Pikeminnow

[HunterStrait]

Does anyone here go for them? They're fun to catch! Although you don't eat them (only if you wanted to), but they're good for fertilizing your garden.
Recently i caught my personal best pikeminnow on a clear bobber and a chartreuse woolly bugger fly , 20 inches long and about 2-3 pounds.

You can catch them anywhere on the Columbia river. And they like shallow water with a rocky bottom, if you're interested in trying for them.

They will bite on just about anything. But i prefer to use a spinner or a fly.

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/northern_pikeminnow.html

[Heredoggydoggy]

Years ago, my uncle caught some of those and buried them in his garden.  later, you had to watch where you stepped, because the oil would spurt out of the ground where he buried them! 

[bowhunterwa87]

Called um squaw fish growing up...lots in the lower valley. There was someone paying u to catch um on the columbia river...think there are multiple stations to sign up at

[HunterStrait]

Years ago, my uncle caught some of those and buried them in his garden.  later, you had to watch where you stepped, because the oil would spurt out of the ground where he buried them! 

Oh god! I guess he didn't bury them deep enough!

[Heredoggydoggy]

Called um squaw fish growing up...lots in the lower valley. There was someone paying u to catch um on the columbia river...think there are multiple stations to sign up at

I think most of the PUDs that have dams and fish ladders have a program each year. 

[jackelope]

http://www.pikeminnow.org/

The 2014 Sport reward payment schedule is as follows:

0-100 fish: $4 per fish

101-400 fish: $5 per fish

401 and above: $8 per fish

TAGGED FISH rewards are $500 per tagged fish

Minimum size is 9 inches.

[h20hunter]

There was a thread a while back...year or two....a forum member kept an ongoing log of his p'minnow season. I think he made some money doing it. It was quite the thread....flooded camps...long time away from the family. I did a search but it lagged out on me trying to find it.

[Mfowl]

They need to start a bounty program in lk Washington and especially lk Sammamish. I catch a bunch of them every year but this year seems particularly bad in Sammamish. No telling how many smolts get eaten each year while trying to make it out to the sound.

[HunterStrait]

http://www.pikeminnow.org/

The 2014 Sport reward payment schedule is as follows:

0-100 fish: $4 per fish

101-400 fish: $5 per fish

401 and above: $8 per fish

TAGGED FISH rewards are $500 per tagged fish

Minimum size is 9 inches.

i heard you have to register in every day, and there isn't a place to register in the tri-cities.

[ElkBOW79]

I believe you can register for pike minnow at Columbia Point Park in Richland.  My buddy registered the other day due to the amount that we catch while we are walleye fishing.

[demontang]

Ive caught some monsters but havent fished for them in years. Believe the biggest ive caught was 30"  id have to dig up the old pics

[bowhunterwa87]

Heck...post um up!!

[demontang]

Ill try I got to fish in closed waters so had an unfair advantage lol. Never fished for the bounty. Had the best luck with beads a white and red spinner and a worm.

[270Shooter]

I caught a 5-6 pounder a few years ago at Doug's beach by Lyle while bass fishing. It hit a green curly tail grub. Catch them all the time on the Yakima while trout fishing with spinners, nothing over about 18 inches though.

[HunterStrait]

I believe you can register for pike minnow at Columbia Point Park in Richland.  My buddy registered the other day due to the amount that we catch while we are walleye fishing.

That ain't far at all. But i don't remember seeing any stations down there before.

[ElkBOW79]

It isn't a station..it is a fish and game worker in a truck or a van.  That is who you register with.

[bearpaw]

You can catch them anywhere on the Columbia river.

Squaw Fish, Peemouth, Carp, and Suckers used to dominate Lake Roosevelt, but there are so many walleye that any young fish have been mostly eaten, the bigger fish eventually died off and those species are almost non-existent now in Roosevelt.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

You can catch them anywhere on the Columbia river.

Squaw Fish, Peemouth, Carp, and Suckers used to dominate Lake Roosevelt, but there are so many walleye that any young fish have been mostly eaten, the bigger fish eventually died off and those species are almost non-existent now in Roosevelt.

That makes sence as to why you cannot shoot carp with bow and arrows on Lake Roosevelt.

[HunterStrait]

You can catch them anywhere on the Columbia river.

Squaw Fish, Peemouth, Carp, and Suckers used to dominate Lake Roosevelt, but there are so many walleye that any young fish have been mostly eaten, the bigger fish eventually died off and those species are almost non-existent now in Roosevelt.

Time to go walleye fishing too i guess. 

[HunterStrait]

It isn't a station..it is a fish and game worker in a truck or a van.  That is who you register with.

Thanks for the info.

[KFhunter]

I think park service got tired of all the rotten fish on the bank

sent from the toilet seat

[stryker]

i heard you have to register in every day, and there isn't a place to register in the tri-cities.

Regulations


Anglers participating in the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery must adhere to each of the following rules:

1. Present a valid fishing license and picture identification upon request by any authorized program representative.

2. Adhere to all applicable state fishing regulations for the area in which you fish. Contact your local state fishery agency for license requirements and current fishing regulations.
◾Link to Washington’s Fishing Regulations.
◾Link to Oregon’s Fishing Regulations.
◾Link to Idaho’s Fishing Regulations.

3. Register in person at one of the designated registration stations each day prior to fishing. Anglers may register during times when stations are unstaffed, by using the station’s self-registration box. Anglers may not register at multiple stations on the same day.

4. Provide true and accurate information to authorized program representatives regarding the taking, possession, delivery, transportation, sale, transfer, or any other use of fish caught while participating in the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program.

5. Comply with the directions of authorized program personnel related to the collection of sampling data and angler participation in the Sport Reward Fishery.

6. Mail in all reward vouchers within 30 days from the end of the year’s fishery. To obtain payment vouchers must be received no later than Nov. 15 for each year’s fishery. Any issues preventing payment (missing information, voiding of voucher for program violations, etc.) must be resolved by Nov. 15 for each year’s fishery or the voucher becomes null and void..

7. Fish must have been caught in the mainstem Columbia River from the mouth up to the restricted zone below Priest Rapids Dam, or in the Snake River from the mouth up to the restricted zone below Hell’s Canyon Dam. The “mainstem” includes backwaters, sloughs, and up tributaries 400 feet from the tributary mouths. “Tributary mouth” is as defined by state fishing regulations.

8. Fish must be returned to the same registration station where the angler registered. They must be returned on the same calendar day stamped on the angler’s registration form, before that station closes for the day, and they must have been caught subsequent to that days’ registration time.

9. Fish must have a total length greater than or equal to 9 inches. Fish less than 9 inches total length are not eligible for reward payment.

10. All fish to be redeemed for reward payment must have been personally caught solely by the angler submitting them for reward payment.

11. Fish must be alive or in fresh condition. Fish that are or were frozen, or that are in otherwise poor condition will not be accepted for payment. Technicians have the authority to determine whether northern pikeminnow submitted meet these standards.

12. Violation of any of the above rules may result in disqualification from the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program.

[Biggerhammer]

I've caught some monster Squaw Fish in Lake Chelan with a fire tiger Rattle Trap while busting "Smallies".