Pike Minnow Season Opening

[RCF]

Washington's pikeminnow fishing program returns, pays anglers

The 2026 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery will run from May 1 to September 30, offering cash rewards to anglers for catching predatory northern pikeminnow in the Columbia and Snake rivers

www.khq.com

 

[GAT]

I wonder how effective this program really is? Who is paying the reward? The owner's of the dams? Maybe it works but it seems like a lengthy process to wipe out a native species because the damns screwed up the runs of the wild anadromous fish.

 

[DimeBrite]

Anglers earn $6 for the first 25 qualifying fish, $8 for fish 26 to 200 and $10 for every fish after 200. Some tagged fish are worth as much as $500.
In 2025, anglers turned in 150,456 qualifying fish and averaged 11.9 fish per day, according to WDFW. The program’s top angler earned $159,310 by catching 15,715 fish.

 

[Snopro]

I wonder how effective this program really is?

"Results indicate the program is successful. Since the Sport-Reward Fishery was implemented in 1991, predation of juvenile salmon by Northern Pikeminnow has been reduced up to 40% through the removal of nearly 6 million Northern Pikeminnow."

Who is paying the reward?

"The Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration and administered by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission"

Maybe it works but it seems like a lengthy process to wipe out a native species

"The goal of the program is not to eliminate Northern Pikeminnow, a native species, but rather to reduce the number of large fish."

 

[Snopro]

Pikeminnow Sport Reward

 

[RCF]

The top angler earned almost $160,000 last year:

Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery Program

Image Photo by WDFW T

wdfw.wa.gov

 

[Dogsnfish]

The top angler earned almost $160,000 last year:

Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery Program

Image Photo by WDFW T

wdfw.wa.gov

yeah, I guy I used to work with banked his bounty for a couple of years and paid cash for a F150. It was his second job.

 

[Paul_]

I have a good time fishing off the bank below Bonneville in the fall. Pikeminnow are one of the most resilient fish in the river and they are very good at what they do.