Alto Lake
Fishing and stocking
Rainbow trout and channel catfish water, stocked 12 times in 2026, spread January to October, heaviest in June; 10,332 fish reported.
New Mexico · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Rainbow trout
Channel catfish
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked yesterday.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,001 | completed |
| Feb 26 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,000 | completed |
| Mar 9 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 999 | completed |
| Apr 21 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,001 | completed |
| Apr 27 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,000 | completed |
| May 12 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,001 | completed |
| May 21 | Channel catfish | catchable | 133 | completed |
| Jun 1 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,001 | completed |
| Jun 8 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 999 | completed |
| Jun 30 | Channel catfish | catchable | 199 | completed |
| Sep 21 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 999 | completed |
| Oct 5 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 999 | completed |
When to fish Alto Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:43-11:43 am and 10:06 pm-12:06 am | 4:01-5:01 am and 4:17-5:17 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:29 am-12:29 pm and 10:53 pm-12:53 am | 5:05-6:05 am and 4:46-5:46 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 93% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Mountain Time (MDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 18 days ago (Oct 5)
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · New Mexico fishing forecast
Gear for this water
Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells.
For the trout (rainbow trout stocked 10 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Slip bobber and jig | 1/32 oz marabou jig or waxworm suspended at cruising depth |
| Ultralight spinning rod | 6 to 7 ft ultralight, 4 lb line; long casts from the bank |
| Dough bait rigs | floating dough bait 18 inches above a small egg sinker; hatchery fish know the smell |
For the catfish (channel catfish stocked 2 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, 15 to 20 lb line, sturdy reel |
| Circle hooks on a slip-sinker rig | 2/0 to 5/0 circles on a Carolina rig; let them load up |
| Cut bait and prepared baits | fresh cut shad or chicken liver; scent is everything |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Grindstone Reservoir | 5.2 mi | Oct 1 |
| Bonito Lake | 5.4 mi | Oct 7 |
| Timberon Ponds | 53 mi | Oct 5 |
| Corona Pond | 60 mi | Jun 30 |
| Berrendo Creek | 69 mi | Jun 30 |
Follow New Mexico stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule