Increase in pikeminnow bounty

birdhunter · 07-11-2001, 10:42 AM

Bounty for *********...I mean Northern Pikeminnow [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] ....has been increased to $5-$8 per fish w/ tagged fish bringing in $1000 compared to the regular $50. Might be a good way to spend an evening or two. I don't have a ton of faith in bounty programs, but if they are willing to pay me to fish....... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

*********

Bait O' Eggs · 07-11-2001, 10:52 AM

I had heard they were talking about $20/fish which would have given a lot of us some serious incentive. 5 to 8 dollars should cover somebodies expenses [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] if they know what they are doing.

Bounty Hunter · 07-11-2001, 12:40 PM

I tend to use bait more when I go after *********. Chicken liver is good (not beef), but it gets messy and it's a challenge to keep on the hook. Cheese on a small treble hook work too, but it's hard to keep on in current. Be careful 'cause you can injure other fish (other suckerfish, flounders, bullheads, sculpins) pretty seriously with too small of a hook and bait. A sqawfish usually hits hard, so you know when you are into them and you can use a relatively big hook. Light raps are just peamouths, and they aren't money fish.

The problem with bait is that fish take it deeper, and you get other types of fish coming after your bait. If you hook a fish you want to release deep, take the hook out even if it will kill the fish (mercy-kill if things get bad [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]). Peamouths are fragile and they will usually die, 50% of the floaters I've killed have been picked up by osprey and taken to their nest so I don't leave the hooks in them.

Anyway, talk with the gamies at the check stations. They can give you all the basics as well as maps of different parts of the river that are known to have fish (for banking or boating it).

Generally late evening into night is best, structure near current so they can dart out to grab smolts is good, and if you don't get a bite in 15 minutes move to a different area ...

And remember it's for a good cause. A new boat! ... um, I mean the survival of the salmon!

Krome Brite · 07-11-2001, 01:13 PM

Why does WDFW, or whoever does it, tag ********* and release them back into the Columbia when they could just catch them and kill them? Or is this even what tagged fish are?

BTW here's a website that someone on the board posted a while back. Maybe it would be helpful to some of you.
www.pikeminnow.org

Bait O' Eggs · 07-11-2001, 02:32 PM

Krome - I believe they tag and put up a nice bounty to get people out fishing for them. At $1000/each, they just got my atention, I hope that just got the wifes attention also with that one.

I have chased them a couple times, and had limited success. I talked to a couple good old boys who were retired and really chased them hard. They told me to fish at night for them, they bite a lot better. They were both turning in the days catch under one name. They didnt want to both have to catch 100 fish to get into the next money bracket. Made sense to me, take a team of people out and turn them all in under one name and you get into the bigger bucks faster. They told me they tossed rubber worms at night, and trolled during the day.

DF · 07-11-2001, 03:33 PM

I have fished for these guys a little around sand island in fast current with chicken liver. Did pretty good. What is the bait or lure that really knocks em dead?

BUGLEMAN · 07-11-2001, 05:09 PM

The only hazard about turning all the fish under one name is that as soon as you breach the $500 mark the income is reported to the IRS. So, you take in more money yet keep less. It depends on the situation and where it breaks for you. I think it is generally best to turn in you own fish. But it is a pain to have every one register and then the next day after night fishing every one has to turn them in. We sort of keep a tally and take turns registering and turning them in.

Also, black and white or motor oil shad will elisit savage strike at sun down. You know it is time when they start rolling every where.

Good luck I am pumped. I feel lucky I want to play the squaw fish lottery.... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Mr. Fisherman · 07-11-2001, 06:28 PM

Yea KF,

I posted that but would like to get the reel low down on the critters. Wouldn't mind taggin along or bringing someone in the boat that can consistantly bag a few of those rascals. Who knows, maybe we'll be spliting $1000.00 [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

I think that would go a long way towards reinstating my kitchen pass [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img].

Email me if yer interested.

Do these things hang out around any good Sturgeon holes?

Later,

Mr. F

Jim · 07-11-2001, 08:40 PM

Hey!! I will be fishin for these guys this weekend at Giles French...annual camping trip...look forward to paying for all expenses!!

Its fun!

Jim

Mr. Fisherman · 07-11-2001, 11:09 PM

HEY!

This might be the ticket for me to get out with my son and get some time on the boat.

Anybody have tips they are willing to offer regarding where to go and how to get started?

I'll offer a free seat in the boat for anybody willing to show us the ropes. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Has anybody ever banged enough of these fish to cover the expenses of the trip and then switch to Sturgeon, Salmon or other tasty critters?

Thanks in advance...

Mr. F.

birdhunter · 07-11-2001, 11:46 PM

I've been going out in the evening and casting spinners and dick nites from a dock. Usually bring back a couple over 9" and kill plenty more that aren't quite big enough. They seem to hit best right in the evening. I watch for the smolts to start jumping out of the water. This has been right at dusk the past couple of nights. When a bunch of them do this or I see a big swirl, it usually means they are being chased by a *********. I can almost target individual fish by watching what it going on. Just cast and retrieve where you see the action. Red/white dick nite followed by a couple of split shots 2 ft. up the line has been consistently producing. My buddy has been catching them on dry flies as well. I don't get a ton of fish, but 4 or 5 in an hour is enough to cover gas and pay for some new gear.

The best place to go is below Bonneville. That's where the highest concentration of ********* is. Curly tail jigs, plugs, spinners, almost anything will catch fish. I'm sure someone else can give you better info about that area. Around Portland I just target areas where there is slack water and structure. Docks, pilings, eddys, if it looks fishy there are probably ********* there. Good luck.

Bounty Hunter · 07-12-2001, 03:33 PM

So does anyone have any advice about fishing for these guys around Sauvies Island?

Mr. Fisherman · 07-12-2001, 07:13 PM

Bringing it back to the top...

I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance to whoever can dial us in. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

birdhunter · 07-13-2001, 09:51 AM

Mr. F.,

You are nothing if not persistent. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Check your e-mail dude.

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] BH [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Pete · 07-13-2001, 10:15 AM

Fishin' for money sure has it's appeal, but if the point is to save salmon and steelhead smolts, there's a couple things that bother me. First, why is the bounty only on fish over 9 inches? Don't the little fish have to eat to get bigger? Second, with the Columbia at near record low flow and temperatures hitting new highs (68 at Brownlee yesterday), how does anyone expect the smolts to get to ocean alive, anyway?

I'm not trying to be contentious, but something about the whole program seems like patching the hole in the boat after the boat has sunk.

Bounty Hunter · 07-13-2001, 12:15 PM

Pete,

Well whenever you talk to a fish and widlife rep. with similar questions they usually say that they are just trying to "bring the species back to their pre-dam population. We are not trying to erradicate the species" Apparently the slack water caused by the damns really helps the ********* and we know what it does to the salmon.

As far as the 9" minimum; it used to be 11" and they figure that the ********* have to be about that big before they start doing major damage to the smolts.

As far as too little too late; I just wish more people would've jumped on the dam removal bandwagon...

Hey birdhunter, share the wealth man! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I'll give you a rundown of the 20 that I've caught this year.

birdhunter · 07-13-2001, 12:35 PM

Share what wealth Bounty Hunter? I know notheeeng!

Seriously, I've only brought in about 40 or so fish so far this season, but that is just okay for the amount of time I've spent fishing for them.

I'm gonna be hitting the little buggers hard this weekend around the Camas area and experimenting w/ a bunch of different stuff. Will post results.

$5 a fish means I can finally start making some money from fishing. Okay, so it means I can come close to breaking even. Fine, all it means is that I won't have to dip into the savings AS MUCH every time I have to buy a new pole or lure.

birdhunter · 07-16-2001, 12:46 PM

Okay, so this weekend didn't turn out to be the squawfest I had hoped for. Only made it out one night and it was SLOW. Caught a couple of undersized, and only ONE keeper. Did manage to get about 4 jack shad. Little buggers are around 5" long and look just like their mommies and daddies. Can you say "keeper bait"? Bait was a disaster. Worms, liver, sandshrimp....couldn't keep the bullhead and chubs off long enough for any bounty fish to hit. I might be going out on Thursday w/ Mr. Fisherman for a steelie/bounty combo. Try some different spots! If anything good happens I will post. Good luck.

Mr. Fisherman · 07-17-2001, 04:40 PM

Birdhunter,

Thursday is looking good, email me or call [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img].

birdhunter · 07-17-2001, 09:42 PM

Will talk to you tomorrow evening. Just got back from a Clack float and am leaving for the coast right now for coho. Still planning on going after the bounty fish. Arrrgh!