Source story and photo courtesy of fieldandstream.com

As heard on Outdoor Journal Radio

Can someone earn $70,000 a year by being a bounty fisherman? Apparently, the answer is YES! If this sounds like your dream job, you may want to consider relocating to the Pacific Northwest. 

The angler (who preferred to remain nameless for this story) earned $69,230 fishing for Northern Pikeminnows in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Flourishing in the reservoirs of the Columbia River hydroelectric system, Pikeminnows are a very adept predator, reaching up to 89 cm (35 inches) in length and 6.8 kg (15 lbs) in weight.

A member of the minnow family (Leuciscidae), the Pikeminnow has a voracious appetite for salmon smolt and has been particularly detrimental to the Columbia River basin – data suggests that as much as 650,000 salmon fry are consumed annually.

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) manages the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program while funding is provided by the Bonneville Power Administration. Pikeminnows measuring at least 9 inches are worth $6 to $10 – the more fish you catch, the more they are worth. 

The angler who earned just under $70,000 brought home close to 7000 fish! That’s one lucrative hobby if you have the time to devote to it. The secret to his (or her) success? Perhaps this video, which was produced by the PSMFC to promote the program.

The team at The Fish’n Canada Show congratulates the mystery angler and we are pretty sure they will keep on fishin’!

For more information on the conservation reward program visit pikeminnow.org.