PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wildlife officials hope a new app allows anglers to spend more time fishing and less time registering to catch northern pikeminnow, the fish that’s worth cash in Oregon and Washington.
The northern pikeminnow season began May 1 and anglers can earn $6, $8 or $10 for each pikeminnow they catch that is at least nine inches long. The more fish a person catches, the more each fish is worth. There are also tagged fish worth $200 or $500.
In the past, participants were required to drive to a station and register before they began fishing. Now, almost everything can be done online through the app.
This means, anglers will only need to visit stations to turn in their catch and claim their reward payment.
The new app is operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, but officials say it will work for anglers in Oregon and Idaho as well. The app asks users which state their fishing license is in. The app is available to download online for both iPhone and Android users.
There will still be 18 full-time catch stations operating along the Columbia and Snake rivers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho where people can cash in their catch. These stations also provide more information about fishing for pikeminnow and what the fish look like.
The three Pacific Northwest states have offered anglers rewards for catching northern pikeminnow for decades. According to the Bonneville Power Administration, which funds the bounty program, the northern pikeminnow consume millions of young salmon and steelhead each year.
More information about the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program is available at pikeminnow.org.
The sport fishing program is administered by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Washington and Oregon departments of fish and wildlife.