Callahan Lake

Callahan Lake is a lake in Harding County, New Mexico, and covers about 17.1 acres, reaches about 8.6 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 81.8 acre-feet.

The small size of Callahan Lake makes quiet casts and short moves more useful than carrying a pile of tackle. With little deep water in Callahan Lake, weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Callahan Lake include Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Green Sunfish, and Largemouth Bass.

For bluegill on Callahan Lake, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets.

While looking for largemouth bass on Callahan Lake, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover.

The first channel catfish pass on Callahan Lake should fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat.

How to Read the Water

When working Callahan Lake, make one shallow pass and one deeper pass on the same shoreline; that shows whether fish are tight to cover or using the first break.

Season by Season

Before changing spots on Callahan Lake, early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the strongest clues; as the water heats up, check lower edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.

A Simple Tackle Plan

A focused trip to Callahan Lake begins this way: 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.

For the next pass on Callahan Lake, record the wind, water color, productive depth, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.