Jesse James & Michael DominguezMimbres, NM — If you missed the Free Fishing Day at Lake Roberts this year, you missed out on some great fishing and a general good time!

Dustin Myers, fish biologist for the Gila National Forest claims "it went off without a hitch and was a banner year for number of fish caught!" In total, over 80 fish were checked in at the weigh station, with the majority being Gila trout, with the many of them over 18". The winner of the Aldo Leopold Kids Fishing Derby was Jesse James Dominguez, from Mimbres, NM, with his fish length of 18.6". It was the biggest fish and the biggest Gila trout.

Gila TroutSponsors for the event included: First New Mexico Bank, Chavez Construction, Morningstar Outdoors, True Value of Silver City, Thomas Law and Company, Jason Amaro, and Jerry Monzingo. Cooperators included USFWS-Mora Hatchery, New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Trout Unlimited, Mesilla Valley Fly Fishers, and employees of the Gila National Forest.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on Twitter @GilaNForest.