vicente guerrero dam — las adjuntas
Large Tamaulipas reservoir, northeast of Ciudad Victoria, with a bass rule designed to grow trophy fish. It was very low in 2024 and has refilled.
Presa Vicente Guerrero, also called Las Adjuntas, is in Padilla municipality, northeast of Ciudad Victoria, in the San Fernando–Soto la Marina basin, and has Conagua records since 1971. The federal inland-waters rule gives black bass a regulation designed to produce trophy fish, and the reservoir also holds channel catfish, carp, tilapia, native mojarra and catán (Atractosteus spatula), the alligator gar. Drought years dropped the lake from over 3,000 hm³ in 2019 to about 300 hm³ in June 2024, according to Conagua. Rains from late June 2024 refilled it, and by October 2026 it held about 2,350 hm³. Fishing is by boat, with a guide, along points, coves and flooded areas.
best season
Fishing all year. From autumn to spring the water cools and bass are more active; in summer, the best time is early morning and late afternoon.
Local rules: Under NOM-060-SAG/PESC-2016, a sport angler may keep up to 5 black bass of 350 to 399 mm and 1 over 610 mm total length per day; bass under 350 mm and those from 400 to 610 mm go back in the water immediately. Fishing from a boat requires a Conapesca permit. Stay at least 250 m away from commercial fishing nets and boats (NOM-017). Confirm local rules.
- getting there
- Ciudad Victoria, the state capital, has an airport. From there, drive north and northeast to Nuevo Padilla and the reservoir shores.
- facilities
- Sport fishing outfitters and basic lodging on the shores and in Nuevo Padilla; Ciudad Victoria has full services.
- country
- Tamaulipas, Mexico
tip
The 400 to 610 mm range is protected to build trophies: carry a ruler on the boat, measure in the water, and release those fish quickly.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Mexico
Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual recreational-sport fishing permit (permiso de pesca deportivo-recreativa), issued by Conapesca and obtained online through the e5cinco system, with fees paid per day, week, month, year or excursion. 2025 values reported by Conapesca: 1 day, MXN 204; 1 week, MXN 510; 1 month, MXN 766; 1 year, MXN 1,021; excursion, MXN 1,453 (adjusted every year). Fishing from land does not require a permit; spearfishing requires an individual permit (NOM-017-PESC-1994, amended in 2013).
- Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo/chiro, roosterfish and mahi-mahi (dorado de mar) are reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coastal baseline.
- Sea catch limit: up to 10 fish per angler per day, with a maximum of 5 of the same species. Billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), sharks and giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas): 1 per day. Sábalo, mahi-mahi, roosterfish and baya: 2 per day. In freshwater, 5 per day. Fish caught beyond the limit are released alive back to the sea.
- Fishing within 250 m of beaches with bathers and of commercial fishing boats or nets is prohibited. Sport-caught fish may not be sold, and billfish may not be filleted on board.
- In natural protected areas, sport fishing is only allowed under the terms of the decree and each area's management program (Conanp); many have closed zones and stretches for catch and release only.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official DOF — NOM-060-SAG/PESC-2016, pesca responsable en cuerpos de aguas continentales dulceacuícolas (19/09/2016)Annex 1, item XLI (Presa Vicente Guerrero): commercial fishing species, including catán; sport bag limit of 5 black bass from 350 to 399 mm and 1 over 610 mm; the rest released
- official Conagua — Sistema de Información Hidrológica, série diária da presa Vicente Guerrero (VGRTP)Padilla municipality; records since May 1, 1971; 3,129.3 hm³ on January 1, 2019, 300.6 hm³ on June 19, 2024 and 2,347.2 hm³ on October 12, 2026
- official DOF — Modificación a la NOM-017-PESC-1994 (pesca deportivo-recreativa), publicada em 25/11/2013Item 4.10: sport fishing banned within 250 m of commercial fishing boats and gear; permit required for boat-based fishing