Ascarate Lake near Fort Bliss: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Ascarate Lake is one of the El Paso County listings for Texas. The bank is 3,678 feet above sea level. The water covers some 44 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Texas water on our list, it sits high. 4.3 miles away sits Fort Bliss, the nearest town. El Paso is 4.8 miles and Socorro 8.9 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Ascarate Lake

  6 ft is what our records show. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp and gizzard shad. Take it as evidence of what swims here, not a promise for one session. Read Ascarate Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 83°F and January about 44°F. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. That shapes the year on Ascarate Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The ground here is public, which usually keeps access simple. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Valley Gate Lateral is 1.9 miles distant. Check the position at Ascarate Lake before loading the car.