Feature photo via Ru’s Tiber Marina in Chester, MT
It is hard to believe now, but Tiber Reservoir wasn’t always the walleye juggernaut it is today. For example, back in 2011, a modest 27.60-pound haul was enough to crown Ken Seay and Marlin Cross champs at the Tiber Walleye Tourney. This was definitely respectable for the time—but by today’s standards, that is like a warm-up lap. Things have definitely changed!
Fast forward to 2025, and we’re in an entirely new weight class. Wayne Wilcox and Zeik Gordon, hailing from Billings and Bozeman, obliterated the leaderboard with an insane 143.15 pounds. That’s not just winning—that is a flex, for sure! Hot on their heels were Colby Tognetti and Kyle Vine with 123.01 pounds, followed by Chris McFadden and Brem Phipps landing third with 111.90. Triple-digit bags all around. Tiber is not just producing walleye—it is raising monsters and bringing in some good anglers!
Veteran angler Brian Olson, who nabbed the win in 2015 with partner Casey Chovanak on a 38.70-pound weigh-in, has watched this fishery level up from the inside over the years. “When I won, we were still using basic 2D sonar and mapping was fairly new, and that is what I depended on along with sonar,” he recalled. A few years before that, back in 2010, Olson and Chovanak placed second with a total weight of 16.26 pounds, following the first-place weight of 18.48 pounds. Olson still uses the same strategy he used back then: ¼ oz jigs, 3-inch paddle tails–blue backs seemed to work the best–in a main stretch of the river in 15′-20′ feet of water. Oh, and a boatload of patience, presumably. “I didn’t fish individual fish, as all I could see were marks,” Olson recalled. He still just uses his old school 2D sonar today but is considering changing that if he goes back to competing in tournaments again.
So how did Tiber Reservoir go from sleeper spot to heavyweight champ? First, let’s look at real estate. Located approximately 90 miles north of Great Falls, Tiber (aka Lake Elwell), is approximately 25 miles long, located on the Marias River and offers 181 miles of shoreline and solid angling for walleye, northern pike, and rainbow trout. And if you’re looking to create your own Tiber story, Ru’s Tiber Marina in Chester has you covered. Located at 669 Tiber Marina Road, it’s the one-stop shop for camping, RV hookups, gas, bait and tackle, ice, kayak and paddle board rentals—and yes, even ice cream. Call (406) 759-5637 and give them a like on Facebook for current store hours and updates. Because nothing is better than a post-fishing scoop of ice cream!
However, Tiber Dam itself is the powerhouse that steals the show. Built between 1952 and 1956, this beast stretches 4,300 feet long, rises 211 feet high, and is backed by a 17,000-foot dike and spillways that can unleash a whole river’s worth of water. Being one of the largest earth-fill dams in the world, it is the backbone of this booming fishery.
Sure, today’s gear is flashier and more technologically advanced, and the fish seem to be fatter, but as Olson says, your gear isn’t much good if you don’t understand how to use it: “Tournament fishing has shown the difference between good fishermen who understand their tools and people who [just] like to fish, even though most have the new equipment.”
Starting with humble beginnings and advancing to triple-digit tournament wins, Tiber Reservoir isn’t just having a moment—it is essentially writing its own legacy. It even held the state walleye record location for 14 years—17.75 pounds in 2007—until Trevor Johnson took the title with an 18.02-pound biggin from Holter in 2021. But judging by the 2025 tournament numbers, Tiber is just getting warmed up.
Click here for the full Tiber tourney results from this past weekend to see for yourself just how high those numbers are!
