Post by: HornHoarder on March 18, 2011, 07:54:51 PM
Post by: bigpaw 77 on March 18, 2011, 07:57:38 PM
Post by: HornHoarder on March 18, 2011, 08:06:40 PM
Post by: bigpaw 77 on March 18, 2011, 08:18:42 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on March 18, 2011, 08:22:14 PM
Pikeminnow anglers reel in profits while removing threat to salmon
OLYMPIA -- One angler earned $39,620 this year fishing for northern pikeminnows with a hook and line. His closest rival reeled in $38,084 during the five-month season.
Both are veterans of Washington state's Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery, a 15-year-old program that pays anglers to catch as many pikeminnows as possible on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
Voracious predators, pikeminnows take a heavy toll on juvenile salmon in the two rivers, eating millions of outmigrating smolts every year, said Eric Winther, who administers the program for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
But by paying anglers to catch pikeminnows, the program has succeeded in removing more than 2.6 million of the long-snouted fish from the Columbia and Snake rivers since 1990, Winther said.
"Our research indicates that the fishery has reduced pikeminnow predation on young salmon by about 25 percent," he said. "We're making an impact, but we still have some work to do."
Funding for the program is provided by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) under the 1980 Pacific Northwest Power Act.
During this year's season, which ended Sept. 25, anglers earned $4 each for the first 100 northern pikeminnows they caught; $5 each for 101 to 400 pikeminnows; and $8 each for any additional pikeminnows above 400.
Anglers who turn in their catch to special check stations are paid for each fish that measures at least 9 inches long -- the size at which pikeminnows become a serious threat to young salmon.
WDFW also pays anglers $500 for each pikeminnow they catch that is tagged for research purposes.
More than 5,000 anglers took part in this year's fishery, catching a total of 240,955 pikeminnows and earning a total of $1.5 million, Winther said. This year's total catch was second only to last year's record harvest of 267,215 fish.
This year's top money-earner caught 4,740 pikeminnows -- including six tagged fish, which helped solidify his position, Winther said. The runner-up actually caught more fish -- 4,800 -- but fewer were tagged.
"The average angler in this fishery catches six to seven fish per day," Winther said. "But as with salmon or steelhead anglers, the top 5 percent catches 80 percent of the fish."
Winther said WDFW is planning additional incentives and ways to encourage angler participation for the 2006 fishery, which gets under way next May.
"We'd like to hold more instructional clinics and have more informational materials available to anglers on how to catch these predators and make money doing it," he said.
For additional information on the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program, call the pikeminnow hotline at 1-800-858-9015 or visit the program's website at www.pikeminnow.org (http://www.pikeminnow.org) on the Internet
Post by: lokidog on March 18, 2011, 09:11:01 PM
I don't think I could convince my wife to let me try to earn a living by fishing.... :(
Post by: goosegetter79 on March 18, 2011, 09:27:20 PM
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on March 18, 2011, 11:35:37 PM
Post by: BigD on March 19, 2011, 12:15:56 AM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 19, 2011, 12:52:28 AM
Post by: CastleRocker on March 19, 2011, 03:05:17 AM
Don't get me wrong, I've made a little money here and there fishing Squawfish, and I love fishing steelhead and harvies. I'm just curious. It must be just that time of day...
Post by: Blacklab on March 19, 2011, 09:17:00 AM
Post by: blacktail luv on March 19, 2011, 12:06:13 PM
Post by: jeepster on March 19, 2011, 03:34:33 PM
Post by: pjb3 on March 19, 2011, 04:01:11 PM
Best of luck. Keep in mind, those gross amounts don't account for expenses.
What expense except for lots of beer :chuckle:
Post by: birdaddict on March 19, 2011, 10:04:23 PM
Post by: alanger on March 19, 2011, 10:36:17 PM
Seems stupid to only pay a bounty on the 9+ inch fish, don't 8 inch fish grow into nine inchers???
it wil save our good fishes and fish habitat
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 19, 2011, 11:13:14 PM
You can make some money doing it bit don't use baby lamprey for bait they work extremely good but you will get banned from the program for life. I am speaking from experience. The problem I have with the program is that if they really wanted them gone wouldn't they pay you for every fish no matter how you got them?
Or salmon smolt :yike: I heard of one person getting busted with a little bucket of live smolt. :yike: He dip netted them out of a creek, and was using for bait. :yike: Talk about bad new :yike:
Post by: Button Nubbs on March 20, 2011, 06:35:44 AM
Post by: BigGoonTuna on March 20, 2011, 08:37:24 AM
Here's a question; why is there a bounty on "Pikeminnow", and not on Harvest Trout, and Steelhead? I'm no biologist so I don't know for certain, but I think a 10lb steelhead will eat a heck of a lot more salmon eggs, and salmon fry than any size Pikeminnow will.steelhead aren't in the rivers to feed, while they will attack things, i'd imagine their impact on smolts is pretty minimal. sea run cutthroats are probably a different story, but i doubt there are enough of them to really do any damage.
Don't get me wrong, I've made a little money here and there fishing Squawfish, and I love fishing steelhead and harvies. I'm just curious. It must be just that time of day...
hell, squawfish are a native species, and you don't see any bounties on non native ones that eat smolts(like bass, walleye, etc). kinda makes you think. they money is definitely good if you know what you're doing though!
Post by: 220hunter on March 20, 2011, 08:46:44 AM
Post by: HornHoarder on March 20, 2011, 09:57:59 AM
Post by: 7mag. on March 20, 2011, 10:44:55 AM
Post by: pjb3 on March 20, 2011, 11:31:59 AM
I'm not working :'( so it could be a job :o
Post by: Stickerbush on March 20, 2011, 12:22:19 PM
yea it is kinda funny though we promote bass and walleye though they are non native and they eat everything. But the NPM are definitely voracious predators, pretty hard fight for their size too :twocents: :twocents:
Post by: JKEEN33 on March 20, 2011, 12:57:32 PM
Post by: Curly on March 20, 2011, 01:13:25 PM
Post by: HornHoarder on July 09, 2011, 09:06:29 PM
Post by: PolarBear on July 09, 2011, 09:23:17 PM
Post by: Jburke on July 09, 2011, 09:52:57 PM
I saw a TON of them in Lake Chelan. I bet a guy that knew what he was doing could clean up there.Lake Chelan is not part of the reward fishery though.
Post by: Sumpnneedskillin on July 09, 2011, 10:04:59 PM
Not done yet.. planning on hitting up Boyer park soon. Anybody else been bounty fishing lately?
Not sure how the guys are doing. Just started noticing boats in the river the past 2 weeks or so. Flows and debris are finally down so you can get out into the river.
Post by: HornHoarder on July 10, 2011, 01:26:39 PM
Post by: Miles on December 20, 2011, 11:33:25 AM
Post by: HornHoarder on December 20, 2011, 05:44:27 PM
Post by: WA hunter14 on March 25, 2012, 09:56:10 AM
Post by: HornHoarder on March 28, 2012, 08:22:07 AM
is the okanogan river part of the bounty system/area?
No, Columbia and Snake river only. :sry: