Fire Restrictions in Place at Bluewater Lake
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. - BLUEWATER LAKE – This week finally looked and felt like spring fishing at Bluewater Lake.
After a quieter stretch earlier this month, multiple reports came in of successful trout catches – along with one standout tiger muskie. At the same time, New Mexico State Parks has implemented Stage II fire restrictions at Bluewater, a reminder that as fishing improves, fire season concerns are arriving right alongside it.
Bluewater Lake
Bluewater Lake was active during the March 17–24 window.
The Cibola Citizen received multiple reports of trout being caught, and one report of a tiger muskie that came in just shy of the state record. The fish was caught this past weekend at Bluewater on March 22 by Benjamin Apodaca and was reported at 47 inches and 45 pounds. Apodaca landed the tiger using a Rooster Tail and a Dock Runner rod.
Another report came from Grants local Roger Siegmann, who said he and his wife Evelyn Siegmann caught and released several trout last weekend. They also reported seeing a father fishing with his little girl and having her help reel in the trout they caught.
Fishing for trout and tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake is EXCELLENT.
New Mexico State Parks continues to report that Bluewater Lake is free of ice and open to recreational boating and fishing, with boating conditions listed as EXCELLENT.
However, State Parks also posted that Stage II fire restrictions are now in effect
at Bluewater Lake State Park.
Under Stage II restrictions, visitors may not build or use fires, campfires, charcoal, coal, or wood stoves – including in developed campgrounds and picnic areas—and fireworks and other pyrotechnics are prohibited. Smoking is restricted, and additional limits apply to certain equipment and off-road vehicle use. State Parks notes that devices fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off may be allowed under specific conditions, but only in a cleared area with no flammable materials within three feet of the device.
On lake conditions, the most recent State Parks lake update lists the reservoir at 7,368.130 feet (MSL) with an estimated volume of 4,278 acre-feet and a surface area of 427 acres.
USGS provisional elevation readings show 7,368.07 feet on March 18 and 7,368.05 feet on March 24, indicating the lake’s elevation has remained essentially steady over the week.
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 at all times within state park boundaries, wood gathering for campfires is prohibited within the park, and OHVs/ATVs/dirt bikes are not allowed.
For current conditions, anglers can visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391. Camping reservations are available through Reserve America at 877-664-7787.
Grants Riverwalk Pond
There were no reported catches and no stocking updates for Grants Municipal Pond (Riverwalk Pond) during the March 17–24 period.
Share Your Fishing Story
Community members can strengthen these reports and help build a running record of fishing at Bluewater Lake and the Riverwalk Pond.
As your community newspaper, the Cibola Citizen looks forward to receiving and publishing local photos and stories from the lake and pond. Send your catches, conditions updates, and fishing stories to editor@ cibolacitizen.com.