Perry Lake in Cibola County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Perry Lake is set in Cibola County, New Mexico. It sits at 7,188 feet above sea level. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. You are 30 miles from Saint Johns. Zuni Pueblo follows at 30 miles, then Black Rock at 32 miles. Within a short run: Ruvi Pit the better part of 6.6 miles, Chical Lake 11 miles off, Rock Pit the better part of 12 miles, Fence Lake 13 miles off and Chaparral Lake the better part of 13 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Perry Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Cibola County records list bluehead sucker, green sunfish, muskellunge, Rio Grande sucker and rainbow trout among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Perry Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 31°F to 69°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. It sets the rhythm of the year at Perry Lake. Long dry spells drop the level and concentrate them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Ruvi Pit, 6.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Perry Lake in particular, ask before you travel.