N.M. Admin. Code § 19.31.4.11 - DAILY BAG, POSSESSION LIMITS AND REQUIREMENTS OR CONDITIONS

A. Trout:

(1) Waters with reduced bag limit: No person shall fish waters regulated for reduced limits while having in excess of that limit in possession.

(2) Brown, rainbow, cutthroat, Gila, lake, brook trout and Kokanee salmon:

(a) The daily bag limit shall be five trout and no more than 10 trout shall be in possession, unless otherwise specified in Paragraph (4) of Subsection A of 19.31.4.11 NMAC.

(b) The daily bag limit for cutthroat trout shall be two trout and no more than two cutthroat trout may in possession. Cutthroat trout are included in the bag and possession limits for trout explained in Subparagraph (a) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of 19.31.4.11 NMAC.

(c) The daily bag limit for lake trout shall be two trout and no more than four lake trout shall be in possession. Lake trout are included in the bag and possession limits for trout explained in Subparagraph (a) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of 19.31.4.11 NMAC.

(3) Special Kokanee salmon season: During the special Kokanee salmon season, the daily bag limit shall be 12 Kokanee salmon in addition to the daily bag limit for trout, and no more than 24 Kokanee salmon may be possessed in addition to the possession limit for trout. It shall be unlawful to possess Kokanee salmon at Heron lake during the closed Kokanee salmon season.

(4) On certain waters the following exceptions shall apply:

(a) Special trout waters - waters, hereafter referred to as "Special Trout Waters", the following exceptions shall apply:

(i) No fish may be kept or held in possession while fishing in the portions of the following waters:

Water name	Portion	County	Exception
Tingley beach south pond	Within the Albuquerque conservancy park	Bernalillo
Mogollon creek	Upstream from waterfall barrier near intersection of FS trail 153 to confluence of Trail canyon	Catron and Grant
Cimarron river	From the lower end of Tolby campground downstream approximately 1.4 miles to the first bridge of N.M. 64	Colfax
Leandro creek	Within the Valle Vidal (Vermejo tract-Carson national forest	Colfax	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Any stream on the Valle Vidal	Vermejo tract-Carson national forest	Colfax and Taos
Black canyon	From the forest road 150 (North Star Mesa road) crossing upstream to its headwaters	Grant	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Pecos river	In the Pecos wilderness, above Pecos falls	Mora
Rio Valdez	In the Pecos wilderness from the waterfall barrier 0.8 miles below FS trail 239 upstream to its headwaters	Mora
Rito del Padre	From fish migration barrier located about 0.3 miles upstream of the confluence with the Rito Sebadilloses upstream to its headwaters including Rito de los Chimayosos	Mora	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
West fork Luna creek	From the Carson national forest property boundary upstream to its headwaters	Mora	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Jack's creek	From the water falls located 0.25 mile downstream of NM highway 63 crossing upstream to its headwaters	Mora and San Miguel
Canada Tio Grande	Within the Carson national forest excluding private land	Rio Arriba	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Nabor creek and Nabor lake	Within the Edward Sargent wildlife area	Rio Arriba
Rio Chama	From the United States geological survey gaging station located 1.3 miles downstream of El Vado lake dam downstream approximately 3 miles to its confluence with the Rio Nutrias	Rio Arriba
Rio de Las Vacas	From fish migration barrier located about 0.2 miles upstream of FS road 70 crossing to its headwaters	Rio Arriba	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Tanques creek	From FS road 93 crossing upstream to its headwaters	Rio Arriba	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Rio Cebolla	From the Seven Springs day use area upstream to the headwaters including McKinney pond	Rio Arriba and Sandoval	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Rio Santa Barbara	From the west fork and middle fork confluence upstream to its headwaters including the east fork	Rio Arriba and Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
San Juan river	From Navajo dam downstream approximately 3.75 miles to the Crusher Hole day use are (east side of section 16)	San Juan
Capulin creek	From its confluence with the Rio Grande to its headwaters	Sandoval
Rio las Animas	Within the Gila national forest, Black range ranger district excluding private land	Sierra
Cabresto creek	From Cabresto canyon upstream to its headwaters not including lake fork and Cabresto lake	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Columbine creek	From its confluence with the Red river upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Frijoles creek	From its confluence with Rito de la Olla upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Gavilan creek	From its confluence with the Rio Hondo upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Italianos creek	From its confluence with the Rio Hondo upstream its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Palociento creek	From its confluence with Rito de la Olla upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Rio Costilla	From its confluence with Latir creek upstream approximately 2.4 miles to the Valle Vidal tract of the Carson national forest	Taos
South fork Rio Hondo	From its confluence with the Rio Hondo upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Yerba creek	From the its confluence with the Rio Hondo upstream to its headwaters	Taos	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited

(ii) The daily bag limit shall be two trout and no more than two trout shall be in possession while fishing in the portions of the following waters. Anglers must stop fishing in those waters when the daily bag limit is reached.

Water name	Portion	County	Exception
Gilita creek and tributaries	From its confluence with Snow creek upstream to its headwaters including Willow and Little Turkey creek	Catron	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Mineral creek	From its confluence with San Francisco river to its headwaters	Catron
Whitewater creek	From Catwalk National Recreation Trail parking area upstream to headwaters including all tributaries	Catron
Shuree lakes	Within the Valle Vidal (Vermejo tract-Carson national forest)	Colfax
Vermejo river and its tributaries	From the Vermejo Park ranch boundary upstream to its headwaters	Colfax	bag and possession limits for rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are unlimited
Rio Ruidoso	From Fridenbloom drive upstream to the boundary between the Mescalero Apache reservation and the city of Ruidoso	Lincoln
All waters within or adjacent to the Edward Sargent wildlife area	Including the Rio Chamita, Sexton creek, and Rio Chama, excluding Nabor creek and Nabor lake	Rio Arriba
Rio Chama	Within the boundaries of the Rio Chama wildlife and fishing area from Heron reservoir outlet 2.9 miles upstream to Cottonwood Flats	Rio Arriba
Rio Chama	From the river crossing bridge on U.S. 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7.0 miles to the base of Abiquiu dam	Rio Arriba
Rio de Los Pinos	From FS road 284 and 87A, 2.5 miles upstream to the private property boundary	Rio Arriba
Pecos river	From approximately 0.5 mile upstream of its confluence with the Mora river (Mora-Pecos) upstream to approximately 0.2 miles downstream of the bridge crossing at Cowles	San Miguel
All waters of the Valles Caldera national preserve	Sandoval
Rio Guadalupe	From its confluence with Deer creek upstream 6.0 miles to Stable canyon	Sandoval
Rio San Antonio	From the San Antonio hot springs pedestrian bridge upstream approximately 2.0 miles to the Valles Caldera National Preserve boundary	Sandoval
Red River	From its confluence with Goose creek 1.1 miles upstream to the Carson national forest boundary	Taos
Red River	From its confluence with the Rio Grande upstream to the lower walking bridge at Red River state fish hatchery	Taos
Rio Grande	From the New Mexico/Colorado state line downstream to the Taos junction bridge at NM highway 567	Taos

(b) In Sandoval county; brood pond at Seven Springs state fish hatchery, the daily bag limit shall be five cutthroat trout and no more than 10 cutthroat may be in possession.

(c) On the following waters the daily bag limit shall be three trout and no more than three trout shall be in possession; In Rio Arriba county: Laguna del Campo at Los Ojos state fish hatchery.

B. Warm-water fishes: The daily bag limit for game fish other than trout shall be as listed below and the possession limit shall be twice the daily bag limit.

(1) striped bass one fish;

(2) largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass five fish;

(3) walleye five fish;

(4) crappie 20 fish;

(5) white bass and white bass x striped bass hybrid 25 fish;

(6) northern pike 10 fish;

(7) catfish (all species, except bullheads) 15 fish;

(8) yellow perch 30 fish;

(9) tiger muskie (Esox lucius x E. masquinongy) one fish

(10) all other warm-water game species 20 fish.

C. The following exception shall apply:

(1) At Alto lake (Lincoln county); Alumni pond (Dona Ana county); Bataan lake (Eddy county); Blue Hole park pond (Guadalupe county); Bosque Redondo (De Baca county); Burn lake (Dona Ana county); Carrizozo lake (Lincoln county); Chaparral lake (Lea county); Conoco lake (Lea county); Conservancy park/Tingley beach (Bernalillo county); Corona lake (Lincoln county); Dennis Chavez pond (Curry county); Escondida lake (Socorro county); Estancia Park lake (Torrance county); Eunice lake (Lea county); Grants city pond (Cibola county); Green Meadow lake (Lea county); Greene Acres lake (Curry county); Harris Pond (San Miguel county); Jal lake (Lea county); lake Van (Chaves county); Liam Knight pond (Sandoval county); McGaffey lake (McKinley county); Ned Houk lakes (Curry county); Oasis state park (Roosevelt county); Pecos River within the Villanueva state park (San Miguel county); Perch lake (Guadalupe county); Rancho Grande ponds (Catron county); Roswell kids pond (Chavez county); Timberon ponds (Otero county); Trees lake (Luna county); and Young pond (Dona Ana county): the daily bag limit for channel catfish will be two fish and the possession limit shall be twice the daily bag limit.

(2) In San Juan county, in the San Juan and Animas rivers, not including Navajo lake, there is no daily bag limit or possession limit for channel catfish and striped bass.

(3) In Colfax county, Eagle Nest lake there is no bag or possession limit for northern pike. All northern pike caught at Eagle Nest lake must be kept in possession. No northern pike shall be intentionally returned to Eagle Nest lake.

(4) In Union county: Clayton Lake; In Grant county: Bill Evans lake; In Grant county: lake Roberts the daily bag limit for largemouth bass shall be two fish and no more than two shall be in possession.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 19.31.4.11

Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXII, Issue 21, November 9, 2021, eff. 4/1/2022