Sheaffer Lake, New Mexico: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Within Mora County, New Mexico, you have Sheaffer Lake. Elevation runs to 7,946 feet. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Angel Fire sits 18 miles from the bank. Taos Pueblo follows at 32 miles, then Taos at 33 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Sheaffer Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Mora County, recorded fish include cutthroat trout, white sucker, brown trout and Gila trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Sheaffer Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 61°F in July and bottoms out near 26°F in January. The season stretches long at both ends here. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Sheaffer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Graham Lake at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Sheaffer Lake may have changed since it was mapped.