Bill Evans Lake
Rainbow trout and channel catfish water; 11 stockings on the 2026 record.
New Mexico · see it on the national map
11
stockings 2026
Jun 3
last stocked
15,603
fish reported
62
acres (NHD)
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Rainbow trout
Channel catfish
State record fish caught here
New Mexico state record
Largemouth Bass
15lb. 13oz. 26.5 in
New Mexico state record
White Bass
4lb. 13oz. 19.5 in
Certified by New Mexico Game and Fish; weights shown exactly as the agency publishes them.
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 7 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,578 | completed |
| Jan 13 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 352 | completed |
| Jan 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 490 | completed |
| Feb 3 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 548 | completed |
| Feb 17 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 960 | completed |
| Mar 3 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,499 | completed |
| Mar 12 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 3,984 | completed |
| Mar 18 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 3,968 | completed |
| Mar 19 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,624 | completed |
| Apr 23 | Channel catfish | catchable | 480 | completed |
| Jun 3 | Channel catfish | catchable | 120 | completed |
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the trout (rainbow trout stocked 9 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)
| 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 |
| Rod holders | catfishing is a waiting game; fish two rods where legal |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Roberts | 27 mi | Jun 25 |
| Quemado Lake | 88 mi | Jun 24 |
| Show Low Creek (Meadow at Bluff Trail) AZ | 138 mi | next Aug 31 |
| Ascarate TX | 148 mi | Mar 3 |
| Bonito Lake | 169 mi | Jul 7 |
Records from New Mexico Game and Fish
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS
and the National Hydrography Dataset. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
New Mexico fishing
regulations.