Invasive Fish Worth $1,000 Per Month in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin

As if I needed another reason to fish. I was unaware of this program as an angler, but now I just might have a new fish to target on the Mississippi, and it's one of the most undesirable invasive species to the North America's largest river basin.

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Meet the Black Carp, an invasive mollusk-munching machine that's been creeping through the Mississippi River system. So much so that now there's a $100 bounty on its head. If you're fishing in the Tri-States on the Mississippi or one of its connected waterways, this is your chance to make a difference and some cash.

The “Keep, Cool, Call” bounty program is designed to track and control the spread of Black Carp in the Mississippi River basin. These fish eat native mussels and snails, including species that are already endangered. Their appetite can devastate aquatic ecosystems and throw off the balance that many native species rely on. Plus, once they’re in a river system, there’s no effective way to remove them completely. That's where we come in.

How Does "Keep, Cool, Call" Work?

Catch a Black Carp in the Mississippi or its tributaries, take a few photos (head, mouth, full length), record your catch details (location, water temp, gear used, etc.), dispatch the fish humanely (possession of live invasive carp is illegal), and store it on ice or in a freezer. Then call your state’s fisheries contact, and you could earn $100 per fish. At up to 10 per month, those smelly invaders could be worth a whopping $1,000!

For anglers in the tri-state region, here are your go-to contacts:

Iowa:

• Kim Bogenschutz – kim.bogenschutz@dnr.iowa.gov – (515) 290-0540
• Joel Born – joel.born@dnr.iowa.gov – (515) 218-4554

Wisconsin:

• Greg Sass – gregory.sass@wisconsin.gov – (715) 891-1875

Illinois:

• Sara Tripp – sara.tripp@illinois.gov – (618) 444-3078

Not sure what a Black Carp looks like? They can be tough to tell apart from Grass Carp, but if you follow this link, the USGS does a great job of helping you score some serious cash. Even if your catch turns out to be a different invasive carp, officials still want the report. Curious how many black carp have been reported so far? Follow this link.

READ MORE: This Invasive Species in Iowa Could Be Your Next Culinary Delight

If you fish the Mississippi River basin, this program is a win-win. You help protect the river, support conservation efforts, and possibly put up to $1,000 a month in your pocket. As if you needed one more reason to stay on the water, right? So, grab your gear, hit the river, and keep your eyes peeled for this sneaky invader. The Black Carp’s days are numbered, and they could be worth a pretty penny when they're found.