Competition Heats Up Along With The Weather During Second Week Of Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge
Nine more fish caught during second week of tournament

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ANNAPOLIS — The sweltering heat last weekend and earlier this week did little to dissuade anglers from heading out onto the water to try their luck at landing one of 2,000 tagged fish released as part of the Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge. Since the tournament kicked off on June 3, 22 tagged fish including 18 largemouth bass, three striped bass and one white perch, have been caught and certified by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service biologists.

“Catches of tagged striped bass and white perch are slowly picking up as water temperatures continue to rise,” said Martin L. Gary, a DNR Fisheries Ecologist. ”Out of hundreds of tagged Atlantic croaker, only one has been reported caught thus far, but we expect that to change as the croaker bite historically turns on around July 4th.”

The lucky anglers who landed tagged fish this week will all receive a $25 gift certificate to Boater’s World and a Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge t-shirt. They will also be entered into the drawing to play for the $1 million prize. They are:

June 13
• Greg Hutton of Edgewater caught a 24" striped bass (tag #1493) on the Hill near the mouth of Eastern Bay.

June 12
• Richard "Rich" Bruce of West Chester, PA, caught a 17” largemouth bass (tag #305) in the Sassafras River.

• Glen Pittman of Arbutus caught a 16" largemouth bass (tag# 202) on the Susquehanna Flats.

June 11
• Joe Kauders of Baltimore caught a 16.5” largemouth bass (tag #214) on the Susquehanna Flats.

• James Lawrence of Meridianville, AL, caught a 16” largemouth bass (tag #166) from Oxon Cove on the Potomac River.

• Robert Sebeck of Baltimore caught a 17.5" largemouth bass (tag #139) on the Potomac River near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Spoils.

June 9
• Clifford Pannebaker of Essex caught a 17" largemouth bass (tag #181) in Dundee Creek in Baltimore County.

• Brian Nurmi of Annapolis caught a 9" white perch (tag #1427) near the mouth of the Severn River.

June 8
• Dan Gemmill of Ellendale, DE caught a 16.5" largemouth bass (tag # 359) in Marshyhope Creek in Dorchester County.


All catches, including a photo of the angler with his or her fish, are listed on the Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge website, which is located at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fish4cash/. The site also contains official rules and frequently asked questions about the tournament.

The Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge is sponsored by Boater’s World and the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED). Approximately 2,000 fish have been fitted with a bright green tag and released into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Anglers who catch one of the specially tagged striped bass, largemouth bass, Atlantic croaker and white perch are reminded NOT TO REMOVE THE TAG from the fish and to immediately call the phone number listed on it. A DNR Fisheries biologist will come out to verify the catch within 24 hours and only after that should the angler release the fish back into the water.

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June 17, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov