Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has approved the following open water fishing contests for 2016. Participants must comply with state fishing regulations, including daily and possession limits. Most contests require catch-and-release fishing and participants in these contests may not keep any fish.
Information on the approved fishing contests can be found on FWP’s webpage at fwp.mt.gov; click “Fishing” then click “Fishing Contests“. Look for “2016 Approved Open Water Fishing Contests” at the bottom of the page.
Approved 2016 Open Water Fishing Contests
Region 1
| Bull Lake Summer Derby |
Aug 6-7 |
Bull Lake |
| Fall Mack Days |
Sept 23 – Nov 13 |
Flathead Lake |
| First Annual Bull Lake Pike Assault |
June 25-26 |
Bull Lake |
| Flathead River Pike Round Up |
June 11 |
Flathead Lake/River/Sloughs |
| Kickin Horse Saloon & Eatery’s Father’s Day Fishing Derby |
June 18-19 |
Thompson Chain of Lakes, Crystal & Loon Lakes |
| Koocanusa Resort & Marina 13th Annual Trout and Salmon Derby |
May 14-15 |
Lake Koocanusa |
| Montana BASS Nation Spring Buddy Tournament |
Apr 30-May 1 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Montana BASS Nation State Championship |
Aug 19-21 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Poor Man May |
May 21 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Poor Man October |
Oct 8 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Poor Man September |
Sept 17 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Poor Man June/TBF |
June 11-12 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
| Snappys Big Bass Bash |
Apr 23 |
Echo, Abbot and Peterson Lakes |
| Snappys Perch Festival |
Sept 17 |
Lake Mary Ronan |
| Spring Mack Days |
Mar 18 – May 15 |
Flathead Lake |
| Tobacco Valley Rod & Gun Fishing Derby |
July 8-9 |
Lake Koocanusa |
| Tri-State Bass Tournament |
July 30-31 |
Noxon Rapids Reservoir |
Region 3
| Livingston Firefighters Annual Kids Trout Derby |
June 11 |
Sacajawea Park Lagoon |
Region 4
| Broadwater Rod and Gun Walleye Derby |
July 16 |
Canyon Ferry Reservoir |
| Camp-Make-A-Dream Walleye Benefit |
Aug 13 |
Canyon Ferry Reservoir |
| Canyon Ferry Carp Safari |
June 11 |
Canyon Ferry Reservoir |
| Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival |
June 25-26 |
Canyon Ferry Reservoir |
| Father’s Day Fish Derby |
June 19 |
Newlan Creek Reservoir |
| Fort Benton Spring Classic Fishing Derby |
May 20-22 |
Missouri River, Marias River, Teton River |
| John Arnold Fish Derby |
Aug 27 |
Hauser Reservoir |
| Tiber Walleye Tournament |
June 11-12 |
Tiber Reservoir, Lake Elwell |
Region 5
| Annual Yellowstone Challenge |
May 14 |
Yellowstone River (Huntley Bridge to Mouth of Bighorn River) |
| Bighorn River Alliance Carp Tournament 2015 |
June 15 |
Yellowtail Afterbay Reservoir on Bighorn Lake at OK-A-Beh |
| Fall Cats Fever |
Sept 10-11 |
Yellowstone River from Huntley Dam to Rancher’s Dam |
| NBAA Qualifier |
May 14-15 |
Yellowtail Reservoir |
| NBAA Qualifier |
July 16-17 |
Yellowtail Reservoir |
Region 6
| 15th Annual Pikemasters |
June 11-12 |
Fort Peck – Big Dry Arm |
| 17th Annual Milk River Catfish Classic |
June 4 |
Milk River Junebug Bridge to mouth of Milk River). |
| 29th Annual Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament |
July 7-10 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
| EMBA / NBAA MT State Championship |
Sept 24-25 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
| Fall Classic Walleye Tournament |
Aug 6-7 |
Fort Peck Reservoir: Crooked Creek Bay or Hell Creek Bay |
| Fishin’ For the Cure |
Aug 20 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
| Fresno Challenge |
May 21-22 |
Fresno Reservoir |
| Hell Creek Ladies Fishing Tournament |
June 25 |
Fort Peck Reservoir (Hell Creek State Park) |
| Hell Creek Walleye Tournament |
July 23-24 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
| Jordan Chapter Tough Guy Tournament |
Apr 16 |
Fort Peck Reservoir (Hell Creek) |
| NBAA Qualifier |
May 21-22 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
| Rock Creek Walleye Tournament |
June 4-5 |
Fort Peck Reservoir, Rock Creek Marina |
| Women’s Fishing Tournament |
July 30 |
Fort Peck Reservoir |
Region 7
| Monster Catfish Roundup |
July 16 |
Yellowstone River Elk Island FAS to the ND State Line |
| Savage Volunteer Fire Department Catfish Tournament |
June 11 |
Yellowstone River (from Cottonwood Creek downstream to Sidney Bridge) |
| Yellowstone River Classic |
Sept 17 |
Yellowstone River |
| Yellowstone River Rats Jig N Crank Fest |
Oct 15 |
Yellowstone River, ND state line to Elk Island Boat Ramp |
