Corrales marks free-fishing weekend with family outdoor day at Liam Knight Pond

Free fishing weekend brought Corrales families to Liam Knight Pond on Saturday, where the village and the New Mexico Department of Wildlife used a free, low-barrier outdoor day to give children and parents a place to fish, try archery and spend the morning outside without the usual cost of a license. The sixth annual Outdoor Adventure Day ran from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 500 Jones Road, a familiar local spot that state regulations identify as Corrales Community Pond.

The youth fishing derby was open to anglers 17 and under, with prizes for the largest and smallest fish. Participants were told to bring their own fishing equipment and bait, and the department set a bag limit of two catfish per angler. Alongside the fishing, the event included archery and pellet-gun ranges, turning the pond into a hands-on recreation space that was aimed squarely at families who might not otherwise have access to a full day of outdoor activities.

The timing mattered. New Mexico suspended fishing-license requirements for June 6 and June 7, while still requiring anglers to follow bag limits and all other rules and regulations. New Mexico State Parks also offered free day-use at parks with fishing and boating opportunities over the same weekend, widening access for families looking for low-cost outings. Mike Sloane, the department’s director, said the weekend was an opportunity for New Mexicans to learn how to fish and get outdoors.

For Corrales, the turnout and the event’s sixth year pointed to more than a one-off celebration. The outdoor day has now become part of the village’s early-summer rhythm, and organizers were already talking about making next year’s gathering even bigger. The same pond has hosted earlier versions of the event as well, including a fifth annual Outdoor Adventure Day in 2025 and a 2021 gathering that added wildlife identification and a fishing game. State listings also place Liam Knight Pond in a management category as a Special Summer Catfish Water and Winter Trout Water, underscoring why the site works as both a neighborhood gathering place and a practical place for young anglers to learn.