Monday, 70 attendees took part in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) annual Congressional Fishing Competition. Hosted in the National Harbor, the Congressional Fishing Competition brings angling community partners and stakeholders together to enjoy the great outdoors and also provides an educational experience on important fisheries policy topics and the conservation value of recreational fishing for attendees.

This year, the anglers taking part in the Congressional Fishing Competition sought to catch blue catfish. Although a popular target species for anglers in other areas of the country where they are native, blue catfish are an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay (Bay) and present a threat to the ecosystem. The friendly competition offered a platform to talk about the challenges of managing blue catfish while also providing an opportunity to remove dozens of the nuisance fish from the Bay ecosystem. The event was also held in alignment with National Fishing and Boating Week this week - an opportunity to jointly highlight the role that anglers play in conservation, and the importance of access to the outdoors and the wellness of our nation’s natural resources.

“As we work to advance fisheries management, access for anglers across the country, and conservation of our nation’s aquatic resources, events like this help us to highlight real world policy challenges,” said CSF’s Senior Director of Fisheries Policy Chris Horton. “This friendly fishing tournament not only allowed us to talk about the enormous challenges we have across the country with aquatic invasive species, it also provided the opportunity for participants to make a small contribution towards reducing the threats these fish present for the Bay.”

After attendees gathered at the marina in the brisk early morning, 11 charter boats took anglers out into the Potomac River and its tributaries for the catch and keep event. In total, there were more than 125 blue catfish harvested, with the largest blue catfish weighing in at 15.4 pounds. Bragging rights also went to the angler who caught the most fish during the day, which was 15 fish.

“The Congressional Fishing Competition continues to exceed our expectations every year, and we were fortunate to be joined by so many great partners today,” said CSF’s Director of Federal Policy Taylor Schmitz. “Working alongside these partners, CSF’s work to protect and promote our nation’s incredible time-honored traditions and conservation efforts has led to many victories. On the water today, we had the opportunity to celebrate these victories, contribute directly to Bay conservation efforts, and to set our vision forward on what’s next.”

Fishing Competition Awards

Most Fish Caught

Alex Feldman – 15 blue catfish

Largest Fish Caught

Rob Ogle – 15.4 pound blue catfish

Most Unique Catch

Patrick Delaney – green soldier man figurine (removing trash from the Potomac as well!)

CSF would like to express our gratitude to the sponsors who made this event possible. Title Sponsors include the American Sportfishing Association; Bass Pro Shops; Cabela’s; Kelly Electric; Kelly HVAC, Inc.; The Nature Conservancy; Outdoor Sportsman Group; Richard Childress Racing; and Yamaha Marine. Host Sponsors include Dallas Safari Club; Ducks Unlimited; Gun Broker; Hornady; International Order of T. Roosevelt; National Shooting Sports Foundation; Nuclear Energy Institute; Safari Club International; Scheels; Shimano; and The Kinetic Group. Co-Host Sponsors include Bonefish & Tarpon Trust; Strata Clean Energy; and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.