Fishing at Sawmill Lake, Mora County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Mora County in New Mexico is where Sawmill Lake sits. The bank gives way to farm and woodlot. Surface area runs to about 16 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Angel Fire sits 17 miles out. Taos Pueblo lies 31 miles off, Taos another 32 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking. The bank is open in stretches and thick in others.

• Where to Fish on Sawmill Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Mora County records list cutthroat trout, white sucker, brown trout, Gila trout and green sunfish among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Sawmill Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 61°F and January near 26°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. That shapes the year on Sawmill Lake. A steady wind fishes better than a still, bright day.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Graham Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Where Sawmill Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.