2026 regulation year
El Vado Reservoir 2026 — New Mexico Fishing Regulations
New Mexico statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
El Vado Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of New Mexico's 2026 fishing rules — covering Kokanee salmon, Lake trout. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Kokanee salmon 12 / day (24 in possession) during the fall snagging season Oct 1 – Dec 31, otherwise within the 5 / day combined trout/salmon limit; lake trout 2 / day, 4 in possession; brown trout 5 / day combined; secondary kokanee + brown reservoir below Heron
Source: New Mexico special-water list
Per-species rules on El Vado Reservoir
Snagging season Oct 1 – Dec 31 (12 / day, 24 in possession); secondary kokanee reservoir below Heron on the Rio Chama
Lake trout 2 / day, 4 in possession; secondary mackinaw reservoir on the Rio Chama
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
- Animas + San Juan Rivers (San Juan County)
- Bluewater Lake + Bonito Lake + Quemado Lake + Lake Roberts
- Brazos River
- Caballo Reservoir
- Cimarron River through Cimarron Canyon State Park
- Cochiti Lake
- Conchas Lake
- Costilla Creek + Comanche Creek
- Eagle Nest Lake
- Elephant Butte Reservoir
- Gila Wilderness Area
- Heron Reservoir
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at El Vado Reservoir?
- El Vado Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override New Mexico's statewide 2026 rules, covering Kokanee salmon and Lake trout. One of them reads: "Kokanee salmon 12 / day (24 in possession) during the fall snagging season Oct 1 – Dec 31, otherwise within the 5 / day combined trout/salmon limit; lake trout 2 / day, 4 in possession; brown trout 5 / day combined; secondary kokanee + brown reservoir below Heron." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish El Vado Reservoir?
- Yes. El Vado Reservoir 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 El Vado Reservoir; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide New Mexico rules.
- Do El Vado Reservoir's special rules replace New Mexico's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. New Mexico's statewide 2026 regulations apply on El Vado Reservoir by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules 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 El Vado Reservoir?
- Kokanee salmon and Lake trout have a water-body-specific rule on El Vado Reservoir, each linking to its full New Mexico regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide New Mexico limits.