Best Fishing Spots in New Mexico

New Mexico fishes high. Nothing sits below 882 metres, the median mapped water is at 2,179 metres and the highest reaches 3,636 metres, so this is mountain and high-desert fishing throughout, despite a southern latitude that places the whole state in the warm-temperate band. That combination is what makes it work: the elevation cools water that would otherwise be too warm, supporting trout in the northern mountains within a few hours of desert reservoirs that fish year round. Natural lakes outnumber reservoirs, unusual for the arid Southwest. Snow on mountain approaches limits access more than ice does, and the high-country season runs roughly late spring through autumn while lower water stays open all year. The catalogue covers 329 waters in New Mexico, spread over 29 counties. In terms of type, natural lakes lead and reservoirs follow. The largest on the list is Elephant Butte Reservoir, at roughly 17 sq miles. Of the waters with a published depth, Elephant Butte Reservoir is the deepest at roughly 157 feet. Cold months average 28°F; warm months reach 67°F. The thaw typically arrives about early March, earlier in the south. Public records return rainbow trout, green sunfish, white sucker and cutthroat trout more than anything else here....