Fisheries
Effective beginning 06/04/2025: This website, and all linked websites under the control of the agency is under review and content may change.
With nearly 1000 miles of streams and nearly 20 fish-bearing lakes, the Santa Fe National Forest offers a variety of fishing experiences. You can try hard-core backpack fly fishing in the wilderness or a family experience at established fishing areas.
You will find waters that provide habitat for warm water and cold-water fish. The New Mexico State Fish, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, can be found in some remote areas. Whatever type of experience you are looking for, you will likely find it on or near the Santa Fe National Forest. So, get your fishing license, clean your tackle and head for the waters of your national forests.
The fisheries program on the Santa Fe is working hard to recover native aquatic species. Climate change and the introduction of whirling disease are just a few of the reasons we are working to restore our watersheds to a healthier condition. You can join our on-going efforts by leaving no trace when you visit and by participating in our volunteer watershed restoration program, Respect the Rio.
With a diverse landscape, streams on the Santa Fe National Forest provide a multitude of fly-fishing opportunities along with stream bank casting. Fishing areas have been established in popular areas. Many provide access for people with disabilities as well as parking, restrooms and picnic grounds. The most common fish found on the Santa Fe are Rio Grande cutthroat trout, hatchery-stocked rainbow trout and introduced German brown trout.
Sample Fish-Bearing Streams on the Santa Fe National Forest
- Cañones Creek
- Cow Creek
- East Fork Jemez
- Gallinas River
- Holy Ghost Creek
- Jemez River
- Panchuela Creek
- Pecos River
- Rio Chama
- Rio de las Vacas
- Rio Frijoles
- Rio Guadalupe
- Rio Mora
- San Antonio Creek
- Winsor Creek
The dramatic geology of the Santa Fe National Forest offers a wide venue of lake fishing from backcountry headwater lakes to man-made lakes to kid's fishing ponds. With most natural lakes in the backcountry of the Pecos Wilderness, there are typically no facilities. Many lakes historically were not inhabited with fish but have been stocked over the last century with non-native cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout (just to name a few).
Sample Fish-Bearing Lakes on the Santa Fe National Forest
- Cowles Ponds
- Fenton Lake
- Lake Katherine
- San Gregorio Reservoir
- Stewart Lake
With nearly 1,000 miles of streams and nearly 50 lakes, spanning 20 watersheds, there is a lot of exciting work to be done. From high mountain lakes above timberline to warm water washes, there is quite a bit of diverse aquatic life to consider. In the headwater streams, Rio Grande cutthroat trout rest in high elevation meadow pools; while in the slow swirl of the Lower Pecos, flathead chub struggle to hide from predators.
The fisheries program is always in search of volunteers to help with inventory and monitoring. Such opportunities include stream snorkeling, high lake inventory, water quality monitoring and stream habitat surveys. No training is needed (but always a bonus), just anyone who is up to the task.
The fish program is required by law to assess impacts from management decisions and provide input for alternative actions. In addition, the program works strongly to promote improved watershed health, recovery of native aquatic critters and provide for public needs. Along with these efforts, we hope to reduce the spread of whirling disease and return Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout to their historic range. To learn more about our watershed health and environmental education programs, check out the Respect the Rio web page.
Whirling disease is caused by a parasite that attacks the spinal cartilage of trout and salmon. In developing young fish, this affects their ability to swim as their equilibrium goes awry. This is where the whirling disease comes into play as young fish will swim in circles unable to eat. Eventually this cycle emaciates the fish.
Whirling disease arrived in the United States from Europe in the 1950's from hatchery practices. In 1998, it was found in waters in New Mexico. Brown trout, another European import, have evolved with this disease and thus are not affected. Hatchery rainbow trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout are highly susceptible and have shown drastic population declines when waters are infected.
On the Santa Fe National Forest, whirling disease has been found in Rio Cebolla, Jack's Creek, and Pecos River. Inevitably, the parasite will spread. The amount of infection is up to all of us. Stream visitors can do their best, by cleaning all gear, including wading boots and fly rod before entering a new stream. This practice should be performed when leaving a stream, 300 feet from water's edge if using biodegradable detergent. If you do it at home, make sure you are not draining into a local waterway. The transporting of fish by individuals to different streams should be refrained.
The Santa Fe Forest fisheries program will continue to work hard to lower and maintain sediment delivery to natural levels. This will keep whirling disease localized. In addition, with the help of New Mexico Game and Fish, we will expand the range of Rio Grande Cutthroat trout, strengthening the gene pool and the population's resilience to disease.
The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is native to streams in the Rio Grande Basin, including waters on the Santa Fe National Forest. Rio Grande cutthroat trout is the State Fish of New Mexico and is the only cutthroat trout native to the state. Yet, over the years, the habitat has shrunk, and the population has declined. The fish is found in less than 7 percent of its historic range. The decline can be attributed in part to the introduction of non-natives, such as the German brown trout and rainbow trout. This has recently been complicated by the introduction of a devastating parasite which whirling disease.
The Facts
- One of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout native to the western United States.
- Occupies 150 miles of stream on the Santa Fe National Forest; only 15 percent of its historical range.
- According to U.S. Wildlife Service, 13 core populations remain in the world. Core populations are the key to the survival of the species. Four core populations reside on the Santa Fe National Forest.
- Typically spawn between middle of May and the middle of June.
- Evolved in New Mexico as a member of a native fish assemblage that included longnose dace, Rio Grande chub and Rio Grande sucker.
- Males are sexually mature at age 2; females at age 3; will live on average of five years; in rare cases, cutthroat trout have been known to enter their teens.
- Feed opportunistically on aquatic insects and terrestrial insects that fall into the water.
- Unfortunately, Rio Grande Cutthroat trout can hybridize with non-native rainbow trout, depleting the gene pool and weakening the population.
- Non-native German Brown Trout are piscivorous, which means they eat other fish, including our native cutthroat trout.
Respect the Rio is a multi-faceted restoration and education program designed to balance the need for preservation of riparian and flood-prone areas with needs of the public. They seek to do this by accomplishing the following goals:
- Identifying and addressing water quality issues that have developed from recreational use.
- Educating the public about habitat, habitat needs and on-going restoration projects.
- Creating community partnerships.
- Creating a program and materials that are easily adaptable to other forests and agencies.
Respect the Rio, created to address water quality issues in heavily used areas of the Santa Fe National Forest and to meet the needs of the high Hispanic population of the southwest, began in 2001.
Friendly to both fish and people, Respect the Rio works on two fronts: education and restoration. They use Contact Rangers, newspaper and radio ads, brochures, and interpretive signs in combination with restoration treatments such as fence and boulder barriers, scarification, and re-vegetation. Education provides recreationists with an opportunity to be stewards of public lands and protects the investment of improving habitat.
Every summer, national forests across the United States celebrate our connection to rivers and lakes with National Fishing Day. The purpose of this day is to introduce young children to the joys of fishing while promoting good fishing ethics and exposing them to a variety of conservation related issues.
On the Santa Fe National Forest, a free fishing day is offered to kids who haven't reached their teens. The Jemez and Cuba Ranger Districts and Seven Springs State Trout Hatchery host this educational fishing event that annually attracts nearly 200 kids.
For further information about upcoming events, contact your local ranger district.
Beaver Dam Analogs
Below are two videos explaining what Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) are and how they can contribute to a well-balanced ecosystem.