Silver City, NM — Summer is almost here and so is the 7th Annual Aldo Leopold Kids' Fishing Derby scheduled for Saturday, June 2 at Lake Roberts, north of Silver City, NM. The event is sponsored by the Wilderness District of the Gila National Forest, as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Trout Unlimited, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Morningstar Outdoors, and numerous other local businesses and organizations.

Mora National Fish Hatchery is planning on stocking retired Gila trout for the event. This may be the year for a world record Gila trout on the end of your line!!

The derby will coincide with New Mexico's Free Fishing Day, so no licenses are needed, however daily bag limits still apply. Registration for the event is free and will begin at 7:00 a.m. and the derby will run through noon. There will be an awards ceremony to follow. There will be display booths, a concession stand to buy food and drinks (cash only), demonstrations, prizes and tons of fun for the kids. There is the potential again for the world record Gila Trout just waiting to be caught. Let's go fishing!!!
 
Reminder: the Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. If you will be camping, you can only have a campfire in a developed campground with a fire ring.

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.