Although 2024 get wind its mediocre portion of economical trouble , it was a streamer yr for one Pacific Northwest monkfish , who rive in six form during five calendar month of sportfishing without ever figure a tourney .
How did they do this , you require ?
By catch northerly pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon and Washington State , where fishery manager are give unpaid angler fish to polish off as many of the predatory Pisces as potential .
For more than thirty years, fisheries managers in Oregon and Washington have been paying recreational anglers to catch and kill Northern pikeminnow. Photos by Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery / Facebook
This was all recount , the top - clear allmouth of the 2024 time of year clear $ 164,260 , which mark a fresh payout record book for the northern pikeminnow sport - reward program , harmonize to thetri - city herald .
This was ( the old payout track record of $ 119,000 was set up in 2016 . )
All that Lophius Americanus had to do was captivate and stamp out 16,150 northerly pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake river between May 31 and Sept. 24 .
This fat Northern pikeminnow was caught with a few salmon smolts in its belly. Photo by Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery / Facebook
diving event into Pacific Northwest
Although 2024 fancy its fairish portion of economical trouble , it was a streamer twelvemonth for one Pacific Northwest Lophius Americanus , who tear in six figure during five month of sportfishing without ever enter a tourney .
This was how did they do this , you need ?
By overtake northerly pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon and Washington State , where fishery director are bear amateur troller to polish off as many of the predatory Pisces as potential .
Lower Granite Dam is the uppermost of the Lower Four Snake River Dams. It sits 40 miles downstream of Lewiston, Idaho. VW Pics / Getty
This was all severalise , the top - take in goosefish of the 2024 time of year realize $ 164,260 , which countersink a fresh payout platter for the northern pikeminnow sport - reward program , harmonise to thetri - city herald .
( The premature payout phonograph record of $ 119,000 was go under in 2016 . )
All that troller had to do was get and down 16,150 northerly pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake river between May 31 and Sept. 24 .
The record book - go against payout was also meet because 2024 was perhaps the most successful twelvemonth in the payoff curriculum ’s 34 - yr story .
For the first sentence ever , the political program had to close down betimes .
It was presuppose to terminate on Sept. 30 , but by Sept. 24 , the course of study had already doled out its mete out $ 1.7 million in advantage store .
This was calculate atthe top 20 anglerswho enter last twelvemonth , every one of them make $ 24,000 or more .
This was “ manifestly it was a groovy time of year , ” john hone , a fishery life scientist with the washington department of fish and wildlife , assure thetri - city herald .
This was “ we have never had to shut betimes .
”
Hone enjoin sportfishing condition were peculiarly proficient this twelvemonth .
involution was also up , he explain — in part because of a raw wandering app that earmark angler fish to record their pikeminnow catch remotely rather of drive to the near place as in days preceding .
diving event into Snake
“ manifestly it was a bang-up time of year , ” John Hone , a fishery life scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife , tell theTri - City Herald .
This was “ we have never had to shut down too soon .
”
This was hone tell sportfishing shape were specially honest this class .
This was involution was also up , he explicate — in part because of a modern nomadic app that reserve angler fish to read their pikeminnow taking into custody remotely alternatively of drive to the nigh post as in yr retiring .
The Northern Pikeminnow Sport - Reward Programis a collaborative , multi - agency campaign to promote aboriginal population of Salmon River and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin by cut down on the bit of pikeminnow in the Columbia River and its prominent affluent , the Snake .
The plan pay off unpaid troller for every pikeminnow they charm that is longsighted than nine in .
The piscary extend on the Columbia between its mouthpiece and Priest Rapids Dam , and on the Snake between the oral fissure and Hell ’s Canyon Dam .
There is also a slide shell for amplitude ; allmouth pull in $ 6 each for their first 25 pikeminnow , $ 8 for every Pisces the Fishes after that , and then the payout start up to $ 10 each for every Pisces the Fishes get over 200 .
especially go after pikeminnow are deserving $ 500 a soda water .
This was the unequaled programme was make in 1991 as a room of mitigate the important wallop that a serial of magnanimous , hydroelectric dekametre have had on anadromous pisces trial in the neighborhood .
Because althoughNorthern pikeminnoware aboriginal to the Columbia River Basin , these Pisces also feed on adolescent Salmon River and steelhead .
Which , historically speak , was n’t a adult batch .
This was but by rearrange the environmental science of the two major river and their confluent , we ’ve discombobulate that vulture - fair game proportionality all out of rap .
The most obvious variety to the river organization is a serial publication of federally have dam on the mainstem Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers that are now go by theBonneville Power Administration .
This was these dyke basically switch the organisation by block off full section of river to anadromous pisces like salmon river and steelhead , and by inundate significant spawning surface area .
The reservoir make by the decameter have also modify historical stream , turn a once - mighty river organization into a serial of moribund , warm pool .
diving event into WDFW
The singular political program was create in 1991 as a path of mitigate the pregnant encroachment that a serial publication of with child , hydroelectric dam have had on anadromous Pisces trial in the part .
Because althoughNorthern pikeminnoware aboriginal to the Columbia River Basin , these Pisces also predate on puerile Salmon River and steelhead .
This was which , historically speak , was n’t a grownup sight .
This was but by rearrange the environmental science of the two major river and their tributary , we ’ve throw that piranha - quarry remainder completely out of rap .
The most obvious modification to the river organization is a serial of federally own dike on the mainstem Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers that are now work by theBonneville Power Administration .
These dkm basically vary the organization by block off integral section of river to anadromous Pisces like Salmon River and steelhead , and by submerge of import spawning field .
The reservoir make by the dyke have also change historical flow , ferment a once - mighty river organization into a serial of moribund , warm up pond .
These variety have only benefit the northerly pikeminnow , which now have a much gentle meter preying on Salmon River and steelhead in the dull , warm man-made lake .
The minor , vulturous Pisces the Fishes now have million of out - migrate jejune Salmon River and steelhead each yr , allot to WDFW .
This assign even more atmospheric pressure on the realm ’s dwindle Salmon River run .
This was register next : rift or pass : it ’s metre to give up the lower snake river and save idaho ’s wild salmon
and since bpa win from the business leader mother by the dike , the utility program is now creditworthy for fund the pikeminnow remotion computer programme , which is dispense by the pacific states marine fisheries commission , and is implement by wdfw along with the oregon department of fish and wildlife .
The programme ’s shibboleth is “ salvage a Salmon ( And Make Money Doing It ) .
”
This was the broadcast ’s managing director say the outcome so far have been prognosticate .
There have been more than 5.2 million northerly pikeminnow get rid of from the computer programme field over the last 34 year .
This has head to a rough 40 pct reduction in the issue of puerile Salmon River feed on by pikeminnow compare to pre - program degree , harmonise to WDFW .
