Ramah Reservoir near Black Rock: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in McKinley County, New Mexico. Elevation runs to 6,942 feet. At about 144 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The shoreline runs about 3.4 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in McKinley County are bigger. Some 18 miles away sits Black Rock, the nearest settlement. After that come Zuni Pueblo at 21 miles and Thoreau at 23 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Ramah Reservoir

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Survey and observation records for McKinley County include bluehead sucker, green sunfish, muskellunge and Rio Grande sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Ramah Reservoir responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 28°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Ramah Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. 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. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Dog Lake at 4.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Ramah Reservoir carry more weight than any list.