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New Mexico

Fishing

Fishing

Regulations for Specific Waters

Alto Lake: Shore fishing hours: 5 a.m.–11 p.m.; Boat hours: Sunrise to sundown; Restricted to boats without motors only; City boating permit required; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines; Smaller pond open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger

Alumni Pond: Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines.

Animas River: (San Juan Co.) No bag or possession limit for channel catfish or striped bass (page 26)

Bataan Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Bear Canyon Lake: Winter Trout Water; No trotlines; Boats restricted to oars or electric motor only

Big Dry Creek: (Catron Co.) Closed to fishing from Golden Link Cabin upstream through its headwaters

Bill Evans Lake: Trophy Bass Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines; Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only

Black Canyon Creek: (Grant Co.) Closed to fishing November 1–June 30 from Forest Service Road 150 (North Star Mesa Road) crossing upstream to its headwaters; Special Trout Water; Gila Trout Permit (free) required.

Black River: Winter Trout Water

Blue Hole Park Pond: (Santa Rosa) Open only to anglers 11 years of age or younger, 65 years and older and individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License) Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines.

Bluewater Reservoir: One tiger muskie, 40 inches or longer

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice due to Little Bear Fire

Bosque Redondo: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Bottomless Lakes State Park: Winter Trout Water; No trotlines; Fishing with baitfish is illegal

Cabresto Creek: (Cabresto Canyon to the headwaters, not including Lake Fork or Cabresto Lake) Special Trout Water

Capulin Creek: (Bandelier/Dome Wilderness, Sandoval Co ) Special Trout Water

Canada Tio Grande: Special Trout Water

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Carrizozo Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Chaparral Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Charette Lakes: (upper and lower) Open to fishing from noon March 1–noon October 31; Boats may be used only during fishing seasons and are restricted to trolling speeds

Cimarron River: Special Trout Water

Clayton Lake: Trophy Bass Water; Open to fishing from noon March 1–noon October 31; Boats may be used only during fishing season and are restricted to trolling speeds

Cochiti Lake: Boats restricted to trolling speeds; Spillway closed to fishing.

Columbine Creek: Special Trout Water

Conchas Lake: Smallmouth bass less than 14 inches must be released

Conoco Lake (Loco Lagoon): Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines.

Corona Pond: (Silver Pond) Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines

Cowles Pond: (smaller of the two ponds) Open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger, 65 years of age and older, or anglers/individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License)

Dennis Chavez Pond: Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines

Eagle Nest Lake: Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season, October 1 – December 31; Day use only, camping available at Eagle Nest Lake State Park; Posted portion near dam is closed to fishing. There are no bag or possession limit for northern pike All northern pike caught must be kept in possession. No pike may be intentionally returned to the lake

El Vado Lake: Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season, October 1 – December 31

Escondida Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Estancia Pond: Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines.

Eunice Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Fenton Lake: Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only; Parking area open to vehicles from 6 a m – 9 p m May 1 – October 31 and from 7 a m –7 p m November 1–April 31

Frijoles Creek: (Taos County) Special Trout Water

Gavilan Creek: Special Trout Water

Gilita Creek: Special Trout Water; Gila Trout Permit (free) required.

Glenwood Hatchery Brood Pond: Open during daylight hours from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset

Grants Riverwalk Pond: Open to all anglers. Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Greene Acres Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Green Meadow Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines; Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only.

Grindstone Lake: Shore fishing hours: 5 a.m.–11 p.m.; No boats allowed within fenced or buoyed areas near intake and water diversion structures; City boat permit required; Boat hours: Sunrise to sundown; Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only; Boats restricted to trollingspeeds.

Harris Pond: (Las Vegas) Special Summer Catfish Water; open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger No trotlines

Harry McAdams Park Ponds: (Hobbs) Open to anglers 11 years of age and younger, 65 years of age and older or anglers/individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License); Winter Trout Water.

Heron Lake: Boats restricted to trolling speeds; Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season open November 11 (Veteran’s Day)–December 31

Hopewell Lake: Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only

Iron Creek: (Catron Co.) Closed to fishing upstream of the constructed waterfall barrier

Italianos Creek: Special Trout Water

Jack’s Creek: Special Trout Water

Jackson Lake: Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only

Jal Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Laguna Madre: (Maxwell Lakes) Posted area within 150 feet of the outlet is closed to fishing.

Laguna del Campo: Open to fishing May 1–October 31 during daylight hours from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset; Open to anglers 14 years of age and younger and up to two parents or guardians directly supervising youth angler(s); Open to anglers 65 and older or anglers/individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License); No boats or flotation devices allowed.

Lake Farmington: Restricted to non-motorized watercraft April 11–October 25; Open Sunrise to Sunset; Shoreline fishing year round.

Lake Maloya/Lake Alice: (Sugarite State Park) Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only; Open during daylight hours only.

Lake Roberts: Trophy Bass Water; Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only. No trotlines

Lake Van: Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Liam Knight Pond: (Corrales Community Pond) Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

Little Creek: (Catron Co.) Closed to fishing from the barrier upstream through all tributaries

Main Diamond Creek: Closed to fishing above the confluence with South Diamond Creek

Maxwell Lakes 13 & 14: Open to fishing at noon March 1–October 31; Boats restricted to trolling speed

Mineral Creek: (Catron Co ) Special Trout Water Gila Trout Permit (free) required

Mogollon Creek: (Grant and Catron Co.) Closed to fishing year-round upstream of Trail Canyon; Open to fishing, July 1 – October 31 downstream of Trail Canyon to FS Trail 153; Special Trout Water; Gila Trout Permit (free) required.

Monastery Lake: Open during daylight hours 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset; No boats or floating devices allowed; Ice fishing is not allowed.

Morphy Lake: Open to fishing March 1 – October 31 (weather permitting); Boats restricted to oars or electric motors

Nabor Creek & Nabor Lake: Special Trout Water

Navajo Lake: Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season October 1 – December 31 Designated no-wake areas closed to kokanee snagging

Ned Houk Pond: Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines.

Oasis State Park: Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water; No trotlines; Boats and flotation devices are not allowed.

Palociento Creek: Special Trout Water

Pecos River: Special Trout Water and Winter Trout Water; Summer Catfish Water in Villanueva State Park

Perch Lake: Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water. No trotlines.

Pine River: Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season, October 1–December 31

Quemado Lake: Bag limit for tiger muskie is one fish 40 inches or longer; Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only

Rancho Grande Ponds: Summer Catfish Water ; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines. Red River: Special Trout Water

Red River City Ponds: Middle pond is open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger, 65 years of age and older, and anglers/individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License); Large pond is open with no age restrictions; Ponds are open to fishing March 1–November 15.

Red River Hatchery Pond: Reserved for anglers 11 years of age and younger, 65 and older, and anglers/individuals with disabilities (Handicapped Fishing License); No boats or flotation devices are allowed; Open daylight hours 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset

Rio Cebolla: Special Trout Water

Rio Chama: Special Trout Water; Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season, October 1–December 31 from El Vado Lake to the western boundary of Rio Chama WMA

Rio Costilla: Special Trout Water; Camping allowed in designated areas only with permission from Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association

Rio de las Vacas: Special Trout Water

Rio de los Pinos: Special Trout Water

Rio Grande: Special Trout Water; Winter Trout Water downstream of Elephant Butte Reservoir; No length limit on smallmouth bass in Rio Arriba and Taos counties.

Rio Guadalupe: Special Trout Water

Rio las Animas: Special Trout Water

Rio Ruidoso: Special Trout Water

Rio Santa Barbara: Special Trout Water

Rio Valdez: Special Trout Water

Rito del Padre: Special Trout Water

Rock Lake Hatchery Kid’s Ponds: Open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger Open 8 a m - 5 p m

Roswell Kid’s Pond: (Spring River Park) Open only to anglers 11 years of age and younger; Special Summer Catfish Water; Winter Trout Water; No trotlines.

San Antonio River: Special Trout Water

San Gregorio Lake: Restricted to boats without motors only

San Juan River: (below Navajo Dam) No bag or possession limit for channel catfish or striped bass (page 26); Special Trout Water, only two flies per line may be used.

Santa Cruz Lake: Open from 6:30 a m – 8:00 p m May 1 – September 15 and from 7:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. September 16 to April 31. Ice fishing is not allowed.

Sapillo Creek: (Grant Co ) Gila Trout Permit (free) required

Sargent Wildlife Area: Special Trout Water

Sheep Corral Creek: (Grant Co.) Closed to all fishing.

Seven Springs Hatchery Kid’s Pond: Open 8 a m –5 p m to anglers 11 years of age and younger

Shuree Ponds: Special Trout Water; Open to fishing July 1–December 31; Daylight hours from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset; One pond is posted for anglers 11 years of age and younger; Restricted to boats without motors only.

Snow Lake: Boats restricted to oars or electric motors only

South Diamond Creek and Tributaries: (Catron and Sierra Co.) Closed to fishing.

South Fork Rio Hondo: (Taos County) Special Trout Water

Springer Lake: Boats restricted to trolling speeds only when water storage is less than 1,000 acre feet; Ice fishing is not allowed.

Stubblefield Lake: Posted area within 150 feet of the outlet is closed to fishing.

Spruce Creek: (Catron Co.) Closed to all fishing. Sumner Lake: (Stilling Basin) Winter Trout Water Tanques Creek: Special Trout Water

Timberon Ponds: Summer Catfish Water. No trotlines.

Tingley Beach Kid’s Pond: Open sunrise to sunset; Special Trout Water, South Pond only; Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water; No trotlines; No boats or flotation devices; Children’s pond open to anglers 11 years of age and younger.

Trail Canyon Creek: (Catron Co.) Closed to all fishing.

Trees Lake: Open sunrise to sunset; No boats allowed. Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water No trotlines

Ute Lake: Smallmouth bass less than 14 inches must be released

Valle Vidal: Special Trout Water; Open to fishing July 1–December 31 during daylight hours from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset

Valles Caldera National Preserve: Special Trout Water; Fishing permits are available at the Valle Grande Entrance Station and can be obtained upon arrival on the date fishing will take place. For further information visit: http://www.nps.gov/vall.

West Fork Gila and All Tributaries: (Catron Co ) All tributaries to West Fork of Gila closed to fishing; Headwaters to East Fork confluence Gila Trout Permit (free) required

West Fork Luna Creek: Special Trout Water

Whitewater Creek: (Catron Co.) Special Trout Water; Gila Trout Permit (free) required.

Woodrow Canyon Creek: Closed to all fishing.

Willow Creek: (Rio Arriba Co ) Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season open November 11 (Veterans Day) – December 31

Willow Creek: (Catron Co.) Special Trout Water ; Gila Trout Permit (free) required.

Yerba Creek: Special Trout Water

Young Pond: Winter Trout Water; Special Summer Catfish Water. No trotlines.

Age Restricted Waters

Several waters have age restrictions to provide angling opportunities for youth and elderly anglers and anglers with disabilities. These waters are only open to anglers as listed in the table below.

  • 11 yearsand younger
  • 65 years andolder
  • Individuals withdisabilities
  • 14 years and younger
  • Parents / guardians supervising children14 and younger mayfish (up to two)

Alto Kid’s Pond

Blue Hole Park Pond

Cowles Pond

Harris Pond

Harry McAdams Park Pond

Laguna del Campo

Rock Lake Hatchery Ponds

Red River City KidsPond

Red River HatcheryPond

Seven Springs Brood Pond

Shuree Kid’s Pond

Spring River Park Pond

Tingley Kid’s Pond