Post Lake Fishing near Santa Rosa, New Mexico

• Overview

  Out in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, sits Post Lake. It sits in pine and hardwood country. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Guadalupe County are larger. 2 miles away sits Santa Rosa, the nearest town. After that come Tucumcari at 56 miles and Las Vegas at 57 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Post Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Guadalupe County include green sunfish, white sucker, largemouth bass, black bullhead and spotted bass. The county list is broader than any single water. On Post Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 77°F and January about 38°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Expect Post Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. State Game Commission Land takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Rock Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Post Lake should be assumed from this page alone.