The Reel in the Blues Bonanza will pay guides and captains to fulfill blue catfish trip giveaways
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering Maryland charter boat captains and guides up to $1,500 per trip to take winners of the Reel in the Blues Bonanza on chartered trips during the summer and fall of 2026.
To participate, captains or guides must fill out an interest form by June 22. The purpose of this giveaway is to remove blue catfish from the Chesapeake Bay, empower people to harvest this invasive fish species, and support the charter boat and guided fishing trip industry.
DNR will announce an opportunity for the public to be randomly picked to receive free Chesapeake Bay blue catfishing trips beginning June 24, 2026. Information about how to enter to win one of the charter trips will be publicized on the DNR website, through email, and on social media.
Winners will receive a list of participating captains and guides to contact operators directly to schedule trips. Qualified captains or guides who are chartered by winners will be reimbursed by DNR for up to $1,500 per trip within 30 days. This amount may be above the normal cost of a charter or guided trip, but it also includes a tip for mates.
To be eligible, captains and guides must:
- Have a Maryland Waterman ID number
- Possess a valid United States Coast Guard captain’s license (Merchant Mariner’s Credential) if they are a captain
- Report harvesting electronically using FACTS
Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are problematic due to their voracious and indiscriminate appetites, high reproductive rate, and potential to harm native species, some of which are commercially and recreationally important to Maryland.
The pilot program is part of a larger effort by the department to mitigate the negative impact of invasive catfish on native species and ecosystems. Other initiatives include incentivizing charter captains to gather harvest data on their catfish trips, supporting invasive species tournaments, and working with stakeholders and other agencies to increase removals. There is no season or limit on recreational blue catfishing for anglers holding the appropriate Maryland fishing license.
Depending on available funding and interest, these opportunities will also be available in 2027 and 2028. The success of the 2026 project will be assessed by the department using metrics of participation, blue catfish harvest, customer satisfaction, and feedback from participating charter boat captains and fishing guides.
