Willow Lake in Eddy County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Willow Lake in the Eddy County part of New Mexico. Around the bank it is dry hill. The water covers some 223 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The margin runs to about 3.3 miles in total. It lies lower than most water we list in New Mexico. The closest town, Loving, is 6.8 miles distant. Carlsbad is 18 miles away, with La Huerta at 20 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Willow Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include Rio Grande longear sunfish, green sunfish, channel catfish, gray redhorse and bigscale logperch. The records cover the area rather than this water alone. Read Willow Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 83°F; by January the average is down near 43°F. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Willow Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Mexican Lake, 2 miles away. Check the position at Willow Lake before loading the car.