Pikeminnow

[Modest_Man]

I made no derogatory comments whatsoever. Get after them -- doesn't bother me one bit. Hopefully you do well.

As far as the pikeminnow being a scapegoat -- they are. BPA was under pressure to do something about the problems with outward salmon migration that their dams cause, so they threw some money at a program that stems from some pretty shaky science/studies.

:thumb:

 

[hawkeyes]

Thursday at midnight yahoo,here we go

 

[pinstriper]

I still want to know if they are worth eating, and of course what kinda gear/technique for a bankie (I'm assuming that's fisherperson talk for those of us who are smart enough to not own a boat, but not well connected enough to know a bunch of guys who do have boats)

 

[HereFishy]

They're too bony to eat. And, please correct me if I'm wrong, but they're not a native species. I've always heard that they're invasive. Feeding on salmon smolt and fingerlings. Taking more than their fair share of salmon. I'll say it now and I'll say it forever.... "Bonk and bank". Every time I land a pikeminnow, ON ACCIDENT, I kill it and throw it in a bush on the bank. I figure eradicating pikeminnow in these parts should be a collaborative effort. The local racoons and I are doing our part....

 

[HereFishy]

I still want to know if they are worth eating, and of course what kinda gear/technique for a bankie (I'm assuming that's fisherperson talk for those of us who are smart enough to not own a boat, but not well connected enough to know a bunch of guys who do have boats)

Trout gear..... I've had the most "luck" from the bank just plunking an earthworm.. Which further proves to me that these things are basically bottom feeders... Sorry if my distain for this species is peeking through... To each his own though (honestly. No sarcasm intended).. I know people that consider Carp a "garbage fish".. That doesn't change the fact that I'd like to hook in to a monster Carp (the likes of which would make igquick salivate). If you're ever in the Salem/Keizer area, let me know.. I know where the pikeminnow are hiding around here.

 

[Modest_Man]

They're too bony to eat. And, please correct me if I'm wrong, but they're not a native species. I've always heard that they're invasive. Feeding on salmon smolt and fingerlings. Taking more than their fair share of salmon. I'll say it now and I'll say it forever.... "Bonk and bank". Every time I land a pikeminnow, ON ACCIDENT, I kill it and throw it in a bush on the bank. I figure eradicating pikeminnow in these parts should be a collaborative effort. The local racoons and I are doing our part....

Native fish. Scientific name of Ptychocheilus oregonensis. See the Oregon? Got along fine with salmon and trout for a few hundred thousand years before people came along. Think about it. They've co-existed with Salmonids for hundreds of thousands of years. If they adversely impacted Salmonid populations salmon would have gone extinct in that time frame. I'm with DrTheopolis all the way on this one. Pikeminnow have just as much a right to swim in our waters as do salmon and steelhead. I do wish everyone killed all the carp, bass, and panfish that ARE invasive species in the Northwest...

 

[HereFishy]

I stand corrected. My opinion was based solely on what I had heard from a few fishing buddies and how "in the way" they are when I'm focused on other things.. You couldn't be more correct about their 'right to live'. I'm still gonna be *tinkled* off when I catch one. But you're 'just as much right as any other species' comment really makes sense. Thanks MM (again, no scarcasm intended). You've given me something to ponder..... And THANKS MM! Now I'm gonna be up all night researching.. Which, in hindsight, maybe I should have done before I condemned an entire species to death....

p.s. Still too bony to eat...
p.p.s... Will probably always frustrate me.

 

[JonT]

I have all my illegal traps set and full of pike minnow, can't wait to go net a few out of there and collect my $50K. I just got my sea lion tag, too! Fun summer ahead.

 

[DrTheopolis]

It's possible (MM probably knows more than I) that salmon and steelhead smolts feed on the fry of pikeminnows. That would make them, like suckers, a good thing.

 

[Lerwickj]

I feel there's a lot of haters but why? People that have nothing good to say, are you targeting these fish? Never heard anyone getting pumped about catching them unless to make a buck. Why do you care if they're being removed? Maybe or maybe not it helps the salmon but if it does isn't that better? And way to go stealing the original question, politics . Ever do any good?

 

[NWDiscer]

So is any1 doing this on a regular or even semi regular basis that has a seat avail.
Im in Canby but would have no issues driving to you or meeting you at a launch.

I am willing to share costs food,gas,bait. I have my own tackle. Gave up cigs 15+ but they dont bug me, can give or take a couple of beers on the water.
Thanks

 

[CaptMike]

I have been studying the pikeminnow reward program. Including the comments posted here and all over the internet.
I am in the process of writing a book, not intended for publication, but for my own use.
Most of the comments posted are only about half right. There are a number of watersheds containing NPM.northern pike minnow. Each with its own specific problems.
Columbia/Snake
Sacramento
Eell River
Colorado
Etc.
BPA is under a court order to mitigate, not eliminate npm. The reward program is the result. The objective is to cull 10 to 20 percent of the npm large enough to eat significant salmon smolts, in a given year. IE reduce predation by 50 percent. Complaints that the program is imperfect, are just that...complaints.
Not solutions.
If want to know, not just speculate it is nessesary to read the detailed reports, annual and independent.
I will post a list with links one of these days, soon.