About this tournament

The Yellowstone River Classic is the signature fall event for the Miles City Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited, fished out of Miles City on the lower Yellowstone River and the Tongue River where the two systems meet. The format is a two-angler team event with a single weigh-in at the end of the day at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds boat ramp area.

Unlike most Montana walleye tournaments, the Classic counts both walleye and smallmouth bass toward team totals, reflecting the species mix that the lower Yellowstone has produced since the Intake bypass channel was completed in 2022. Teams may run anywhere from the Intake fishing access downstream to Powder River, and many run upstream into the Tongue River for smallmouth.

Proceeds from the Classic fund Walleyes Unlimited habitat work in southeast Montana, including the chapter’s ongoing efforts to maintain and improve the Roche Jaune fishing access just outside of Miles City.

Schedule

• 7:00 a.m. — Check-in and rules meeting
• 8:00 a.m. — Tournament start (live release format)
• 4:00 p.m. — Lines out
• 4:15 p.m. — Weigh-in at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds

Entry & Prizes

Entry: $100 per two-angler team. Day-of registration available at the morning check-in; pre-registration encouraged.

What to expect

September on the lower Yellowstone usually means low, clear water and aggressive walleye staging on rocky transitions and current seams. Jigs tipped with crawlers or fatheads are the standard producer; trolling crankbaits along seams above the Tongue River confluence puts the biggest fish in the boat. Smallmouth bass count toward team totals, so don’t ignore current-break boulders.

History

Walleyes Unlimited has run a fall Yellowstone River tournament out of Miles City for more than a decade. The event was rebranded the Yellowstone River Classic in the early 2020s as the lower Yellowstone walleye population rebounded following completion of the Intake Diversion Dam bypass channel in 2022.

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