More about us.

Local anglers. Real data. Better rivers.

Fishtagged is a citizen-science conservation and education initiative that engages anglers, students, and partners in monitoring the health of river ecosystems through responsible fish tagging and open data. Working under state permit on the Potomac River, we combine angler-collected field observations with environmental and weather data to support fisheries research, watershed stewardship, and authentic STEM learning. By transforming outdoor recreation into meaningful scientific participation, Fishtagged strengthens environmental literacy, informs resource management, and fosters a conservation-minded river community.
We envision a future in which anglers, students, scientists, and resource managers work collaboratively to understand and protect river ecosystems. Fishtagged seeks to demonstrate that community-driven data collection can complement traditional science, deepen public stewardship of natural resources, and create accessible pathways into environmental education and careers. Our long-term vision is a scalable model of citizen science that strengthens fisheries knowledge, supports informed management, and connects people more deeply to the waters they value.
We partner directly with local high school STEM programs, offering students hands-on internships that bridge classroom learning with real-world conservation. Our interns contribute directly to fieldwork, data analysis, and help shape the software behind our platform.

Meet the Team

Mike Bailey

FOUNDER
Mike is the founder of Fishtagged and serves as the organization’s Director of Science, Data, and Research. With over five decades of experience in small business and a deep-rooted passion for meteorology, hydrology, and technology, Mike brings both vision and field expertise to the project.
Janice Bailey

EDUCATION & YOUTH PROGRAMS
Janice helps build bridges between the classroom and the field—connecting educators, students, and researchers to real-world environmental science. When she’s not hiking local trails, paddling the Potomac, or spending time with her grandchildren, she’s working to inspire the next generation of conservation-minded scientists and technologists.
Sam Edgin

ANGLER ENGAGEMENT & PARTERNSHIPS
Driven by his passion for river smallmouth, Sam brings energy and authenticity to every connection he builds with the local fishing community. Whether tagging fish or helping strengthen partnerships that support our mission, he’s most at home where the river meets the people who love it. When he’s not working, you’ll find him somewhere along the Potomac chasing trophy smallmouth or walking his German Shepherd, Mila, along the river.
Scott Broom

DEVELOPMENT, OUTREACH, & EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
A passionate outdoorsman, Scott is a self-declared Potomac “River Rat,” having fished, hunted, and camped on nearly every section of the river from Cumberland to the Anacostia. His adventures are often shared with his loyal hound, Diego, as they navigate the river in Scott’s Towee guide skiff. Despite all his effort, he remains a poor angler, bad knot tier, and worse turkey hunter.
Clark Hile

FIELD OPERATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD
Clark’s passion for the outdoors is only matched by his dedication to the local fishing community. As our Field Ops Director and Social Media Lead, Clark serves as a key liaison with anglers, sharing insights, gathering feedback, and helping foster connections that support the organization’s mission.
Stephen Catalano

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & VISUAL MEDIA
Stephen shapes the organization’s visual identity and storytelling strategy. His work will educate and engage the community while amplifying the mission of citizen science and environmental conservation. Through powerful photo and films, Stephen ensures that the Fishtagged narrative reflects the dynamic and impactful work being done on the ground.

STEM Interns: The Next Generation of Conservationists

Olivia Suh

Olivia is a student in the Global Ecology Program at Poolesville High School. With experience in logistics, research, and communications, she helps document, organize, and improve the systems we use to process and present data on our fish. Whether she's leading lobbying campaigns or organizing public events, Olivia’s focus is always on creating impact through structure, strategy, and service.
Charles Hu

Charles is a freshman at the University of Maryland. Serving as Fishtagged’s lead software developer, he leverages digital technology to automate data collection processes, ensure data integrity, and improve organizational security. He is looking forward to seeing where the unique fusion between technology, fisheries science, and conservation will take FishTagged in the coming years.
Oren Hurwitz

Oren’s enthusiasm and innovative mindset make him a valuable part of our team. While working with us, he has created an interactive map showcasing points of interest along the Potomac, adding fresh, engaging content to our website. Community-focused and full of energy, he lifts morale, drives progress, and brings ideas to life.
Santiago Torres Espina

Santiago is a senior at Poolesville High School. He’s helped compile historical and current information in order to present the data in an accurate context. FishTagged has deepened his understanding of the local ecosystem and allowed him to contribute to a local project in a meaningful way.
Krit Socrates

Krit was the first intern at Fishtagged, looking through thousands of photos to log tagged fish, creating a program that extracted data from these photos, and writing a research paper about the patterns of the Smallmouth Bass. Introduced to fishing and hands-on conservation ecology through this project, he's excited to see what this project will do for the fish in the Potomac and for the scientific community that studies them.