{"id":741578,"date":"2026-07-03T21:12:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T21:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/741578\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T21:12:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T21:12:09","slug":"the-pikeminnow-fishing-derby-is-back-get-out-on-the-eel-river-and-kill-invasive-fish-for-a-prize-lost-coast-outpost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/741578\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pikeminnow Fishing Derby is Back! Get Out on the Eel River and Kill Invasive Fish for a Prize | Lost Coast Outpost"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Press release from TRIB Research and CalTrout:<\/p>\n

The Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby is back for its third year in its current format, and
\nthe numbers keep growing. In 2024, derby participants caught more than 500 fish. Last
\nyear, that effort more than doubled and anglers brought in 1,118 pikeminnow. \n<\/p>\n

From July 1 through August 31, anyone with a valid California fishing license (or if under
\n16 years old, no license is necessary) can compete for a chance to win up to $800, with
\n$5,000 in total cash and prizes available. There is no entry fee to participate. \n<\/p>\n

Data collected from each catch helps researchers and managers better understand
\npikeminnow populations and their effects on native fish in the Eel River watershed, making
\nthis community event a win for anglers and for conservation efforts in California. \n<\/p>\n

Background: Sacramento Pikeminnow in the Eel River <\/p>\n

Sacramento Pikeminnow are not native to the Eel River. They were introduced via
\nPillsbury Reservoir in the late 1970s and have since spread to all forks of the river. Prolific
\nand wide-ranging, they make seasonal freshwater migrations and have been found to prey
\non native salmonids and lamprey. On top of longstanding stressors such as historic
\noverfishing, damaging logging practices, habitat loss, and the accelerating impacts of
\nclimate change, pikeminnow present an additional challenge to the recovery of native fish
\npopulations through both predation and competition. \n<\/p>\n

In 2018, the Wiyot Tribe and Stillwater Sciences launched a focused effort to monitor
\npikeminnow in the South Fork Eel River and analyze their diet to better understand
\npredation impacts. That collaboration has since grown to include CalTrout, UC Berkeley,
\nthe Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and TRIB
\nResearch. Together, these partners are working to characterize pikeminnow distribution,
\nbehavior, and ecological impact, and to develop tools to reduce their presence in critical
\nnative fish habitat. One recent approach involves a channel-spanning weir designed to
\nlimit pikeminnow migration into the upper South Fork Eel. \n<\/p>\n

For more on current pikeminnow research and management in the Eel, see the Wiyot
\nTribe\u2019s Lhoulhaqh Pikeminnow Management Plan. \n<\/p>\n

Derby Fishing Waters <\/p>\n


\nEligible waters include: \n<\/p>\n

1. South Fork Eel River \u2014 downstream of the Humboldt County line to the confluence
\nwith the mainstem \n<\/p>\n

2. Mainstem Eel River \u2014 from Dos Rios to the mouth of the Van Duzen \n<\/p>\n

3. Van Duzen River \u2014 from Grizzly Creek to the mouth of the Van Duzen
\n\u00a0 \n<\/p>\n

Waters outside these boundaries are excluded from the derby to reduce fishing pressure
\non native fish in adjacent habitats. \n<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Let the Y-Bones Fool You <\/p>\n

Pikeminnow have an underserved reputation as inedible. When prepared properly (the key
\nis managing the y-bones), they make for an excellent meal \u2013 fish balls in noodle soup,
\nfried fish cakes, fish tacos, you can even try smoking them! \n<\/p>\n

How to Enter <\/p>\n

Full entry details, eligibility rules, and a guide to catching pikeminnow in the Eel River are
\navailable at tribresearch.org\/pikeminnow.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n


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