Presler Lake

Presler Lake is a lake in Chaves County, New Mexico, and covers about 38.8 acres, reaches about 11.7 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 253.6 acre-feet.

Presler Lake can be broken down in a few passes: shallow cover, the first break, and the deepest useful water. With little deep water in Presler Lake, weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

Keep the first check on Presler Lake simple: the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.

For a first pass on Presler Lake, begin with one slow bottom presentation and one moving bait, then let bites show whether fish are holding close to cover or roaming open water.

How to Read the Water

To narrow down Presler Lake, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.

Season by Season

A useful start on Presler Lake is simple: early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.

A Simple Tackle Plan

At Presler Lake, 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.

While learning Presler 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.