BLUEWATER LAKE, N.M. – October arrives with fishing at Bluewater Lake quieter than it was during the spring and early summer, but the year-to-date picture tells a much bigger story. Thousands of trout and nearly 1,000 young tiger muskies have been stocked at Bluewater in 2026, while the Grants Riverwalk Pond has received several trout plants of its own. While this week brought no new stocking and no new Bluewater catch report, the first October is a good time to look back at what has been put into Cibola County waters so far this year.
Bluewater Lake
The most recent fishing report for Bluewater Lake was received Sept. 24. At that time, fishing for tiger muskie was slow when using swimbaits. No new stocking was reported this week.
Bluewater remains under a Harmful Algae Bloom WarningAdvisory. New Mexico State Parks continues to report that a blue-green algae bloom is present and advises visitors to swim or recreate at their own risk. Visitors should avoid visible algae, keep pets away from affected water and shoreline areas, and check current advisories before heading to the lake.
Boating conditions remain listed as EXCELLENT.
State Parks’ most recent posted lake conditions, last updated Sept. 21, 2026, listed Bluewater at an elevation of 7,364.200 feet (MSL), with a surface area of 300 acres and an estimated volume of 3,008 acre-feet.
USGS provisional elevation readings show 7,364.27 feet on Oct. 3 and 7,364.23 feet on Oct. 6, a loss of 0.04 feet..
Although no fish were stocked at Bluewater this week, stocking records included in the Cibola Fishing Report show a substantial year of fish plants.
On Feb. 16, Bluewater Lake received 5,618 triploid rainbow trout. On March 10, the lake received two additional trout plants – 3,500 trout at about 10 inches and another 9,609 trout at about 7.3 inches.
Combined, those three plants put 18,727 triploid rainbow trout into Bluewater during the late-winter and spring stocking season.
Then, on June 24, Bluewater received 998 young tiger muskies, divided between plants of 296 and 702 fish. Those muskies were listed at about 4.7 inches and represent a longer-term investment in one of Bluewater Lake’s signature fisheries.
Based on the stocking reports recorded by the Cibola Citizen so far this year, that amounts to 19,725 trout and tiger muskies stocked at Bluewater Lake in 2026.
Visitors should also remember that OHVs, ATVs and dirt bikes are not allowed within park boundaries. Fireworks are prohibited at Bluewater Lake State Park, and wood gathering for campfires is prohibited within state park boundaries.
Seasonal hours remain in effect through Oct. 30, with the park open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Beginning Nov. 1, winter hours are posted as 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are available through Reserve America at 877-664-7787.
Grants Riverwalk Pond
There were no reported catches at the Grants Riverwalk Pond this week, and no new stocking was reported.
The Riverwalk has also benefited from several trout plants during 2026. Records included in this year’s Cibola Fishing Report show 100 triploid rainbow trout stocked Jan. 14, another 102 trout on Feb. 11, and 209 trout on May 14.
That brings the documented 2026 total at Grants Municipal Pond to 411 triploid rainbow trout through early October.
The pond remains a convenient in-town option for residents looking for a short fishing trip, walk or evening visit to the Riverwalk area.
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, especially as summer fishing patterns settle in. 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