All waters · New Mexico · Heron Lake

Heron Lake, NM

Reservoir in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. A roughly 5,900-acre no-wake reservoir on Willow Creek and the Rio Chama in north-central New Mexico at Heron Lake State Park. A high, cold mountain reservoir (elevation roughly 7,150 ft) famous for kokanee salmon and lake trout, plus stocked rainbow trout, brown trout, and smallmouth bass. The permanent no-wake rule keeps it quiet and is prized by anglers. Connected to neighboring El Vado Lake by a hiking trail across the Rio Chama gorge.

44

Overall bite score

Scored 22 min ago · recomputed every 30 minutes

Water tempModeled27
Pressure trendNOAAsteady60
SolunarComputedmoon 45% lit44
Recent stockingState data50
Time of dayComputed50
WindNOAA10
Cloud coverNOAA100
PrecipitationNOAA50

Each instrument reads 0 to 100. The score is their weighted blend, tuned for lakes and reservoirs. No black box: every reading names its source.

What swims here

6 tracked species in Heron Lake, with the months each fishes best.

Kokanee Salmonabundant
Brown Troutcommon
Lake Troutcommon
Rainbow Troutcommon
Smallmouth Basscommon
Brook Troutrare

Water facts

TypeReservoir
CountyRio Arriba
StateNew Mexico
WaterFreshwater

Boat ramps at Heron Lake State Park (no-wake lake; ideal for trolling and sailing). No in-lake USGS gauge, so water temperature uses a high-elevation seasonal baseline. New Mexico fishing license required; kokanee snagging is legal in season with separate limits. AIS inspection required.

See the full forecast for Heron Lake in the app: best windows, 7-day outlook, what to bring, and offline regulations. The score and essentials are free.

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