Wetback Tank

Wetback Tank is a reservoir in Sierra County, New Mexico.

Use the shape you can see at Wetback Tank: check the best cover, the first drop, and one open-water line before moving.

Fish and Baits

The early check on Wetback Tank should stay simple: the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.

One way to read Wetback Tank is this: 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

While learning Wetback Tank, 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

For a short trip to Wetback 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 the next pass on Wetback 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.

When the bite is slow on Wetback Tank, 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.