Rockbottom Tank

Rockbottom Tank is a reservoir in Eddy County, New Mexico, and covers about 0.5 acres, reaches about 2.3 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 0.6 acre-feet.

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

Fish and Baits

A direct approach on Rockbottom Tank works like this: the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.

The plan for Rockbottom Tank starts here: 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

Before changing spots on Rockbottom Tank, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.

Season by Season

While learning Rockbottom Tank, in spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.

A Simple Tackle Plan

For a short trip to Rockbottom Tank, 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.

One way to read Rockbottom Tank is this: 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.