It’s a fishing day

Elephant Butte Reservoir fishing conditions · New Mexico

Now until 6 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 90.

Log a trip here
Right now: 86 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 862 pm
  2. 86
  3. 90
  4. 865 pm
  5. 68
  6. 66
  7. 688 pm
  8. 66
  9. 70
  10. 7211 pm
  11. 80Sun
  12. 76
  13. 762 am
  14. 76
  15. 76
  16. 765 am
  17. 80
  18. 76
  19. 768 am
  20. 76
  21. 76
  22. 8011 am
  23. 80
  24. 76
  25. 762 pm
  26. 76
  27. 68
  28. 705 pm
  29. 66
  30. 66
  31. 668 pm
  32. 66
  33. 66
  34. 7011 pm
  35. 70Mon
  36. 66
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
7 mph

From the northeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:12 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

4% chance of rain

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are New Mexico non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

90GoNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico: 5 walleye a day, 10 in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Nov–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

78Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico: 5 black bass a day combined, 10 in possession; largemouth and spotted bass 14" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico: 5 black bass a day combined, 10 in possession; smallmouth 12" minimum (14" at Conchas and Ute).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

78Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico: 20 crappie a day, 40 in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

78Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico: 15 catfish a day, all species except bullheads, 30 in possession. Special Summer Catfish Waters allow 2; the Animas and San Juan in San Juan County have no limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

78Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Mexico sets bag limits only for game fish. Common carp are a nongame species with no bag or size limit, and dead carp are approved cut bait statewide.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.18 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:12 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:33 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. New Mexico Game & Fish publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: New Mexico Dept. of Game & Fish · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

New Mexico’s largest lake — a 36,000-acre Rio Grande reservoir and the state’s premier warm-water fishery. Trophy largemouth and smallmouth bass relate to the rock and points, with walleye, white bass, crappie, and channel catfish throughout. Elephant Butte Lake State Park anchors public ramps and miles of shoreline.

New Mexico 2026–27: 5 black bass a day (largemouth 14" minimum, smallmouth 12"), 5 walleye, 20 crappie, 15 catfish, 1 striped bass and 25 white bass. Lake levels swing hard, so check ramp status.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Roosevelt Lake231 mi · ArizonaBest now until 6 pm
88Go
Navajo Lake250 mi · New MexicoBest tomorrow 12 am–10 am
68Marginal
San Juan River below Navajo Dam250 mi · New MexicoBest tomorrow 1 am–11 am
78Worth the trip
Saguaro Lake251 mi · ArizonaBest now until 6 pm
76Worth the trip
Lake Pleasant296 mi · ArizonaBest now until 6 pm
82Worth the trip
Lake Powell (Bullfrog)358 mi · UtahBest now until 6 pm
84Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Elephant Butte Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Elephant Butte Reservoir you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Elephant Butte Reservoir?

Elephant Butte Reservoir is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Elephant Butte Reservoir?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Elephant Butte Reservoir against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Elephant Butte Reservoir have?

Elephant Butte Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. New Mexico 2026–27: 5 black bass a day (largemouth 14" minimum, smallmouth 12"), 5 walleye, 20 crappie, 15 catfish, 1 striped bass and 25 white bass. Lake levels swing hard, so check ramp status.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Elephant Butte Reservoir?

state agency regulations apply at Elephant Butte Reservoir. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Elephant Butte Reservoir tidal water?

No. Elephant Butte Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.