The Guy Made $84K fishing in 5 months

[pianoman9701]

Pikeminnow. I could see doing this for a living.
http://kval.com/outdoors/heres-how-an-angler-made-84000-catching-10000-fish-from-the-columbia-and-snake-rivers

[Curly]

That would be fun.  I wonder if my boss (and my wife too) would let me quit my job during squawfish season? 

[Special T]

I talked to the guys promoting it at the outdoor show in Portland one year. They said there went a lot of guys that make big $ like that, but a bunch that essentially pay for all thier fuel to be on the water. Probably a good gig for a retired guy.

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[Reidus]

Let's get a program like this rolling for wolves!

[coop2424]

Let's get a program like this rolling for wolves!

Idaho has one similar for wolves.. You wa guys are out i of luck.  Crazy they made that much for that in such a short amount of time.

[pianoman9701]

Let's get a program like this rolling for wolves!

The fine is $5K and the reward is $10K. Who's good at math here?  And besides, judges in WA don't prosecute wildlife crime at anywhere near full penalty. Sounds like a profitable business.

[Antlershed]

Last year the top earner was $114k.

[HornHoarder]

It's a ton of fun, but from experience, no easy money. I've spent the last 6-7 summers learning the ropes, and haven't come anywhere close to those numbers. About 9k was my best year.

Those anglers that make the top 20 list have years of experience, and put in extreme effort and time.

[Special T]

It's a ton of fun, but from experience, no easy money. I've spent the last 6-7 summers learning the ropes, and haven't come anywhere close to those numbers. About 9k was my best year.

Those anglers that make the top 20 list have years of experience, and put in extreme effort and time.

So would you say that the 9K covered your expenses? Was it at least a hobby that paid for itself, or close?

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[HornHoarder]

I'd say yes.... That covered all my expenses and put a little in my pocket. 

[Magnum_Willys]

I'd say yes.... That covered all my expenses and put a little in my pocket.

   And you are helping save gamefish !   

[Gobble Gobble]

There are Pro-Am bass tournaments. I say there should be the same for Pikeminnow, top 20 earners each year are Pros and the rest of up amateurs pine to fish with the top earners, to learn from them and put a few bucks in our pockets. Unlike Bass tournaments there is no 5 fish limit and all fish must be dead upon weigh in.

[snake]

In 10 years it will be a pike fishery.

[Stein]

I could see that being fun for a while and then becoming a drag.  There are probably guys that really live to catch them, but I wouldn't want to have to go fishing every day and have the pressure of needing to catch a ton to put food on the table.  When I was in college, I talked to a guy that owned a tackle shop about tying some flies for him and his advice was that if I enjoy tying flies not to do it commercially as 99% of the people that make the switch end up hating to tie flies.

Fishing for recreation and fishing for a living are probably two very different things.

I am glad they are killing all those fish and hope more join their ranks.  I usually hit it a few times a year and they certainly aren't jumping on your hook everyplace you stop from my experience.

[pianoman9701]

I could see that being fun for a while and then becoming a drag.  There are probably guys that really live to catch them, but I wouldn't want to have to go fishing every day and have the pressure of needing to catch a ton to put food on the table.  When I was in college, I talked to a guy that owned a tackle shop about tying some flies for him and his advice was that if I enjoy tying flies not to do it commercially as 99% of the people that make the switch end up hating to tie flies.

Fishing for recreation and fishing for a living are probably two very different things.

I am glad they are killing all those fish and hope more join their ranks.  I usually hit it a few times a year and they certainly aren't jumping on your hook everyplace you stop from my experience.

With 7 months off per year? It wouldn't be that much of a drag.

[PolarBear]

I wish they would extend that program to other rivers.  Hell, I could make a good living just catching squawfish on the Satsop, Nooch and Hump!

[Skillet]

I wish they would extend that program to other rivers.  Hell, I could make a good living just catching squawfish on the Satsop, Nooch and Hump!

Careful what you wish for - it took reduced salmon smolt outmigration due to dams for this program to come about.

[Skillet]

I could see that being fun for a while and then becoming a drag.  There are probably guys that really live to catch them, but I wouldn't want to have to go fishing every day and have the pressure of needing to catch a ton to put food on the table.  When I was in college, I talked to a guy that owned a tackle shop about tying some flies for him and his advice was that if I enjoy tying flies not to do it commercially as 99% of the people that make the switch end up hating to tie flies.

Fishing for recreation and fishing for a living are probably two very different things.

I am glad they are killing all those fish and hope more join their ranks.  I usually hit it a few times a year and they certainly aren't jumping on your hook everyplace you stop from my experience.

With 7 months off per year? It wouldn't be that much of a drag.

  Sounds pretty damn attractive to me!  And the tiny capital investment required to get started compared to a regular commercial fishing operation is unbelievable.

But, I know Hornhoarder goes at this hard, and someone who is thinking of doing it should heed his words. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

It's a ton of fun, but from experience, no easy money. I've spent the last 6-7 summers learning the ropes, and haven't come anywhere close to those numbers. About 9k was my best year.

Those anglers that make the top 20 list have years of experience, and put in extreme effort and time.

How much time do you think you spent fishing for them?

[Skillet]

There are Pro-Am bass tournaments. I say there should be the same for Pikeminnow, top 20 earners each year are Pros and the rest of up amateurs pine to fish with the top earners, to learn from them and put a few bucks in our pockets. Unlike Bass tournaments there is no 5 fish limit and all fish must be dead upon weigh in.

Those top 20 guys guard their hard earned secrets jealously, I'd bet 99% of them would never take on a amatuer looking to learn out for a weekend.

[bighorn1]

Now if they would just add sea lions to that things would get a lot better for the fish and the fisherman.

[Boss .300 winmag]

He averaged 67 fish a day for 153 days, with the fish average worth of $8.16. That’s a lot of fishing.

[Stein]

There are Pro-Am bass tournaments. I say there should be the same for Pikeminnow, top 20 earners each year are Pros and the rest of up amateurs pine to fish with the top earners, to learn from them and put a few bucks in our pockets. Unlike Bass tournaments there is no 5 fish limit and all fish must be dead upon weigh in.

Those top 20 guys guard their hard earned secrets jealously, I'd bet 99% of them would never take on a amatuer looking to learn out for a weekend.

I bet there are some funny stories about guys trying to get other guys secret spots.  For that kind of loot, I would imagine they go to great lengths to guard their secrets.

[Skillet]

I thinkAnnette they fish is well known, but how they fish is the trick.  I know in the tournament walleye world we often left out fake rigs for people tocatch a glimpse of, planted dubious info into the rumor mill, etc...  it was half the fun.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I thinkAnnette they fish is well known, but how they fish is the trick.  I know in the tournament walleye world we often left out fake rigs for people tocatch a glimpse of, planted dubious info into the rumor mill, etc...  it was half the fun.

The map on the web site shows were they catch them, gear is the trick to it. I wonder if they can chum for them?

[Stein]

I thinkAnnette they fish is well known, but how they fish is the trick.  I know in the tournament walleye world we often left out fake rigs for people tocatch a glimpse of, planted dubious info into the rumor mill, etc...  it was half the fun.

The map on the web site shows were they catch them, gear is the trick to it. I wonder if they can chum for them?

I would guess the map shows where they reported they caught them, but that's just my guess.  I'm sure tackle and technique are also a major factor.

[buckcanyonlodge]

Did you notice the last names of the top earners?

[Boss .300 winmag]

Did you notice the last names of the top earners?

Where did you see the names at?

[buckcanyonlodge]

I did a Sportsman Show down in the Tri-Cities a few years ago and there was a poster with top earners --names included.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I did a Sportsman Show down in the Tri-Cities a few years ago and there was a poster with top earners --names included.

And the type names were?

[Skillet]

Not a recent list, but you get the idea...

[Boss .300 winmag]

Not a recent list, but you get the idea...

No I don’t. 

Eastern European, or south of the border types?

[Dan-o]

I'll take "Non-Hispanic surnames for $1,000 please, Alex."

[snake]

Do you think any of these guys run trot lines or jug lines? Illegally

[Skillet]

Years ago, mid-2000's if I recall correctly, a guy got caught catching squawfish out of season and storing them in a big net pen he had suspended in a boathouse on the river.  Another team got caught catching fish in a non-bounty area and transporting them to a pay station.

I'm sure there have been other cheaters. Some of them have been caught.   And some haven't.

[quadrafire]

Those the same guys fishing Lenore and Banks? 

[WAcoueshunter]

Another team got caught catching fish in a non-bounty area and transporting them to a pay station.

Presumably every so many fish in the bounty area should have a tag, correct?  If so, interesting that several of them went 2500+ fish with no tags, while the one guy gets a tag every 250 fish or so. 

[HornHoarder]

It's a ton of fun, but from experience, no easy money. I've spent the last 6-7 summers learning the ropes, and haven't come anywhere close to those numbers. About 9k was my best year.

Those anglers that make the top 20 list have years of experience, and put in extreme effort and time.

How much time do you think you spent fishing for them?

I probably average 50-60 fishing days each year. I also try to focus on peak fishing times, like around the spawning time.

[WA hunter14]

Not a recent list, but you get the idea...

No I don’t. 

Eastern European, or south of the border types?

Russians I think

[PolarBear]

Looks like the same last name as some of those Russians that were caught gill netting Banks Lake a few years back. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Oh don't get me started on that!!

[Knocker of rocks]

Looks like the same last name as some of those Russians that were caught gill netting Banks Lake a few years back. 

Nope

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/4-men-found-guilty-illegally-gillnetting-banks-lake/

[ribka]

Looks like the same last name as some of those Russians that were caught gill netting Banks Lake a few years back. 

Nope

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/4-men-found-guilty-illegally-gillnetting-banks-lake/

Look like Ukrainian or Russian names to me?

[Ridgeratt]

This ring a bell with anyone?

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,138185.msg1875134.html#msg1875134

[Knocker of rocks]

Looks like the same last name as some of those Russians that were caught gill netting Banks Lake a few years back. 

Nope

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/4-men-found-guilty-illegally-gillnetting-banks-lake/

Look like Ukrainian or Russian names to me?

Yes, but not same name.  Just like Smith is different than Jones

[Sandberm]

Who knew?...ol Vlad Putin was infiltrating the WDFW Squawfish program as a way to test the waters for the sabotage of the 2016 presidential election!!!

Genius move comrade.

[bear]

Just a buoy and a long line with a bunch of hooks with bait.  They kill whatever bites the hook.  Probably catch a few walleye too but they eat salmon too

[Jake Dogfish]

I did this once in the mid nineties. 
I had a job lined up in the fall, and decided to quit my current job and go fishing.
I fished almost exclusively from shore a few trips in a float tube or raft.  Drove around chasing the fish, often sleeping in the car. If I had a good day, I would either stay in a motel or go home.
It was way harder than I thought.  Started hating fishing for awhile after.  Totally burned out before the season ended.  I caught 636 pikeminnow. One tagged. Only a $75 gift certificate back then. 
I’ve tried a few times since with no luck.  I think it would be a lot harder now.