Upper Charette Lake

Upper Charette Lake is a lake in Mora County, New Mexico, and covers about 62.3 acres, reaches about 22.4 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 697.2 acre-feet.

A direct approach on Upper Charette Lake works like this: a point, weed edge, or small drop is more important than simply covering the whole shoreline.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Upper Charette Lake include Black Bullhead, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.

A simple way to find yellow perch is to keep a light jig tipped with a minnow or worm close to the bottom on a flat beside deeper water.

The first black bullhead pass should soak a worm or light piece of cut bait on the bottom in quiet water after sunset.

For rainbow trout on Upper Charette Lake, cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water.

To begin with brown trout, work a small minnow bait, spoon, or streamer along cool breaks and moving water.

How to Read the Water

A useful start on Upper Charette Lake is simple: 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.

Season by Season

Use this plain plan on Upper Charette Lake: 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

Before changing spots on Upper Charette Lake, a light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control.

When the bite is slow on Upper Charette 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.