Stocking Season in Full Swing

  While reading through the NMGDF Weekly Stocking Report something jumped out. Four different entries for Navajo Reservoir for Triploid Rainbow Trout; 67331 fish between 6.9 and 7.2 inches totaling 9655 lbs in the span of 3 days.
Those are several healthy numbers as some stocked fish will reach decent size in the next year or two, but what I am excited about is the life span of Rainbow Trout, a contested 11 years. Understanding that wild Rainbows have a 90% predation rate, and hatchery reared fish even higher its still exciting to see the possibility of about 6000 fish reaching sizable weights at the 5/7/9 year marks.

Personal Goals

  This year in the midst on the annual corporate executive fulfillment of self importance for my workplace I was asked "Name One Professional Goal For 2013" which I immediately pencil whipped with a cheeky 'I plan to reduce the overall number of complaints I receive in 2013' scarily enough that answer was approved by both my shift supervisor and department director. I had no idea that so few people in 2012 disliked me. I am honored.

  Then the next question "Do you have a personal goal this year?" for some damn reason I stopped and actually processed this question, was it because it was phrased so differently from the vulgar easy-to-import-to-spreadsheet outcome columns questions? Decidedly not, it was because I had to be repulsively honest and say 'No I do not' and see at how painfully empty that looked.

  I knew I could do better, certainly owed it to myself to attempt it. In my reflection of how I spend my time out of work I looked to my hobbies, video games, fishing and tacklecraft. Despite the format of the newly profound question I approached it just the same as the rest of my performance review with
"I want to be the very best, like no one ever was" or " I will conquer the World...of Warcraft" and it sounded just... sad.

 With humor abandoning me I was left with that same crushing honesty and decided that I would have a personal goal;

 "In 2013 I will document the catch of all the Game Fish of New Mexico, attempting this on homemade tackle.  In keeping with the subject, my year starts April 1st and ends March 31."

  I'm happy to say I have a personal goal, and love to see the reaction it generates at work.

What Carp!

  Elephant Butte Lake:  March 31, Ed Stahl caught a 4.75-pound carp. He was using a nightcrawler

  And this was on the Catch of the Week.
  A Non-Game Species.

  I could see the justification of a Carp nod if say... It was a specimen fish, taken on a fly, caught by a child, ate a hooked fish being brought in, noodled with a pinkie toe (The Minimus, how fun) or an accidental catch while targeting sunfish on UL tackle, but this catch was none of these things. It is not my intent to verbally eviscerate Mr. Stahl, in fact good on you sir for taking the time to get out and cast, doubly so for cataloging your catch and submitting it.
  I am attempting to call attention to the both the lack of submissions by residents and the concerning decision making process of NMDGF and Bill Dunn who....

 Whom I realized just pranked the readership of the Catch of the Week.
 I admit to taking that hook, line and sinker up until this very moment,
 Well played Mr. Dunn, well played indeed.

Renew you licenses people, and give Mr. Dunn Game Fish submissions!