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Eagle Nest Lake Fishing Report

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

A high New Mexico lake at 8,200 feet: Eagle Nest holds trout, kokanee and pike in the Moreno Valley.

3/5

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

Water temp

~54 F est.

Air / High

77 / 77 F

Wind

SW 13 mph

Sources: 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.

Eagle Nest Lake rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. Today brings cloud cover, wind SW around 13 mph, rising pressure near 1005 hPa and a high of 77. Water sits around 54 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

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 78 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.

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.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp77 F

High / Low77 / 51 F

WindSW 13-15 mph

Pressure1005.1 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain100% cloud, 16%

Sunrise / Sunset06:35 / 19:25

MoonLast Quarter, 50%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

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

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 77/51 F, wind 14 mph, rain 16%

Fair or better. A 14 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Eagle Nest 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

Rainbow trout

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

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 Eagle Nest Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data

Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 78 F, wind to 17 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 78 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 73 F, wind to 13 mph.

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. Kokanee snagging season, trout and pike limits per current NMDGF regulations; state park fees apply.

Access

Eagle Nest Lake State Park on US 64: boat ramp, day-use, camping. Ice fishing in winter.

About this water

A 2,200-acre lake at 8,200 feet in the Moreno Valley, Colfax County, New Mexico.

Fishing Eagle Nest Lake: the full guide

A lake in the Moreno Valley

Eagle Nest Lake covers about 2,200 acres at 8,200 feet in the Moreno Valley of northern New Mexico, ringed by the Sangre de Cristo peaks with Wheeler Peak rising above. It is a state park lake holding rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, brown trout, northern pike and yellow perch, and it is one of the state’s better high-elevation fisheries.

Trout and kokanee

Rainbows are stocked and taken from the bank and from boats on bait, spinners and trolled lures. Kokanee school in deeper water and are trolled with dodgers and small hoochies, becoming the main summer target, with a fall snagging season permitted when they turn to spawn. Browns hold the inlet and outlet areas.

Pike and perch

Northern pike are present and grow large in this lake, taken on large spoons, spinnerbaits and dead bait around the weedy shallows and the inlet. Yellow perch provide numbers. Ice fishing is popular through the winter, when the lake freezes solid and anglers take trout, perch and pike from the ice.

Colfax County logistics

Eagle Nest Lake State Park provides a boat ramp, day-use areas and camping on US 64 between Eagle Nest and Angel Fire. Wind funnels through the valley and can shut boating down quickly. Cimarron Canyon and the Cimarron River, fed by the lake, sit just downstream and offer stream fishing.

Common questions

What is the kokanee season?

Kokanee are trolled through summer, with a fall snagging season when they turn to spawn: check current rules.

Are there big pike?

Yes: northern pike grow large here, taken around the weedy shallows and inlet on spoons and dead bait.

Is the wind a problem?

Often: it funnels through the Moreno Valley and can shut boating down quickly. Watch the forecast.

Is fishing good at Eagle Nest 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

Cimarron River12 mi Rio Grande26 mi Trinidad Lake57 mi Abiquiu Lake68 mi Pecos River70 mi Heron Lake80 mi

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