Colorado Is Paying People To Catch This Illegal Predatory Fish

This State Is Offering A $20 Reward For Each Northern Pike Caught https://t.co/5Nu2C5HJWn

— OutdoorHub (@Outdoor_Hub) May 25, 2017

Colorado has a massive problem with a predatory fish species, and is looking to pay fishermen to come in and help alleviate the issue.

Several years ago, a large quantity of Northern Pike fish were illegally dumped into Colorado’s Green Mountain Reservoir. As a voracious predator, the pike were able to grow swiftly by consuming many of the native fish in this crucial body of water that connects to major rivers like the Blue and Colorado River. As their population continues to swell, a growing concern amongst the Colorado Water Conservation Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife is that Northern pike could enter these rivers and continue to spread like wildfire, eventually eliminating the native fish like pikeminnow and bony tail, all of which have already become endangered.

Twenty dollar reward for each northern pike caught at Green Mountain Reservoir https://t.co/wVam0Ko4u4 pic.twitter.com/lTNFFjHIFJ

— CO Parks & Wildlife (@COParksWildlife) May 23, 2017

To prevent this massive blow to Colorado’s ecosystem, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is calling on all anglers to come out to the Green Mountain Reservoir and catch as many of these Northern Pike fish as they possibly can. For each pike they reel in, fishermen will receive 20 bucks as a way to say thanks for preserving Colorado’s ecosystem.

To receive credit for each fish, all you have to do is show up with your fish, driver’s license, and fishing license at the Heeney Marina in Silverthorne. Parks and Wildlife will keep the head of each fish, but the bodies can either be returned to the catchers to use for a tasty meal or donated to the Marina for future distribution.

If you’re looking to make some extra cash and have a fun fishing road trip, maybe consider adding in some public service and going after some Northern Pike. The state of Colorado and the Green Mountain Reservoir community would certainly be happy you did.