FIRST POSSIBLE $20,000 DIAMOND JIM CAUGHT!!





WHO: Angler who caught a potential Diamond Jim

DNR Fisheries officials





What: A Pennsylvania angler will find out if he caught the elusive $20,000 Diamond Jim or an imposter by opening a sealed envelope.



Additionally, youth anglers from around the State will join DNR biologists today to catch, tag and release another batch of up to 200 striped bass including a new Diamond Jim for August as part of the 2011 Maryland Fishing Challenge.



Where: Sandy Point State Park
1100 East College Parkway
Annapolis MD 21409

Meet at the marina store adjacent to the boat ramp



When: Thursday, July 28

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.



***Members of the press who would like to attend the tagging must RSVP by calling Brandon Linton at 443-980-2599 as soon as possible. Space is limited***



BACKGROUND:

On July 28, 2011, up to 200 tagged striped bass will be released into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. One of these fish, Diamond Jim, will be worth up to $25,000. The other specially tagged fish will each be worth at least $500. The Diamond Jim component of the Maryland Fishing Challenge will run through Labor Day. New this year, DNR will guarantee $25,000 in prize money. If Diamond Jim is not caught, the prize money will be distributed evenly among the anglers who catch imposters.



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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 nearly a half-million acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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.