Windy Smith Tank

Windy Smith Tank is a reservoir in Chaves County, New Mexico.

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

Fish and Baits

The early check on Windy Smith Tank should stay 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 Windy Smith Tank, 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

For a short trip to Windy Smith 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

While learning Windy Smith 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

One way to read Windy Smith Tank is this: 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.

During the first hour on Windy Smith 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.