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Fishing Rio Hondo: what the data says
Rio Hondo near Arroyo Hondo. wild trout water in the New Mexico high country. The river tops out around 8 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Rio Hondo
Spring rainbow trout on Rio Hondo hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it tributary inflow: a inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Rio Hondo
Spring brown trout on Rio Hondo hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 8 ft. tributary inflow is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Rio Hondo
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. tributary inflow is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring cutthroat trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Notable structure
- Rio Hondo pool: creek channel, around 8 ft
- tributary inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 6 ft
- Current seam (mile 4.3): current seam, around 4 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 8.2): rock pile, around 3 ft
- riffle run: rock pile, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Rio Hondo?
Rio Hondo 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.
What fish are in Rio Hondo?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout on Rio Hondo.
Where is the best fishing spot on Rio Hondo?
tributary inflow is the top-rated area: a 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.
When is the best time to fish Rio Hondo?
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
Eagle Rock Lake · Red River (Questa) · Cabresto Lake · Eagle Nest Lake · Rio Grande (Taos) · Cimarron River (Cimarron Canyon)
See how Rio Hondo stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in New Mexico · best brown trout lakes in New Mexico · best cutthroat 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.