THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon State Police cited two men from The Dalles on accusations they took illegal steps to capitalize on a program that pays anglers to catch a predator that thrives on juvenile salmon.

Troopers with OSP's Fish and Wildlife Division cited 56-year-old Reggie Dawson and 46-year-old John Brown on charges of attempted theft by deception and unlawful holding of fish without a permit.

The Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery program pays from $4 to $8 for each of the predators delivered to stations along the Columbia River. Anglers must catch the fish by legal methods and they only get paid for the pikeminnow they land after registering for a day of fishing.

This year's program started Monday.

On Saturday, police served a search warrant on a boathouse at The Dalles Marina and found 88 live Northern Pikeminnow in a trap attached to the side of a boat slip.

Police say Dawson rented the boathouse and allege he and Brown each caught roughly half the trapped fish.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)