ANNAPOLIS, Md. (CBSDC/AP) — Maryland natural resources officials say Diamond Jim is on the loose.

The first specially tagged Diamond Jim was among dozens of striped bass released Thursday into the Chesapeake Bay as part of an annual fishing challenge. Anyone who catches the fish wins a prize that increases the longer the fish goes uncaught. Diamond Jim is worth $10,000 to the angler who catches it before midnight June 30. A new Diamond Jim is released each month and the prize increases to $20,000 in July, and $25,000 in August.

If one of the three authentic Diamond Jims is not caught by Labor Day, the cash prize will be split among anglers who catch other tagged fish, known as imposters. As many as 600 imposters are to be released over the summer.

The purpose of the Maryland Fishing Challenge is to showcase Maryland as a great destination for sport fishing, with affordable, accessible, diverse and high quality fishing opportunities for Maryland’s residents and visitors alike, and to help increase the number of youth and families participating in the sport of fishing.

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