Illinois Fisherman Side Hustle Could Get You $1000 Per Month

Everyone is looking for an extra avenue for money to earn these days. In Illinois you could earn up to $1000 per month by fishing. There’s a specific reason and instructions to get paid though.

$100 per Black Carp - Limit 10 per month

Black Carp are a part of the invasive Asian Carp problem in Illinois and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is willing to pay fisherman to reel them in under the “Keep, Cool, Call” program.

Black Carp are part of the invasive Asian Carp group

The program will pay you $100 per Black Carp caught but there is a limit of ten per month. There are also specific asks from the Illinois DNR after you bring them out of the water.

Get our free mobile app

The Department asks that you note the location you are fishing, preferably via GPS coordinates. They ask that you keep the fish and document with pictures some details of your catch. They want images of the Black Carp’s head and mouth, and also its length. They also want to know what gear you were using when you caught it, what bait and the conditions when you were fishing: water flow, water temp and depth and habitat conditions.

Illinois fisherman can land some side cash!

When keeping the fish, they ask that you keep it in a freezer or on ice as possession of a live Black Carp is illegal. Then contact a local resource agency to share the info you have including the pics.

Go ahead and name each one just for fun

You love to go fishing. While fishing for Black Carp is probably not your thing, fishing for Black Carp for an extra $1000 a month might be. So go ahead and throw your line in them weeds over there.