The 2025 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery season has been extended through Oct. 12 at select registration stations. The reward program, funded by Bonneville Power Administration, pays anglers to catch predatory northern pikeminnow, a native fish that consumes millions of juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers each year.
So far in 2025, anglers have turned in over 125,000 qualifying northern pikeminnow, a total expected to increase with 12 additional fishing days. The season’s top angler has earned $130,760 — the second-highest reward in the program’s 35-year history — by catching 13,000 fish.
Registration stations open through Oct. 12 include Cathlamet, Rainier, Ridgefield, Washougal, The Dalles, Boyer Park, and Swallows Park. All other stations closed after Sept. 30 as planned. Details about each station, including operating hours and locations, are available online.
“This extension gives anglers more opportunities to earn cash rewards during a time of year when catch rates are typically highest,” said Eric Winther, Pikeminnow Program Manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Each fish harvested contributes to the protection and recovery of juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin.”
The extended season will also help the program reach its goal of removing 10-20% of the larger, predator sized northern pikeminnow in the Columbia and Snake rivers. Removing larger fish shifts the population toward smaller individuals, which eat fewer salmon and steelhead smolts.
Anglers are paid for each qualifying northern pikeminnow they catch, with payouts increasing as they catch more fish. Anglers 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.
Anglers must register each day they plan to fish, either at a registration station or using the Pikeminnow Registration mobile application, available on Apple and Android devices.
To qualify for a cash reward, northern pikeminnow must be at least nine inches long, and caught within program boundaries. Fish must be turned in fresh on the date indicated on their registration and will only be accepted 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.
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 administers the program and partners with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and WDFW, which jointly manage registration, check stations, fish tagging, biological evaluation, and other 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. Additional information is available on WDFW’s website.
Also see:
–CBB, May 5, 2025, 2025 Columbia/Snake River Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Opens, Last Year’s Top Angler Earned $164,260 https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2025-columbia-snake-river-pikeminnow-sport-reward-fishery-opens-last-years-top-angler-earned-164260/