2026 regulation year
Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County) 2026 — New Mexico Fishing Regulations
New Mexico statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of New Mexico's 2026 fishing rules — covering Striped bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
Get change alerts
Watch Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County) (NM) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
Per-species rules on Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County)
NO bag or possession limit on striped bass — NMDGF discourages stripers in the San Juan trout tailwater
Official source
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) publishes the authoritative 2026 New Mexico fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official New Mexico fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.
Other special-regulation waters in New Mexico
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County)?
- Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides New Mexico's statewide 2026 rules, covering Striped bass. It reads: "NO bag or possession limit on striped bass — NMDGF discourages stripers in the San Juan trout tailwater." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County)?
- Yes. Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County) is in New Mexico, so a valid New Mexico fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Animas + San Juan Rivers; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide New Mexico rules.
- Do Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County)'s special rules replace New Mexico's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. New Mexico's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Animas + San Juan Rivers by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Animas + San Juan Rivers?
- Striped bass has a water-body-specific rule on Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County), each linking to its full New Mexico regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide New Mexico limits.