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New Mexico · Fishing
Fishing around Tres Piedras, New Mexico centers on a handful of small lakes and tanks scattered across the high desert plateau managed by the Tres Piedras Ranger District.
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Fishing around Tres Piedras, New Mexico centers on a handful of small lakes and tanks scattered across the high desert plateau managed by the Tres Piedras Ranger District. The options here — Pit Tank Number Two, Laguna Larga, and Lucero Lakes — are the kind of spots that don't show up in glossy fishing magazines, which is part of the appeal. These are quiet, walk-in or short-drive waters where you're more likely to share the bank with a heron than a crowd. The elevation keeps summer temperatures reasonable when lowland waters are baking, and the lack of boat ramps means most anglers are working from shore or a float tube. This is lake fishing in a straightforward sense: still water, modest-sized impoundments, and the patience to match. If you're driving up from Santa Fe or Taos, the trip is short enough to make a half-day of it, but the roads and access points vary by site, so confirming conditions before you go is worth the extra five minutes.
The main options managed through the Tres Piedras Ranger District are Pit Tank Number Two, Laguna Larga, and Lucero Lakes. These are all lake or tank fisheries — there is no river or stream fishing listed for this area through Roamze's current inventory.
Light to medium spinning gear handles most situations on small high-desert tanks and lakes. A float tube or small inflatable can open up more water since these sites don't have boat ramps, but shore fishing is workable. Bring a valid New Mexico fishing license and check whether the specific water requires a habitat stamp, as state rules apply across all these sites.
Aspen Glade (Rio Grande National Forest, CO)
~35 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Platoro Cabin 1
~1h 16m drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Trujillo Meadows Boating Site
~45 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Rio Grande - Orilla Verde Recreation Area
~1h 1m drive
Moderate
Red River - Main Street Access
~1h 5m drive
Easy
Rio Chama - Below El Vado
~1h 7m drive
Hard
Elk Creek Campground (rio Grande Nf)
~45 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Platoro Cabin 2
~1h 16m drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Kerr Lake Fishing Site
~1h 18m drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Cabresto Lake
~1h 8m drive
Moderate
Lake Fork(rio Grande Natl Fore
~1h 7m drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Riana - Abiquiu Lake
~1h 17m drive
A worthwhile stop near NM.
Late spring through early fall is the most reliable window, with May, June, and September generally offering the best combination of accessible roads and active fish. Monsoon season in July and August can make dirt roads to some of these tanks muddy or impassable, so check conditions locally before heading out.
Early morning and the two hours before sunset are consistently the most productive windows on still-water fisheries like these, when surface temperatures are cooler and fish move shallower. Midday fishing in summer is slower and the high-desert sun is harsh, so plan your timing accordingly.
The lake and tank format makes it approachable for beginners since there are no strong currents to manage and the fishing is relatively uncomplicated. Access roads to some sites can be rough, so check road conditions and bring water and sun protection — shade is limited at these open high-desert waters.
