Caballo Reservoir is a reservoir in New Mexico, near Sierra County.
Stocking records show that the following fish or strains were stocked here. A historical stocking does not by itself prove that a self-sustaining population remains today.
Caballo Reservoir is a Rio Grande reservoir in Sierra County, New Mexico. Its dam has an operating depth near 82 feet and the reservoir can hold roughly 343,990 acre-feet.
Wind can change Caballo Reservoir quickly, so pick one manageable section and learn it before crossing open water.
Caballo Reservoir sits about 25 miles below Elephant Butte and catches winter power releases before that water is sent downstream for summer irrigation. That job makes it a working Rio Grande lake whose level, current, and shoreline can change on a schedule different from a natural lake.
Walleye and white bass use points and the old river path, while blue and channel catfish favor slower bottom work. Crappie and largemouth bass need the best brush or protected water that remains flooded. Check current and water color before choosing a bank.
The dam’s operating depth is about 82 feet and its capacity is roughly 343,990 acre-feet, although the fishable pool changes. A low lake can pull nearly every useful pattern toward the old Rio Grande path. At higher water, newly covered flats and brush give bass and crappie more room.
White bass can show themselves with quick surface feeding. Cast a small spoon past the school and retrieve through it, then let the same lure sink after the action stops. Walleye may be using the lower part of the point or channel edge under the moving white bass.
Caballo is one of New Mexico’s striped-bass waters, but it should not be fished as a copy of Elephant Butte. The smaller lake and moving releases can gather fish around current and channel shape. Look for bait first, then keep the lure at the level where the school is actually holding.
Crappie depend on whatever useful cover is under water at the time. A brush line, flooded tree, or sharp little channel swing can be far better than a long bare bank. Fish the outside edge first so a small jig stays visible and spends less time snagged.
A practical day can be split into three short passes: a moving bait on a windblown point, a jig along the old river edge, and a bottom rig for catfish. That covers the lake’s main fish groups without forcing one lure to do every job.
Fish listed for Caballo Reservoir include Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, River Carpsucker, Smallmouth Buffalo, Walleye, White Bass, and White Crappie.
A good walleye start is to fish a jig and minnow, a live-bait rig, or a light crankbait along points and the first drop.
When white crappie are the target, try a light jig or minnow around brush, weeds, and the edge of deeper water.
The first largemouth bass pass should fish a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover.
A good channel catfish start is to fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat.
Other targets listed here include White Bass, Smallmouth Buffalo, and River Carpsucker; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig.
Wiper have also been stocked here; that proves fish were released, but it does not promise that they are still common or easy to catch.
The plan for Caballo Reservoir starts here: do not let the deepest number control the whole day; nearby cover, firm bottom, and food usually matter more than the deepest hole by itself.
A direct approach on Caballo Reservoir works like this: shallow water is worth a careful look in spring and again during fall; bright summer days favor shade, weeds, or deeper breaks; under ice, a small depth change can be more useful than a long shift.
The early check on Caballo Reservoir should stay simple: a medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle.
After a bite, write down wind, productive depth, cover, and water color; those clues make the next trip easier to plan than a list of random places.
While fishing Caballo Reservoir, keep the first hour simple: use one moving bait to find active fish, slow down with a jig or natural bait on the strongest edge, and repeat the same setup when two bites come from matching depth and bottom during that part of the trip.
Caballo catches releases from Elephant Butte and stores them for later irrigation delivery, so the two lakes are connected by both water and timing.
Try a firm point or old Rio Grande turn with a jig or crankbait, checking the shallow top and lower edge.
Fish fresh cut bait along the old channel or a warm flat during low light, and keep the bait still long enough to build a scent line.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.