Outdoors and wildfire - San Luis Valley
The Conejos River carries special fishing rules, not the statewide default
Parts of the Conejos River are managed with artificial-flies-only and a small, large-size trout limit, so the rules differ from general Colorado fishing and change by stretch of river.
Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 11, 2026
The Conejos River is one of the better-known trout streams in southern Colorado, with brown and rainbow trout along much of its length. But the rules on it are not the same as the general statewide fishing rules, and that is easy to get wrong.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages part of the river under special regulations. On that stretch, fishing is by artificial flies only, and the trout limit is small with a large minimum size. That kind of rule is meant to protect bigger fish and keep the fishing strong, and it is different from the everyday bag limits most anglers are used to.
Just as important, the rules can change from one section of river to the next, and a lot of the river runs past private land. Public fishing on some reaches depends on easements tied to specific subdivisions, so where you stand on the bank can decide whether you are allowed to be there at all.
Before you cast, read the current Conejos River page and the statewide fishing brochure from Colorado Parks and Wildlife so you know the method, the limit, and the access rules for the exact stretch you plan to fish.