Santa Cruz Lake is a reservoir in New Mexico, near Santa Fe County.
Santa Cruz Lake is a reservoir in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, and covers about 99.8 acres, reaches about 55 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 3,546.4 acre-feet.
To begin fishing Santa Cruz Lake, a point, weed edge, or small drop is more important than simply covering the whole shoreline. Deep water at Santa Cruz Lake gives fish room to move away from shore as summer heat and bright light build.
Santa Cruz Lake is a small, deep northern New Mexico trout water with an extraordinary record: the state’s 31-pound 12.5-ounce rainbow trout came from here. Brown trout, bluegill, and green sunfish add very different shallow and warm-water options.
Cast or troll small spoons, spinners, and minnow-shaped lures for rainbow and brown trout, checking the first steep break before the deepest water. Use tiny jigs or worms for sunfish around the warmest cover.
Santa Cruz covers about 100 acres and reaches roughly 55 feet. Its steep water gives trout room to move away from shore quickly, so the useful depth can change between a cool morning and a bright afternoon.
The record rainbow is part of the lake’s history, not a promise of another fish that size. Start with ordinary trout work: make a casting pass along the first break, then troll or count a lure down if bites show fish have moved away from shore.
Brown trout often respond to a small minnow-shaped lure or streamer in low light. Rainbow trout may take the same lure, a spoon, a spinner, or a light jig. Natural colors fit clear water, while a little brighter flash helps after wind adds color.
Bluegill and green sunfish give the lake a warm shallow pattern. Use a worm or tiny jig close to rock, shade, or any green plants. Their presence does not mean trout have left; it simply shows that separate depth zones can work at the same time.
A focused trip uses one light spinning rod and a small set of lures. Check the shaded bank, the first deep point, and a short open-water line. Repeat the depth that produces instead of chasing the 55-foot maximum all day.
New Mexico’s record rainbow trout, weighing 31 pounds 12.5 ounces, came from this lake.
Fish the first steep break and cool open water with a spoon, spinner, minnow lure, or light jig.
Use a worm or tiny jig around weeds, rock, and shaded shallow cover when the water warms.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.
Source dates describe the evidence, not a live catch forecast. Check the managing authority before planning access or keeping fish.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.