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Cochiti Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A no-wake lake on the Rio Grande: Cochiti holds walleye, pike and bass in quiet water below the Jemez.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
89 / 89 F
Wind
WSW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 08329000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Cochiti Lake offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. Today brings cloud cover, wind WSW around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 89. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 92 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Jemez River below Jemez Canyon Dam.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp89 F
High / Low89 / 66 F
WindWSW 11-15 mph
Pressure1007.0 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain73% cloud, 15%
Sunrise / Sunset06:39 / 19:28
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 89/66 F, wind 17 mph, rain 15%

Fair or better. A 17 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Cochiti Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Cochiti Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Cochiti Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 90 F, wind to 13 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Walleye led the card at good. High of 90 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 84 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

New Mexico requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

New Mexico license. No-wake boating lake-wide. Walleye, pike and bass limits per current NMDGF regulations; respect pueblo boundaries and posted closures.

Access

Corps recreation areas at Cochiti and Tetilla Peak: ramps, camping and day use.

About this water

A 1,200-acre Corps flood-control lake on the Rio Grande, Sandoval County, New Mexico, on Cochiti Pueblo land.

Fishing Cochiti Lake: the full guide

A flood-control lake with rules

Cochiti Lake covers about 1,200 acres on the Rio Grande north of Albuquerque, built for flood and sediment control and managed as a no-wake lake, which keeps it calm and fishable all day. Located on Cochiti Pueblo land with the Corps managing the recreation areas, it holds walleye, northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and white bass.

Walleye and pike

Walleye hold the points, rocky shorelines and deeper flats: jigs in spring, trolled harnesses through summer. Northern pike patrol the weedier coves and shallow arms, taking spoons, spinnerbaits and large plastics, and they reach good size in the fertile water. Both fisheries benefit from the no-wake rule that keeps the lake quiet.

Bass and the seasons

Smallmouth work the rock, largemouth the brush and coves. White bass and crappie appear in numbers depending on the year. Spring and fall are the best seasons; summer heat pushes fish deeper and the afternoon wind builds chop even without boat wakes. Winter fishing continues for the dedicated, with the lake rarely freezing hard.

Pueblo-area logistics

The Corps operates the recreation areas with ramps, camping and day-use facilities on both the Cochiti and Tetilla Peak sides. Rules reflect the pueblo partnership: respect posted boundaries and closures. Santa Fe and Albuquerque are both within an hour, making this the most convenient lake fishing for a large share of New Mexico’s population.

Common questions

What does no-wake mean?

All boats must run at no-wake speed lake-wide, which keeps the water calm and the fishing comfortable throughout the day.

Are the pike big?

They reach good size in the fertile water, holding in the weedier coves and shallow arms.

How close is it to the cities?

Within an hour of both Santa Fe and Albuquerque: the most convenient lake fishing for much of the state.

Is fishing good at Cochiti Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Pecos River36 miAbiquiu Lake42 miRio Grande68 miHeron Lake77 miEagle Nest Lake86 miCimarron River95 mi
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