Quemado Lake
Fishing and stocking
Stocked April to September in 2026, heaviest in May: rainbow trout and tiger muskellunge, 11 plants in all. A 112-acre reservoir.
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
Tiger muskellunge
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked yesterday.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,872 | completed |
| May 1 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,539 | completed |
| May 8 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,816 | completed |
| May 14 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,223 | completed |
| May 19 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,776 | completed |
| May 27 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,952 | completed |
| Jun 24 | Tiger muskellunge | fingerling | 296 | completed |
| Sep 17 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,976 | completed |
| Sep 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,448 | completed |
| Sep 25 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,960 | completed |
| Sep 29 | Rainbow trout | catchable | 1,872 | completed |
When to fish Quemado Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:55-11:55 am and 10:17 pm-12:17 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 4:56-5:56 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 24 days ago (Sep 29)
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · New Mexico fishing forecast
Gear for this water
The last plant has had time to disperse; work outward from the obvious spots.
For the trout (rainbow trout stocked 10 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Small crankbaits | trout-pattern cranks trolled or slow-retrieved off points |
| 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 |
For the muskie and pike (tiger muskellunge stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Heavy casting rod | 7.5 to 9 ft heavy with 65 to 80 lb braid; these fish punish light gear |
| Large bucktails and gliders | big profile baits; finish every cast with a figure-eight |
| Steel or heavy fluoro leader | non-negotiable; pike and muskie cut everything else |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rancho Grande Pond | 38 mi | Jun 30 |
| Snow Lake | 49 mi | Oct 14 |
| Patterson Ponds AZ | 57 mi | Oct 19 |
| Glenwood Pond | 61 mi | Oct 16 |
| Lake Roberts | 79 mi | Oct 8 |
Follow New Mexico stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule