Gabaldon Lake Fishing Guide, Catron County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Catron County in New Mexico is where Gabaldon Lake sits. The water sits 8,435 feet up. It covers about 9 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Springerville is the closest place, 51 miles off. Eagar is 51 miles away, with Alamo at 54 miles. Close by you have: Quemado Lake at 5.3 miles, 6.3 miles away is El Caso Lake, White Rock Lake at 7.1 miles, 14 miles away is Sweazea Lake and Long Lake at 16 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Gabaldon Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Gabaldon Lake fishes better once you know its edges. Cast along the bank, not just out from it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 64°F and January near 28°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Gabaldon Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Quemado Lake, 5.3 miles away. For Gabaldon Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.