Cow Lake Fishing Guide, Taos County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Cow Lake belongs to Taos County, New Mexico. Height above sea level is 11,355 feet. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. It is a small entry by Taos County standards. The closest town, Questa, is 6.8 miles away. Albuquerque sits 123 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Cow Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Taos County: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, white sucker and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Cow Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 55°F, while January sits near 20°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Cow Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Goose Lake is 5.2 miles off. Nothing on Cow Lake should be assumed from this page alone.