Information provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Warm weather in New Mexico melted hopes for a fast start to the ice fishing season as thinning ice forced the State Parks Division to shut down all ice activity at Eagle Nest and Fenton Lake State Parks.

The “first ice” of the season represents some of the most dangerous conditions for anglers, experts say, because the early ice can be very thin and inconsistent.

Would-be ice fishers are asked to check with local authorities along with New Mexico State Parks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service before heading out to sink their lines in frozen water.

Even where fishing spots are open, officials say, it’s important to be cautious about stepping onto the ice: If it is clear, the ice needs to be at least four inches thick to be safe for walking.

Away from the ice, fishing for catfish was reported slow using worms along the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte and Caballo Lake in Sierra County. The Department of Game and Fish had no other reports from popular locations in southwestern, southeastern and eastern New Mexico.

Game and Fish said the department makes every effort to provide as much information as possible during the winter months but said there would be fewer reports available as fishing slows during the cooler season.

The fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, is generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fishing activities.

Outdoor Adventures Show opens Feb. 14

The Game and Fish Department’s New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show will be held Feb. 14-16 at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. Admission is $5 for adults and free to youths 17 and younger as well as anyone who holds a valid New Mexico hunting and fishing license.

The show will be in the Expo’s Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex, running from noon until 6 p.m. Feb. 14; from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 15; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 16.

Vendors will have products for outdoor enthusiasts along with interactive activities for all ages.

Kids can take part in the Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation, which tests skills trying to track a game poacher on the loose.

New to the show this year is a “seed ball” activity that will teach youngsters techniques to attract pollinators to their backyard. Also on tap: lessons on aquatic insects and knot-tying.