Fishing at Little Salt Lake, Roosevelt County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Little Salt Lake is listed under Roosevelt County, New Mexico. The water sits 3,901 feet up. This is sizeable water at about 382 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. It lies lower than most water we list in New Mexico. Portales at 12 miles is the nearest place to stop. Then Farwell, 23 miles, and Texico, 23 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Little Salt Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Little Salt Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics. Shallow bays warm first and pull fish in early.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 38°F and July at about 78°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Little Salt Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Salt Lake, 5.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Little Salt Lake in particular, ask before you travel.