Inaugural Season Stats • 2026
60
invasive Catfish Removed
Invasive blue catfish successfully cleared from the Potomac River — helping restore the ecological balance of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and its native species.
60
lbs of Protein DONATED
From about 180lbs of catfish, 60lbs of valuable raw protein filleted for donation to local food banks.
240+
Meals Created
Our partners at Bread For The City offered the fish as a healthy protein source for those facing food insecurity in the DMV.
13
Anglers
Classmates, teammates, friends and family members from across five local schools participated and spent a day on the water for a great cause.
100%
of Every Catch fights food insecurity
Every single invasive blue catfish goes directly to our partners to provide meals to those in need.
Partner Organizations
Through their two food pantries, Bread For The City provides nutritious groceries to more than 8,400 neighbors each month who are living near the federal poverty line. They also host weekly Farmers Markets that offer fresh produce to the wider community, and as a Grocery Plus distribution site, they provide an additional 30-pound box of food to a limited number of seniors.
Every month, you can pick up free groceries at Bread for the City. When you visit one of their centers, you can shop and choose what goes into your bag—just like at a grocery store. They offer a seasonal mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, and shelf-staple items. They also include the donated catfish from Bait • Catch • Donate!
The Inaugural Trip
FIELD REPORT
On April 18, 2026, thirteen anglers from five local schools met at Tantallon Marina in Fort Washington, Maryland for the first-ever Bait • Catch • Donate fishing trip. Two charter boats went out on the Potomac River at noon. There was a bit of friendly competition between the boats to see who would catch the most – with boat one dressed in their favorite travel baseball team and school apparel, and boat two in coordinated Hawaiian-themed shirts. The catfish were biting non-stop so there was plenty of action with sometimes two and even three catfish on a line at the same time. The volunteer anglers learned proper technique for casting and reeling, while working together to net and scoop the heavier catch. By 5pm the boats had caught and removed a combined total of 60 invasive blue catfish. The captain's crew fileted the catch on the spot. Back at the dock the crew awarded the “Big Fish” award for the largest catch (an estimated 30-pounder). Volunteer anglers then transported the filets to Bread For The City in Washington, DC, donating 60 pounds of fresh raw protein that the food bank would then convert into about 240 nutritious meals for DMV families facing food insecurity.
Future Goals
We have big goals for the 2027 season. The plan is to scale from two trips to at least ten, which would mean 5x growth (or a 400% increase) over our first season metrics, as follows:
2 > 10
CHARTERS
13 > 60
volunteer Anglers
60 > 300
INVASIVE BLUE Catfish Removed
60 > 300
lbs of DONATED Raw Protein
240 > 1,200
Meals Created
In future years, we hope to double or even triple these numbers.
Volunteer anglers from our inaugural trip have now started Bait • Catch • Donate clubs at their high schools, including Landon (Bethesda, Maryland) and School Without Walls (Washington, DC). We are eager to have volunteer “captains” from other high schools, sports teams, and youth groups, recruit a boat of their own. Whether a team building activity for a sports team, community service project as part of an extracurricular school club, or a more formal school sponsored activity (e.g., a “mini mester”), there are many meaningful ways to engage youth to participate in Bait • Catch • Donate.
Given the success from our inaugural trip – and with more trips already planned for October 2026 – we think this is more than achievable. With thanks to the Don E. Riddle Leadership Institute, our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Bait • Catch • Donate donations are now tax deductible. We also have received initial support from community businesses eager to support the cause, with anchor sponsor donations from Atlantic Lighting & Irrigation and Homestead Gardens. We also plan to apply for grants from a number of organizations that are focused on protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and in particular, have a shared view that it is fundamental to empower and involve youth to drive these efforts. All donations and grants will be used exclusively to fund fishing charters.
There are no limits to the future growth of Bait • Catch • Donate.
We are just getting started!