When is rainbow trout season in New Mexico?

New Mexico keeps rainbow trout open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the New Mexico bag limit for rainbow trout?

The New Mexico daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 5 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger); 2 / day with 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters Trophy reaches. The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size rainbow trout can you keep in New Mexico?

The New Mexico size rule for rainbow trout is 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed Special Trout Waters. Slot limit: San Juan Quality Waters 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required — release fish under 20 in mandatory on the 4-mile Quality Waters reach immediately below Navajo Dam. Trophy rule: San Juan River Quality Waters tailwater country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater + one of country's top 3 inland trophy rainbow tailwaters alongside MO Lake Taneycomo + AR White River below Bull Shoals Dam — 5,000+ fish per mile of which 80 percent are 14 in or larger + 16-22 in rainbow routinely; NM state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 9 oz Charette Lakes 1981; NMDGF stocks ~2 million trout annually statewide via Lisboa Springs + Red River + Seven Springs + Glenwood State Fish Hatcheries.

Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in New Mexico?

Yes. New Mexico requires a valid fishing license to fish for rainbow trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a New Mexico license — compare resident and non-resident New Mexico fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in New Mexico?

Yes. In New Mexico, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches; Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on San Juan Quality Waters + Cimarron Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters reaches; Live bait prohibited on Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches; NMDGF Fishing License + Habitat Stamp + Habitat Management & Access Validation required ages 12+ ($25 res annual / $56 NR annual + $5 res/NR Habitat Stamp + $5 res/NR Habitat Management & Access); Confirm current-year NMDGF Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Special Trout Waters reach + season list.

Do specific New Mexico waters have different rainbow trout rules?

Yes. 5 named New Mexico waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including San Juan River Quality Waters, San Juan River Bait Waters, Rio Grande Gorge BLM Wild & Scenic, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

New Mexico Rainbow trout 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Last updated May 27, 2026

New Mexico rainbow trout fishery is anchored by the San Juan River Quality Waters (4-mile reach immediately below Navajo Dam — USBR Navajo Dam built 1962 — San Juan County) — country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater + one of country's top 3 inland trophy rainbow tailwaters alongside MO Lake Taneycomo (the Branson MO trout park system on the White River below Table Rock Dam) + AR White River below Bull Shoals Dam tailwater. The San Juan Quality Waters carries 5,000+ fish per mile of which 80 percent are 14 in or larger — the most-fished wild rainbow tailwater in the country per acre, with year-round Mysis-shrimp + tiny-midge + tiny-scud + San Juan Worm + leech patterns producing 16-22 in rainbow routinely on size 22-26 midge + scud + Mysis-shrimp imitations. NMDGF Special Trout Waters Quality Waters designation — 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required — protects the trophy fishery. Downstream of the Quality Waters is the San Juan Bait Waters (1-mile reach where bait + spinning gear is permitted) + the standard San Juan harvest reach with trout 5 / day combined. The Rio Grande Gorge BLM Wild & Scenic 47.4-mile reach (Taos County) is country's premier deep-gorge wild rainbow + brown + cutbow fishery — 800-ft basalt-canyon walls require permitted descent through La Junta + Big Arsenic + Little Arsenic + Bear Crossing + Cebolla Mesa access points. The Cimarron River through Cimarron Canyon State Park (Colfax County — 7-mile reach Eagle Nest Lake to Cimarron NM) carries NMDGF Special Trout Waters Quality Management — 4 / day with 12 in min + artificial-fly-and-lure only on listed reaches. The Red River from Questa to the Rio Grande confluence (Taos County) carries the wild brown + rainbow + cutbow tailwater fishery + Red River State Fish Hatchery Rio Grande cutthroat broodstock source. The Rio Chama Wild & Scenic reach below El Vado Dam (Rio Arriba County) carries the wild brown + rainbow tailwater + float-fishing season May – October. Heron Reservoir + El Vado Reservoir + Eagle Nest Lake + Navajo Reservoir + smaller-reservoir trout tier (Bluewater + Bonito + Quemado + Lake Roberts) carry hatchery-supported still-water rainbow fisheries. NMDGF stocks ~2 million catchable + fingerling trout annually statewide via Lisboa Springs + Red River + Seven Springs + Glenwood State Fish Hatcheries. NM state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 9 oz Charette Lakes 1981. Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; San Juan Quality Waters carries year-round Mysis-shrimp + midge tailwater fishery; NMDGF Special Trout Waters reaches carry reach-specific Quality + Trophy regulations.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger); 2 / day with 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters Trophy reaches
Possession: 10 in possession combined trout

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed Special Trout Waters
Slot: San Juan Quality Waters 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required — release fish under 20 in mandatory on the 4-mile Quality Waters reach immediately below Navajo Dam
Trophy rule: San Juan River Quality Waters tailwater country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater + one of country's top 3 inland trophy rainbow tailwaters alongside MO Lake Taneycomo + AR White River below Bull Shoals Dam — 5,000+ fish per mile of which 80 percent are 14 in or larger + 16-22 in rainbow routinely; NM state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 9 oz Charette Lakes 1981; NMDGF stocks ~2 million trout annually statewide via Lisboa Springs + Red River + Seven Springs + Glenwood State Fish Hatcheries

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches
Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on San Juan Quality Waters + Cimarron Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters reaches
Live bait prohibited on Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches
NMDGF Fishing License + Habitat Stamp + Habitat Management & Access Validation required ages 12+ ($25 res annual / $56 NR annual + $5 res/NR Habitat Stamp + $5 res/NR Habitat Management & Access)
Confirm current-year NMDGF Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Special Trout Waters reach + season list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific New Mexico waters:

San Juan River Quality Waters
Trout 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater 5,000+ fish per mile
San Juan River Bait Waters
Trout 5 / day combined; bait + spinning gear permitted on this harvest reach
Rio Grande Gorge BLM Wild & Scenic
Trout 5 / day combined; wild brown + rainbow + cutbow + Rio Grande cutthroat on listed reaches
Cimarron River through Cimarron Canyon State Park
Trout 4 / day with 12 in min Quality Management + artificial-fly-and-lure only on listed reaches
Heron Reservoir
Trout 5 / day combined; kokanee 12 / day (24 in possession) during the fall snagging season, otherwise within the 5 / day combined trout/salmon limit; lake trout 2 / day, 4 in possession; NM state-record brown trout 20 lb 4 oz Heron 1946 (still standing)

Official source

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) publishes the authoritative 2026 New Mexicofishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official New Mexico fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Rainbow trout closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to New Mexico Department of Game and Fish's emergency-order feed — check it before any New Mexico trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is rainbow trout season in New Mexico?: New Mexico keeps rainbow trout open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the New Mexico bag limit for rainbow trout?: The New Mexico daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 5 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger); 2 / day with 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters Trophy reaches. The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size rainbow trout can you keep in New Mexico?: The New Mexico size rule for rainbow trout is 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed Special Trout Waters. Slot limit: San Juan Quality Waters 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required — release fish under 20 in mandatory on the 4-mile Quality Waters reach immediately below Navajo Dam. Trophy rule: San Juan River Quality Waters tailwater country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater + one of country's top 3 inland trophy rainbow tailwaters alongside MO Lake Taneycomo + AR White River below Bull Shoals Dam — 5,000+ fish per mile of which 80 percent are 14 in or larger + 16-22 in rainbow routinely; NM state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 9 oz Charette Lakes 1981; NMDGF stocks ~2 million trout annually statewide via Lisboa Springs + Red River + Seven Springs + Glenwood State Fish Hatcheries.
Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in New Mexico?: Yes. New Mexico requires a valid fishing license to fish for rainbow trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a New Mexico license — compare resident and non-resident New Mexico fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in New Mexico?: Yes. In New Mexico, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches; Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on San Juan Quality Waters + Cimarron Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters reaches; Live bait prohibited on Special Trout Waters Quality + Trophy reaches; NMDGF Fishing License + Habitat Stamp + Habitat Management & Access Validation required ages 12+ ($25 res annual / $56 NR annual + $5 res/NR Habitat Stamp + $5 res/NR Habitat Management & Access); Confirm current-year NMDGF Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Special Trout Waters reach + season list.
Do specific New Mexico waters have different rainbow trout rules?: Yes. 5 named New Mexico waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including San Juan River Quality Waters, San Juan River Bait Waters, Rio Grande Gorge BLM Wild & Scenic, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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