ft (8 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, largemouth bass, channel catfish, yellow perch on Maxwell Lake 13.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Maxwell Lake 13 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.
Springer Lake 12 mi · Lake Alice 28 mi · Charette Lakes 30 mi · Lake Maloya 30 mi · Cimarron River (Cimarron Canyon) 33 mi · Eagle Nest Lake 38 mi · Trinidad Reservoir 38 mi, CO · Rio Costilla (Valle Vidal) 45 mi · Coyote Creek 46 mi · Rio Hondo 51 mi · Cabresto Lake 52 mi · Eagle Rock Lake 56 mi
See how Maxwell Lake 13 stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best channel catfish lakes in New Mexico · best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best yellow perch 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.