2025 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery begins May 1

RIDGEFIELD – The 2025 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery will open May 1, offering anglers the chance to earn cash while helping protect vulnerable salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers. The fishery will be open daily through Sept. 30 at most locations.

Funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the sport-reward program pays recreational anglers to catch predatory northern pikeminnow; a native fish that consumes millions of juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin each year.

“The sport-reward fishery plays a key role in salmon and steelhead recovery efforts,” said Eric Winther, pikeminnow program manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “Since 1991, anglers have logged more than a million trips and removed nearly six million northern pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake rivers — reducing predation on young salmon by up to 40% compared to pre-program levels.”

The goal of the program is not to eradicate native northern pikeminnow, but to remove 10-20% of the larger, predator-sized northern pikeminnow each year. Removing these fish helps shift the population toward smaller individuals, which consume fewer salmon and steelhead smolts.

Anglers are paid for each qualifying northern pikeminnow they catch, with payouts increasing as they catch more fish. Anglers will earn $6 for the first 25 fish, $8 for fish 26 to 200, and $10 for every fish over 200. Anglers can also catch tagged northern pikeminnow worth up to $500 each.

“Tagged fish aren’t just a bonus for anglers — they’re a critical tool for tracking the program’s success,” said Winther. “Each tagged fish returned helps us better understand northern pikeminnow harvest and exploitation rates, movement patterns, and population dynamics.” 

To qualify for a cash reward, northern pikeminnow must be at least nine inches long, and caught within the program boundaries, which spans the Columbia River from its mouth upstream to Priest Rapids Dam, and the Snake River from its mouth upstream to Hells Canyon Dam.

Anglers must register each day they plan to fish, either at one of the 21 registration stations or using the Pikeminnow Registration mobile application, available on Apple and Android devices. Fish must be turned in fresh on the date indicated on their registration at the station where the angler registered. Only fish personally caught by the registered angler are eligible for reward payment. A valid fishing license is required, and all state fishing regulations must be followed.

While most registration stations will open May 1, three locations — The Dalles Boat Basin, Columbia Point Park, and Umatilla Boat Ramp — opened early in 2025 to align with favorable water conditions that make fishing at each location more productive earlier in the season.

In 2024, anglers turned in 176,420 qualifying northern pikeminnow, with each angler averaging 14.5 fish per day. The top 20 anglers averaged 4,514 fish and $45,405 in cash rewards over the five-month season. The program’s top angler earned $164,260 by catching 16,150 fish — a new program record, surpassing the previous highs of $119,341 and 14,109 fish set in 2016.

The sport-reward fishery is part of a larger BPA-funded effort approved by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council to help mitigate the impacts of Columbia River dams on salmon and steelhead. The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission oversees the program and partners with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and WDFW, which jointly manage registration, check stations, fish tagging, and research used to track program effectiveness.

For more information about the sport-reward fishery including regulations, locations and maps, registration, and catch data, refer to pikeminnow.org or call the hotline at 800-858-9015.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.