Freestone · Volcanic · New Mexico

Red River (lower)

River Livet venue image
Google Places

The lower Red River runs down through Questa toward its confluence with the Rio Grande in the Wild Rivers country, and it gives the New Mexico pack a useful northern, shoulder-season option.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
11°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity5912% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
11.3°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
19°C
Wind
SW 26 km/h
Moderate breeze
Pressure
1015 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.8 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year; verify reach rules and the stocked/wild distinction against NMDGF
  • A Habitat Stamp applies on USFS/BLM land
  • Treat any native cutthroat with care — no trophy framing.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The lower Red River runs down through Questa toward its confluence with the Rio Grande in the Wild Rivers country, and it gives the New Mexico pack a useful northern, shoulder-season option. It's a freestone with some spring influence, holding browns and rainbows and the odd cutbow, and it fishes best when the bigger water is too cold or too high. The headwater story includes historic mining-recovery and native-fish work, so treat any cutthroat with care and don't over-promise. It's a small-water dry-dropper river once snowmelt clears, with a winter window down near the confluence when the high country is shut. Check the public access — some of the corridor is straightforward, some less so.

  • Volcanic
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 5