Conejos River Fishing
Quality Water in Conejos County.
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The Conejos River: course, length and access
Anglers in Conejos County fish the Conejos River as a working river. The mapped length inside Colorado is near 92.5 miles. The nearest town on the Census list is Conejos, around 11 miles away.
CPW maps 3 reaches with special fishing regulations, about 24.1 miles in all. Public property on it: Rio Grande National Forest and Rio Grande National Forest – Aspen Glad Campground.
CPW Quality Waters: This stretch of river provides angling opportunities for trophy-sized brown and rainbow trout. Tackle is restricted to files only. Access is allowed through fishing easements on the Bear Creek and Sheep Creek subdivisions.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (special-regulation, Gold Medal and fishing location layers), NHD flowlines, Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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| Reach | Miles | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| From Menkhaven Resort downstream to Aspen Glade Campground | 5.1 | 1. Fishing is by artificial flies only. 2. The bag and possession limit and minimum size for trout is two fish, 16 inches in length. |
| Confluence with the South Fork of the Conejos River / Lower bridge at the town of Platoro | 13.95 | rule in the CPW brochure |
| Upper boundary of Aspen Glade Campground / Menkhaven Resort | 5.1 | see CPW brochure |
Where a reach of the Conejos River carries a rule, that rule governs.
Special regulation text for the Conejos River
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| From the lower bridge at town of Platoro downstream to the confluence with the South Fork of the Conejos River: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 15 |
| From Menkhaven Resort downstream to the upper boundary of Aspen Glade Campground: | Artificial flies only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 15 |
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
CPW special fishing regulation and Quality Waters layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Where to fish the Conejos River from land
- Rio Grande National ForestNational Forest
- Rio Grande National Forest – Aspen Glad CampgroundNational Forest
Check State Wildlife Area rules before fishing these Conejos River parcels.
CPW Fishing Atlas fishing location property names and Quality Waters access notes, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Fish of the Conejos River
Species documented on the Conejos River by CPW.
CPW Quality Waters species, state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The Conejos River mapped
The Conejos River has no mapped ramp; use public parcels and bridges.
Other CPW ramps around the Conejos River
- Coller SWA on Trujillo Meadows ReservoirTrujillo Meadows Reservoir, 14 miles
- Trujillo Meadows SWA on La Jara ReservoirLa Jara Reservoir, 15 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Colorado limits that apply on the Conejos River
| Species | Bag and possession | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee) | Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus) | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Kokanee salmon | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Yellow perch | Daily bag 20, possession 20 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Northern pike and bullhead | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
CPW splits some limits by drainage, and the Conejos River falls east of the Continental Divide. Unless a reach rule applies, these limits cover the Conejos River.
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026. All Colorado limits.
What sits near the Conejos River
Lakes to pair with the Conejos River
- Trujillo Meadows Reservoir13 miles
- La Jara Reservoir16 miles
- Platoro Reservoir27 miles
- Mix Lake28 miles
Registered outfitters around the Conejos River
- Conejos River Anglers, LLCfishing guide, Conejos River, Antonito
Mountain and plains towns near the Conejos River
- Alamosa34 miles
Streams to pair with the Conejos River
- Bear Creek, Conejos County5 miles
- Sheep Creek, Conejos County7 miles
- Osier Creek7 miles
- La Jara Creek8 miles
Counties holding part of the Conejos River
What Piscifun makes for the Conejos River anglers
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
A photo lineup of the fish at Conejos River
Photo: Meine Mutter (Erlaubnis liegt vor), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
The Conejos River: the questions anglers bring
What part of Colorado does the Conejos River drain?
Its channel crosses Conejos County.
Is the Conejos River stocked?
It appears on the Quality Waters layer.
Where are live cfs numbers for the Conejos River posted?
USGS runs no station here.
Can I fish the Conejos River without trespassing?
Open ground includes Rio Grande National Forest and Rio Grande National Forest – Aspen Glad Campground.
How many trout may I keep from the Conejos River under CPW rules?
Special rules apply on 3 reaches. Brochure text: Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long.
What is the nonresident fee for the Conejos River?
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
Which store is nearest the Conejos River?
No listed shop lies within 30 miles; stock up before the drive.
Which trout hold in the Conejos River?
The list shows rainbow trout and brown trout.
Which Census place is the shortest drive from the Conejos River?
Conejos, 11 miles out.
Block out a day on the Conejos River
Buy the CPW license online before heading out.