Fishing at Red Water Pond, McKinley County, New Mexico

• Overview

  New Mexico holds Red Water Pond, in McKinley County. It stands 7,110 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by McKinley County standards. Twin Lakes lies 11 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Albuquerque, 117 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Red Water Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name bluehead sucker, green sunfish, muskellunge, Rio Grande sucker and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Red Water Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 29°F to 71°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Expect Red Water Pond to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It is recorded as intermittent, which means the basin empties in dry spells. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Bass Lake sits 6 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Red Water Pond in what we hold.