House Lake in Lea County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  House Lake lies within the bounds of Lea County, New Mexico. What surrounds it is open plain. Surface area is around 60 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Ground here is low by New Mexico standards. Some 31 miles away sits Lovington, the nearest settlement. Plains is 41 miles away, with Denver City at 48 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on House Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Take House Lake a stretch at a time. Look for colour changes in the water and fish the seam between them.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 38°F in January to roughly 77°F in July. It fishes twelve months of the year. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. It holds true on House Lake more years than not. Spring fish sit shallower than most people expect.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Middle Lake, 0.6 miles out. Where House Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.