Invitations go out to Maryland Fishing Challenge anglers
With a week to go and only three impostors reeled in, it's looking less likely that the $25,000 tagged striped bass known as Diamond Jim will be caught.
Each of the fake DJs were worth $500, which pays for a boatload of tackle and bait. Still, it would be nice to see the big money paid out.
Even without the big bang, there's still the second, and larger, component of the state's sixth annual fishing contest.
Letters are going out today to the 2,000-plus anglers registered for the Maryland Fishing Challenge grand prize drawing on Sept. 11 at Sandy Point State Park.
The contest runs through Labor Day, and the Department of Natural Resources intends to follow up by phone and email with those who catch citation-sized fish from now until closing.
Historically, that's not a huge number of players.
Since there's a lot that can slow processing by the citation award centers (mostly tackle shops), the contest rules allow an angler’s copy of the citation award entry form to act as his or her invitation to the drawing.
Anglers gain free access to the park--which also is the site of the Maryland Seafood Festival--by displaying the car mirror hang tag that accompanies this week's invitation letter, having a citation award certificate, or showing a completed copy of the citation award entry form. Contest officials say any form of proof will do.
Anglers who can't be at the randowm drawing for a cruise, a boat and trailer and outdoors gear prize packages can designate a proxy. Just remember, a proxy may represent only one angler.
