Fishing in
New Mexico
9,257 named waters · 19 stocked in the last 30 days
The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is one of the best tailwater trout fisheries in the country, holding dense populations of large rainbow and brown trout in a stretch of water that rarely freezes. New Mexico's high mountain lakes and streams add cutthroat and stocked rainbow trout fishing away from the desert lowlands most of the state is known for.
New Mexico holds 9,257 fishable waters on the books. NMDGF has logged 119 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout (triploid). The biggest water in the state is Elephant Butte Reservoir at 10,909 acres.
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What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout (Triploid)16 waters
- Channel Catfish9 waters
- Brook Trout2 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Eagle Rock LakeRainbow Trout (Triploid)Jul 24, 2026
- Eagle Rock LakeRainbow Trout (Triploid)Jul 24, 2026
- Los Pinos RiverRainbow Trout (Triploid)Jul 22, 2026
- Red RiverRainbow Trout (Triploid)Jul 21, 2026
- Hopewell LakeRainbow Trout (Triploid)Jul 20, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Red River9× stocked
- Monastery Lake6× stocked
- Eagle Rock Lake5× stocked
- Hopewell Lake4× stocked
- Lake Maloya3× stocked
- El Rito Creek2× stocked
- Cimarron River2× stocked
- Bonito Lake2× stocked
- Lake Van2× stocked
- Canjilon Lakes2× stocked
Biggest waters
- Elephant Butte Reservoir10,909 ac
- Ute Reservoir5,446 ac
- Caballo Reservoir4,617 ac
- Heron Reservoir4,497 ac
- Laguna del Perro4,477 ac
- Lake Lucero3,326 ac
- Abiquiu Reservoir3,258 ac
- El Vado Reservoir3,108 ac
Major rivers
- Animas Riverorder 8 · ~1,207 cfs
- Rio Chamaorder 8 · ~975 cfs
- Los Pinos Riverorder 7 · ~475 cfs
- Mora Riverorder 7 · ~282 cfs
- Jemez Riverorder 7 · ~264 cfs
- Rio Hondoorder 7 · ~205 cfs
- Chaco Riverorder 7 · ~170 cfs
- Rio Puercoorder 7 · ~169 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Catron (1,359) · Rio Arriba (971) · Otero (562) · Grant (547) · Socorro (496) · Lincoln (418) · San Miguel (413) · Chaves (375) · Sierra (372) · Doña Ana (327) · McKinley (314) · Hidalgo (292) · Sandoval (278) · Colfax (258) · Taos (239) · San Juan (230) · Eddy (216) · Cibola (211) · Santa Fe (211) · Guadalupe (148) · Torrance (146) · Mora (139) · Valencia (118) · De Baca (116) · Quay (104) · Luna (92) · Bernalillo (84) · Union (80) · Lea (63) · Harding (53)
Seasons, limits, and rules are New Mexico's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
New Mexico fishing — FAQ
Where does New Mexico stock fish?+
NMDGF logged 119 stockings across New Mexico in the last year, led by rainbow trout (triploid), channel catfish and brook trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
How often does New Mexico stock fish?+
New Mexico's agency publishes stocking updates that we check daily. Follow any water to track its stocking schedule.
Do I need a license to fish in New Mexico?+
Yes — New Mexico requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in New Mexico?+
New Mexico has 9,257 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.