Pikeminnow

Anyone here every bounty fish for these off your kayay? I don't know anything about this type of fishing, but it may be fun and pay for gas.

There's guys who fish for them around here. The bounty is pretty good, but you have to work at it. I heard the top pikeminnow angler made $45K last year, but that might just be local pikeminnow lore.

I have fished for them out of my PB many times in the past. Had some decent days, it can be a fun and an easy way to pay for gas or earn a little extra spending money,  To really make it pay you have to put a lot of time in.  Close friend of mine was second top money earner last year. Its all he does for work and he earned mid 40grand last year.  When its open He fishes 7 days a week and moves up and down the columbia searching for the fish, spending many nights sleeping in the back of his truck..  The rest of the year he just fishes and hunts for fun. Needless to say he is single  .

I paid for a months vacation with that program back in the 90's and it's quite fun and, as PP suggested, it's work.

I think we should do a Pikeminnow derby as a fundraiser!

Here's the details for this years program
http://www.pikeminnow.org/index.html

I know The Dalles boat basin is a big pikeminnow spot, it's right down the road from me. Easily kayak fishable. Lots of places to camp or stay as well.
The wind on the Columbia can be an issue. Also, there are so many cool places to kayak fish around here, I don't think about pikeminnow fishing very much.

I don't think about pikeminnow fishing very much.

I like thinking about getting paid to fish without impacting ESA fish or getting up at 3 am to guide a trip. 

If you knew the pikeminnows were hitting in The Dalles basin, it would be worth a weekend effort. The days are getting long and if you knew each fish you caught was worth $5, that would be a good time. I'm pretty sure one of the check stations is there as well.

don't you have to register or something before being able to turn them in for $$$ ?

Yes, you do have to register beforehand and each day.  But there are "self registrations stations" so the fish checker doesn't have to be present.  It's a 24 hr fishery.

The rules are on that website.