Grindstone Reservoir fishing

Grindstone Reservoir fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, and Channel Catfish on a reservoir. It is stocked about 15 times a year since 2020, most often in June and July. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and dusk and night for Channel Catfish.

AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
October 1, 2026
· Rainbow Trout
Plants on record
104
Since 2020
Species recorded
3
Average size
10.8 in
Elevation
6,899.1 ft

Fish at Grindstone Reservoir

3 stocked · 0 confirmed present

Rainbow Trout Stocked · 102 plants · last October 1, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked October 1, 2026 · avg 10.8 in · 102 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide
Channel Catfish Stocked · 1 plant · last October 15, 2020 Best: dusk, night

Last stocked October 15, 2020 · avg 11.2 in · 1 plant

Best: dusk, night

Channel Catfish species guide
Cutthroat Trout Stocked · 1 plant · last October 6, 2020

Last stocked October 6, 2020 · avg 10.4 in · 1 plant

Cutthroat Trout species guide

How Grindstone Reservoir is stocked

Source: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Fish stocked in 2020

32,245

Fish stocked in 2021

39,963

Fish stocked in 2022

5,997

Fish stocked in 2023

11,222

Fish stocked in 2024

15,819

Fish stocked in 2025

51,145

Fish stocked in 2026

31,501

Stocking history

Source: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
October 1, 2026Rainbow Trout1,49910.4 inreport
September 21, 2026Rainbow Trout1,50010 inreport
July 20, 2026Rainbow Trout2,99810.2 inreport
July 7, 2026Rainbow Trout1,49910.3 inreport
June 29, 2026Rainbow Trout1,50010 inreport
June 22, 2026Rainbow Trout3,00110 inreport
June 8, 2026Rainbow Trout3,00110 inreport
June 3, 2026Rainbow Trout2,00010 inreport
June 1, 2026Rainbow Trout1,00110 inreport
May 12, 2026Rainbow Trout3,00010.3 inreport
April 27, 2026Rainbow Trout2,99910.1 inreport
April 21, 2026Rainbow Trout3,00110.4 inreport
March 9, 2026Rainbow Trout1,50110.3 inreport
February 26, 2026Rainbow Trout1,50010.1 inreport
January 14, 2026Rainbow Trout1,50110 inreport
December 22, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50110.4 inreport
December 8, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50111.1 inreport
November 24, 2025Rainbow Trout1,49910.5 inreport
November 14, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50110.8 inreport
October 22, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.7 inreport
October 6, 2025Rainbow Trout1,49910 inreport
September 22, 2025Rainbow Trout1,65010.7 inreport
August 25, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.6 inreport
August 19, 2025Rainbow Trout3,00010.2 inreport
August 4, 2025Rainbow Trout3,00010 inreport
July 29, 2025Rainbow Trout1,49910 inreport
July 29, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50110 inreport
July 16, 2025Rainbow Trout2,99910.5 inreport
July 2, 2025Rainbow Trout1,49910.4 inreport
June 30, 2025Rainbow Trout1,49910.4 inreport
June 11, 2025Rainbow Trout2,99910.4 inreport
May 30, 2025Rainbow Trout3,00010 inreport
May 1, 2025Rainbow Trout3,00110.2 inreport
April 22, 2025Rainbow Trout2,99710.4 inreport
April 7, 2025Rainbow Trout3,00110.9 inreport
March 25, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.6 inreport
March 12, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.3 inreport
February 26, 2025Rainbow Trout39910.5 inreport
February 4, 2025Rainbow Trout2,60010.1 inreport
January 23, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.3 inreport
January 7, 2025Rainbow Trout1,50010.2 inreport
December 26, 2024Rainbow Trout1,12610.4 inreport
November 26, 2024Rainbow Trout1,21111.4 inreport
November 13, 2024Rainbow Trout1,50011.1 inreport
October 22, 2024Rainbow Trout1,50011.4 inreport
October 7, 2024Rainbow Trout1,48411 inreport
September 25, 2024Rainbow Trout1,49911.2 inreport
September 17, 2024Rainbow Trout1,50010.7 inreport
August 8, 2024Rainbow Trout3,00011.3 inreport
June 11, 2024Rainbow Trout2,99910.4 inreport
May 9, 2023Rainbow Trout2,40110 inreport
April 25, 2023Rainbow Trout40215 inreport
April 25, 2023Rainbow Trout2,39810.1 inreport
March 22, 2023Rainbow Trout1,49310.6 inreport
March 8, 2023Rainbow Trout1,50010.2 inreport
February 21, 2023Rainbow Trout1,50011 inreport
February 6, 2023Rainbow Trout1,52810.5 inreport
December 6, 2022Rainbow Trout1,49910 inreport
November 29, 2022Rainbow Trout1,5009.4 inreport
November 7, 2022Rainbow Trout1,49810.4 inreport
January 11, 2022Rainbow Trout1,50011.3 inreport
December 22, 2021Rainbow Trout1,12511.4 inreport
December 13, 2021Rainbow Trout1,12410.7 inreport
November 8, 2021Rainbow Trout1,12510.5 inreport
October 20, 2021Rainbow Trout1,12711.4 inreport
October 5, 2021Rainbow Trout1,12611.3 inreport
September 21, 2021Rainbow Trout99911.1 inreport
August 23, 2021Rainbow Trout49913.7 inreport
August 23, 2021Rainbow Trout2,49911.1 inreport
August 12, 2021Rainbow Trout50013.5 inreport
August 12, 2021Rainbow Trout2,50011.3 inreport
July 27, 2021Rainbow Trout3,00111.2 inreport
July 12, 2021Rainbow Trout25013.1 inreport
July 7, 2021Rainbow Trout3,00011.2 inreport
June 22, 2021Rainbow Trout2,99910.4 inreport
June 22, 2021Rainbow Trout19913.1 inreport
May 25, 2021Rainbow Trout2,99910.3 inreport
May 11, 2021Rainbow Trout2,99910.7 inreport
April 27, 2021Rainbow Trout49910.6 inreport
April 26, 2021Rainbow Trout2,99910.6 inreport
April 13, 2021Rainbow Trout2,99911.1 inreport
March 17, 2021Rainbow Trout1,49911 inreport
March 10, 2021Rainbow Trout1,49911.9 inreport
February 22, 2021Rainbow Trout1,49911.5 inreport
February 2, 2021Rainbow Trout44910.8 inreport
January 12, 2021Rainbow Trout44910.8 inreport
December 3, 2020Rainbow Trout76210.7 inreport
November 19, 2020Rainbow Trout44911 inreport
November 9, 2020Rainbow Trout45110.8 inreport
October 20, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50010.7 inreport
October 15, 2020Channel Catfish75011.2 inreport
October 6, 2020Cutthroat Trout1,49910.4 inreport
September 24, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50010.8 inreport
September 10, 2020Rainbow Trout1,49911.1 inreport
August 18, 2020Rainbow Trout2,99910.2 inreport
August 3, 2020Rainbow Trout3,00111.4 inreport
July 20, 2020Rainbow Trout3,00011.2 inreport
July 9, 2020Rainbow Trout2,83610.5 inreport
June 15, 2020Rainbow Trout2,99811.2 inreport
June 2, 2020Rainbow Trout3,00010.5 inreport
March 9, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50010.9 inreport
February 18, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50110.1 inreport
February 10, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50011.1 inreport
January 6, 2020Rainbow Trout1,50010.7 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
reservoir
Nearest town
Ruidoso, NM

View larger map · Open in Google Maps · Directions

Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish before you go.

Nearest lakes

Ruidoso River 4.1 mi last stocked June 11, 2024 Alto Lake 4.5 mi last stocked September 21, 2026 Rio Bonito Upper 8.2 mi last stocked May 19, 2026 Rio Bonito Lower 21.9 mi last stocked April 21, 2026 Carrizozo Recreation Lake 23.5 mi last stocked June 30, 2026

Public land at Grindstone Reservoir

Grindstone Reservoir is 0.4 miles outside the edge of Lincoln National Forest.

Boundaries from Public Lands DB, part of the same network.

Common questions

What fish are at Grindstone Reservoir?

Fishing Grindstone Reservoir usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 102 of 104 plants on record, ahead of Channel Catfish and one more. Rainbow Trout was last stocked October 1, 2026, averaging 10.8 in. Channel Catfish was last stocked October 15, 2020, averaging 11.2 in. Cutthroat Trout was last stocked October 6, 2020, averaging 10.4 in.

When is Grindstone Reservoir stocked?

Last stocked October 1, 2026. It is stocked about 15 times a year since 2020, most often in June and July.

How big are the fish stocked at Grindstone Reservoir?

Stocked fish average 10.8 in. Rainbow Trout average 10.8 in. Channel Catfish average 11.2 in. Cutthroat Trout average 10.4 in.

Sources (1) +