Bill Evans Lake
Fishing and stocking
Stocked January to October in 2026, heaviest in March: rainbow trout and channel catfish, 12 plants in all. A 62-acre reservoir. This water holds 2 New Mexico state records, including the largemouth bass at 15lb. 13oz., caught in 1995.
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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
Certified by New Mexico Game and Fish; weights shown exactly as the agency publishes them. Record book read October 2026.
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked yesterday.
| 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 |
| Oct 16 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 3,176 | completed |
When to fish Bill Evans Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:55-11:55 am and 10:18 pm-12:18 am | 4:13-5:13 am and 4:28-5:28 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:41 am-12:41 pm | 5:17-6:17 am and 4:58-5:58 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 7 days ago (Oct 16)
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)
| 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 | Oct 8 |
| Glenwood Pond | 36 mi | Oct 16 |
| Snow Lake | 39 mi | Oct 14 |
| Rancho Grande Pond | 59 mi | Jun 30 |
| Trees Lake | 64 mi | Jun 30 |
Follow New Mexico stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule