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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Pecos River near Terrero. Wild trout water in the New Mexico high country. The river tops out around 8 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Pecos River (Upper) draws 72 acres inside 13.3 miles of shoreline. An index of 11.2 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. End to end it runs roughly 6.2 mi, about 0.6 mi across. The water lies in San Miguel County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Stewart Lake, 5 mi northwest of here.
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. tributary inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | riffle run (2 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Pecos River pool (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it tributary inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dawn | riffle run (2 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft | dawn | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it tributary inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | tributary inflow (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | riffle run (2 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | riffle run (2 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | riffle run (2 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
The chart marks 3 structure features on Pecos River (Upper); the deepest is Pecos River pool at about 8 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 Pecos River (Upper) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Pecos River (Upper) is about 8 ft (2 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, cutthroat trout on Pecos River (Upper).
tributary inflow is the top-rated area: an 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.
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 Pecos River (Upper) 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.
Stewart Lake 5 mi · Lake Katherine 6 mi · Monastery Lake 13 mi · Morphy Lake 19 mi · Santa Cruz Lake 19 mi · Mora River (Upper) 24 mi · Storrie Lake 25 mi · McAllister Lake 33 mi · Rio Grande (Pilar / Orilla Verde) 35 mi · Coyote Creek 36 mi · Cochiti Lake 37 mi · Rio Grande (Taos) 43 mi
See how Pecos River (Upper) stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best brown trout lakes in New Mexico · best cutthroat trout lakes in New Mexico
More water nearby: San Miguel 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.