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 Nov. 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: Open to fishing during daylight hours 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. No boats or floating devices allowed; Ice fishing is not allowed.

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 Oct. 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, Oct. 1–Dec. 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, Oct. 1–Dec. 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–Oct. 31 and from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Nov. 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 trolling speeds.

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 opens Nov. 11 (Veteran’s Day)–Dec. 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–Oct. 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–Oct. 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 and 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–Oct. 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–Oct. 31 (weather permitting); Boats restricted to oars or electric motors.

Nabor Creek and Nabor Lake: Special Trout Water.

Navajo Lake: Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1–Dec. 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, Oct. 1–Dec. 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–Nov. 15.

Red River Hatchery Pond: Reserved for anglers 11 years of age and younger, 65 and older, and anglers/individuals with disabilities (HandicappedFishing 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, Oct. 1–Dec. 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. (page 17)

Santa Cruz Lake: Open Thursdays through Mondays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting March 1 and Thursdays through Mondays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting May 15. Santa Cruz Lake is closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 22–26, and New Year’s Day.

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–Dec. 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–Dec. 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 Nov. 11 (Veterans Day)–Dec. 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.