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Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Women And Children Get Into The Act In The Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge
Five women, two young sisters have reeled in tagged fish
ANNAPOLIS — Watch out men, the lady anglers are coming on strong! Five women and two young sisters have caught tagged fish during the first four weeks of the Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge. Bobbie Jo Simmons (Fishing Creek), Amy Dwyer (Rock Hall), Stacey Goode (Callaway), Dawn Finkel (Annapolis), Paula Joy Wilson (Tilghman) and sisters Khadijha and Shariya Jones (Federalsburg) caught three striped bass, two croaker and one largemouth bass between them.

Since the tournament kicked off on June 3, 73 tagged fish including 45 largemouth bass, 20 striped bass, seven croaker and one white perch, have been caught and certified by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service biologists.

"The holiday weekend marks the perfect opportunity for anglers to try their luck in the contest. Bottom fishing is red hot in many locations for white perch and croakers. Striper fishing has been outstanding in the lower Bay and is getting better by the day in the middle and upper Chesapeake Bay. Largemouth bass action in the tributaries has been excellent, particularly on the Susquehanna Flats. This could be one of the biggest weekends of the contest,” said Martin L. Gary, DNR Fisheries Ecologist.

July Fourth is also the last Free Fishing Day of the year in Maryland. Prospective anglers that have not purchased a fishing license can ‘test drive’ the many great sportfishing opportunities Maryland’s portion of the Bay has to offer. For more information about Free Fishing Days in Maryland, visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/freefishing.html.

The lucky anglers who landed tagged fish this week will receive a $25 gift certificate to Boater’s World and a Maryland $1,000,000 Fishing Challenge t-shirt. They are:

    June 30
  • Richard Phillips of Millington caught a 21.5" striped bass on the Chester River.
    June 29
  • Khadijha & Shariya Jones of Federalsburg caught a 15.5" largemouth bass on Marshyhope Creek.
  • Stacey Goode of Callaway caught an 18" striped bass on Island Creek in the Potomac.
    June 27
  • Edward M. Dailey of Baltimore caught a 22" striped bass at the mouth of the Patapsco River.
  • Robert G. “Bob” Reynolds of Parkville caught a 20" striped bass at Point Lookout.
  • Racheau Lipscomb of District Heights caught a 22.25" striped bass at Point Lookout.
    June 26
  • Dawn Finkel of Annapolis caught a 21" striped bass off Sandy Point.
  • Clifford R. Wilson of Sherwood caught a 16" croaker on Parkers Creek.
  • Peter J. Sullivan of Alexandria, Va., caught an 18.5" striped bass off Point Lookout.
  • Douglas J. Haynes of New Castle, De., caught a 17.5" largemouth bass on the Sassafras River.
    June 25
  • Ed Burke of Gaither caught an 18.5" striped bass off Calvert Cliffs.
    June 24
  • Joel Hayden of Fishing Creek caught a 23" striped bass near the 72A Buoy.
  • Ronald Reiss of Tilghman caught a 12" croaker at #10 False Channel.
  • Paula Joy Wilson of Tilghman caught a 14" croaker in the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Capt. Dan Kardash of Baldwin caught a 19" largemouth bass on Swan Creek.
  • Brian LaClair of Denton caught a 16.5” largemouth bass on Marshyhope Creek.
  • Andrew Konitsky of Ebensburg, Pa., caught a 15" largemouth bass on the Elk River.
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.maryland.gov/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.

July 1, 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