Spokane pikeminnow angler earns 22K
FISHING -- Spokane-area angler Ed Williams earned $22,374 in this year's Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program, according to information just received from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
This is an update from last week's blog post revealing that the Bonneville Power Administration paid out $1.2 million in rewards to anglers who caught and removed pikeminnows from the Snake and Columbia rivers to reduce their predation on salmon and steelhead smolts.
Williams was seventh on the list of big-money earners this year, far below the record $81,000 earned by an angler from Gresham, Ore. Anglers are paid $4-$8 per fish, plus bonuses.
Dan Geiger of Spokane earned $18,570 and finished 11th on the payout list according to the revised information.
The next pikeminnow reward season begins in May.