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If you're a diehard fisherman in Washington state or Oregon, there's a great opportunity for you.
KOIN 6 reports the Bonneville Power Administration is increasing the bounty for the northern pikeminnow, meaning you can reel in more cash for catching this particular fish. This is the first time they bumped up the money since 2015.
Here's the money breakdown for anglers who catch northern pikeminnow:
- $6 each for the first 25 fish
- $8 each for catching 26-200 fish
- $10 each when an angler catches over 201 pikeminnows
- Specially tagged northern pikeminnows fetch $200 to $500
To give you an idea of how much you can earn, the top angler last year caught 7,185 fish and took home $61,409, according to reporters.
Officials say the pikeminnow has to be at least 9 inches long to be eligible for the reward. You also need to catch the fish from the Columbia or Snake rivers. The 2022 season runs from May 1 to September 30.
This is part of an ongoing effort to significantly reduce the pikeminnow population since they eat millions of young salmon and steelhead every year. Washington and Oregon departments of fish and wildlife are working with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to administer the program, which has been around since 1990. The Boonville Power Administration is funding it.
For information about registration and information on day-to-day fishing rules, click HERE.