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Fishing Quemado Lake: what the data says
130-acre reservoir near Quemado. The lake tops out around 55 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Quemado Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Quemado Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Muskellunge fishing at Quemado Lake
Start shallow in spring: muskellunge sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 25 ft that scores prime in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Brown Trout fishing at Quemado Lake
Spring brown trout on Quemado Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 17 to 55 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Channel Catfish fishing at Quemado Lake
Spring channel catfish on Quemado Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in fall. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 47 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 25 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 14 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 14 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Quemado Lake?
Quemado Lake is about 55 ft (17 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.
What fish are in Quemado Lake?
Anglers target channel catfish, rainbow trout, muskellunge, brown trout on Quemado Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Quemado Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for muskellunge in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Quemado Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Snow Lake · San Francisco River (Glenwood) · Ramah Lake · Lake Roberts · Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) · Bluewater Lake
See how Quemado Lake stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in New Mexico · best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best brown trout lakes in New Mexico
Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.