Rules & Regulations
Cast net laws in New Mexico
Legal with restrictionsInformational only — this is not legal advice
Fishing regulations change, sometimes with little notice, and can vary further by county, water body, or season within a state. This page is a starting point for research, not a substitute for the law. Always verify current rules directly with your state's fish & wildlife agency or TakeMeFishing.org before you fish. BasicGear is not responsible for citations, fines, or gear seizures resulting from reliance on this page.
Last verified: 2026-07-08 — regulations are re-checked periodically; see the date above before assuming this is current.
Summary
Cast nets are explicitly named as permitted freshwater baitfish gear; protected species must be released immediately. The 20 ft figure in New Mexico's rule caps the broader "nets" category (cast nets, dip nets, seines combined) by length — it isn't a per-net radius or diameter.
Size, mesh & licensing
- Max size
- Not a per-net radius/diameter figure — the general "nets" category is capped at 20 ft length
- Mesh
- Maximum 3/8 in mesh
- Water type
- Freshwater only
- License
- Yes — valid New Mexico fishing license (exempt: children 11 and under)
Recommended BasicGear net
Cast Net — Basic Series — Choose 1/4" or 3/8" mesh — any BasicGear cast net (up to 12 ft radius / 24 ft diameter) is comfortably inside New Mexico's 20 ft category cap.
Official source
New Mexico 19.31.10 NMAC "Taking of Bait Fish"↗
High confidenceLast verified: 2026-07-08
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