Blue Lake Fishing in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Blue Lake is one of the Rio Arriba County waters in New Mexico. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. Most waters listed here for Rio Arriba County are larger. The nearest place of any size is Chama, 28 miles away. The nearest city of size is Albuquerque, 103 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Blue Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Rio Arriba County names white sucker, cutthroat trout, brown trout and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Blue Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 57°F and January reads 19°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Blue Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lower Canjilon Lakes at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. Where Blue Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.