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$10,000 Diamond Jim Still On The Loose
June 22nd, 2009 NewsEngine Posted in Fishing News
Annapolis, MD – Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s star of the summer, Diamond Jim is now reaching a new audience as a member of both Facebook and Twitter. The fifth annual Maryland Fishing Challenge, The Search for Diamond Jim – which includes a citation component – kicked off in late May, when DNR biologists tagged 50 striped bass with specially marked Diamond Jim tags. One of those specially tagged fish (Diamond Jim himself) is worth as much as $25,000, the imposters are worth $500.
“I was a little concerned when DNR asked me to use the internet and a computer to reach out to my angler friends, but so far things have been going along swimmingly,” said Diamond Jim.
On May 28, fifty specially tagged striped bass – one genuine Diamond Jim and 49 imposters — were released into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The real Diamond Jim is worth $10,000 cash if caught by midnight June 30, 2009, and the 49 Diamond Jim imposters are worth $500 each for the duration of the contest. Additional tagged fish will be released at the beginning of July and August at which point any previously released and uncaught Diamond Jim becomes an imposter. The newly released Diamond Jim’s value will increase, to $20,000 in July and $25,000 in August, if the preceding Jims remain on the loose.
“Casting Diamond Jim into the world of social media creates all kinds of new and exciting opportunities for young anglers to connect with the contest and each other,” said DNR’s E-Government Manager Gene Deems, who is the voice behind Diamond Jim. “This is a great way to blend old Maryland traditions with new media to give Maryland Families the opportunity to explore outdoors and get some guidance on the internet.”
There’s also another new online angle to the Fishing Challenge this month. Anglers can post picture on Diamond Jim’s Facebook wall, with an opportunity to win a prize. DNR will draw a Facebook friend’s name who posted at random on July 4. The deadline to post is July 3.
Created to promote recreational fishing in Maryland, recognize angler efforts and inspire natural resources stewardship, the 2009 Maryland Fishing Challenge will run through Labor Day, September 7, 2009. Any angler who catches a citation-qualifying fish and enters the challenge becomes eligible to participate in the grand prize drawing, which includes a boat and trailer package from Bass Pro Shops and thousands of dollars in fishing gear and trips from Bill’s Outdoor Center.
More than 60 species of fish are eligible for the grand prizes, including large and smallmouth bass, trout, walleye, musky and panfish in the freshwaters of Maryland; rockfish (striped bass), bluefish, drum, sea trout and perch in the Chesapeake Bay; and tuna, marlin, flounder, kingfish and sea bass caught in Maryland waters off the Atlantic Coast. Grand prize winners will be randomly selected at a closing ceremony in mid-September.
“We have been amazed by the online response to Diamond Jim,” said Deems. “He tweets at least once a day and he already has 225 friends on Facebook.”
As an added youth component, children participating in various fishing rodeos across the State may qualify for a unique category and win a guided fishing trip. Last year 12 children won trips donated by Maryland charter boat captains, which are currently being scheduled and will take place throughout the summer.
“Catch a fish” is one of the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, issued by Martin O’Malley in April. The Bill is part of the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature, an initiative to ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards.
Complete Rules are available online at Maryland Department of Natural Resources - 2009 Maryland Fishing Challenge and you can follow Diamond Jim at www.facebook.com/diamondjim_md or www.twitter.com/Diamondjim_md.
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June 22nd, 2009 NewsEngine Posted in Fishing News
Annapolis, MD – Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s star of the summer, Diamond Jim is now reaching a new audience as a member of both Facebook and Twitter. The fifth annual Maryland Fishing Challenge, The Search for Diamond Jim – which includes a citation component – kicked off in late May, when DNR biologists tagged 50 striped bass with specially marked Diamond Jim tags. One of those specially tagged fish (Diamond Jim himself) is worth as much as $25,000, the imposters are worth $500.
“I was a little concerned when DNR asked me to use the internet and a computer to reach out to my angler friends, but so far things have been going along swimmingly,” said Diamond Jim.
On May 28, fifty specially tagged striped bass – one genuine Diamond Jim and 49 imposters — were released into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The real Diamond Jim is worth $10,000 cash if caught by midnight June 30, 2009, and the 49 Diamond Jim imposters are worth $500 each for the duration of the contest. Additional tagged fish will be released at the beginning of July and August at which point any previously released and uncaught Diamond Jim becomes an imposter. The newly released Diamond Jim’s value will increase, to $20,000 in July and $25,000 in August, if the preceding Jims remain on the loose.
“Casting Diamond Jim into the world of social media creates all kinds of new and exciting opportunities for young anglers to connect with the contest and each other,” said DNR’s E-Government Manager Gene Deems, who is the voice behind Diamond Jim. “This is a great way to blend old Maryland traditions with new media to give Maryland Families the opportunity to explore outdoors and get some guidance on the internet.”
There’s also another new online angle to the Fishing Challenge this month. Anglers can post picture on Diamond Jim’s Facebook wall, with an opportunity to win a prize. DNR will draw a Facebook friend’s name who posted at random on July 4. The deadline to post is July 3.
Created to promote recreational fishing in Maryland, recognize angler efforts and inspire natural resources stewardship, the 2009 Maryland Fishing Challenge will run through Labor Day, September 7, 2009. Any angler who catches a citation-qualifying fish and enters the challenge becomes eligible to participate in the grand prize drawing, which includes a boat and trailer package from Bass Pro Shops and thousands of dollars in fishing gear and trips from Bill’s Outdoor Center.
More than 60 species of fish are eligible for the grand prizes, including large and smallmouth bass, trout, walleye, musky and panfish in the freshwaters of Maryland; rockfish (striped bass), bluefish, drum, sea trout and perch in the Chesapeake Bay; and tuna, marlin, flounder, kingfish and sea bass caught in Maryland waters off the Atlantic Coast. Grand prize winners will be randomly selected at a closing ceremony in mid-September.
“We have been amazed by the online response to Diamond Jim,” said Deems. “He tweets at least once a day and he already has 225 friends on Facebook.”
As an added youth component, children participating in various fishing rodeos across the State may qualify for a unique category and win a guided fishing trip. Last year 12 children won trips donated by Maryland charter boat captains, which are currently being scheduled and will take place throughout the summer.
“Catch a fish” is one of the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, issued by Martin O’Malley in April. The Bill is part of the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature, an initiative to ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards.
Complete Rules are available online at Maryland Department of Natural Resources - 2009 Maryland Fishing Challenge and you can follow Diamond Jim at www.facebook.com/diamondjim_md or www.twitter.com/Diamondjim_md.
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