CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. - Winter fishing continued across Cibola County during the Jan. 13–20 period, with Bluewater Lake remaining under a boating closure due to ice at the ramp, while Grants’ Riverwalk Pond received another trout stocking to keep intown fishing opportunities fresh.
Bluewater Lake
At Bluewater Lake State Park, the weekly fishing note reported trout fishing was FAIR to GOOD when using cheese PowerBait.
Boating conditions, however, remain the most important update for visitors.
State Parks continues to list Bluewater as temporarily CLOSED to boating because extreme temperatures have caused ice to form around the main boat ramp. Park officials are asking the public to refrain from going out onto the lake at this time.
The most recent State Parks lake conditions update available (last updated Jan. 5, 2026) continues to list boating conditions as closed, with the reservoir at 7,368.660 feet (MSL) and an estimated volume of 4,474 acre-feet. More recent USGS reservoir storage data shows Bluewater at 4,452 acre-feet on the morning of Jan. 20, compared with 4,456 acre-feet late on Jan. 19.
Bluewater Lake State Park remains on winter entrance hours through March 31, with the gate open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shower facility remains temporarily closed due to lack of heat, with that notice posted through April 1. Fireworks are prohibited within the park, wood gathering for campfires is prohibited within state park boundaries, and OHVs/ATVs/dirt bikes are not allowed within park boundaries.
For current conditions, visitors can check the Bluewater Lake State Park webpage or call 505876-2391.
Camping reservations are available through Reserve America at 877664-7787. Grants Riverwalk Pond
There were no new angler reports submitted from Grants Municipal Pond (Riverwalk Pond) during the Jan. 13–20 window, but the pond did receive another trout stocking.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish stocking report shows the Riverwalk Pond was stocked on Jan. 14 with 100 triploid rainbow trout from the Lisboa Springs Trout Hatchery, totaling 40 pounds (10inch class fish).
For local anglers, that means there are fresh trout in town for anyone with a valid license.
Readers can help strengthen these reports and build a running record of fishing at Bluewater Lake and the Riverwalk Pond. The Cibola Citizen is happy to publish photos and short reports from local anglers. Send your catches, conditions updates, and fishing stories to editor@cibolacitizen.com