New Mexico Wildlife Podcast · New Mexico Department of Wildlife

Episode 10 (June 2021) Catfishing New Mexico

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

New Mexico's state record flathead catfish weighed 78 pounds—discover what makes these giants so rare.

This episode of the New Mexico Wildlife Podcast focuses on catfishing in the state's warm waters. Host James Pittman is joined by Sean Denny, the warm water sport fish supervisor for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Denny grew up in Carlsbad, studied at New Mexico State University, and has worked for the department as a district officer and fisheries manager. The conversation covers the three primary catfish species in New Mexico: flathead, blue, and channel catfish. Sean Denny cites the state record flathead at 78 pounds and the record blue catfish at 54 pounds. He notes the state record channel catfish weighed 36 pounds but describes that size as completely abnormal for the species. Denny explains that in his work, he handles many fish and will typically stop to photograph flatheads or blue cats over 25 pounds. He says a channel catfish over 15 pounds is noteworthy enough for him to take a picture. Denny shares his personal background, including being stationed in Las Cruces and later serving as a fisheries manager out of Albuquerque for the Northwest region. The episode is framed around summer catfishing, prompted by the host noting the arrival of hot summer weather. The discussion is informational, detailing size benchmarks that signify a notable catch for an experienced fisheries professional. A key insight is the significant size disparity considered impressive among the different catfish species native to the state. The tone is casual and educational, featuring an interview between a host and a state agency expert. The style is conversational, centered on sharing practical knowledge and personal experience from a fisheries career. Listeners interested in local fishing, particularly targeting large catfish in New Mexico, would find this episode valuable. Those seeking high-drama storytelling or technical fishing tutorials might find the content too specific or subdued.

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