Flathead Lake Tournaments
Montana contest dates, posted scores and ramps for Flathead Lake.
- 0upcoming
- 1results
- 3hosts
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Flathead Lake contests on the Montana calendar
Flathead Lake turns up 2 dated events on the Montana lists, 0 still ahead, plus 1 posted result. CSKT, Montana Student Anglers and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) put fields on Flathead Lake. Start spots on the Montana pages: Pablo, Kalispell and Blue Bay (Polson).
No average winning weight is worked out here: the posted scores use different formats.
How fields on Flathead Lake finished
| Date | Event | Result as posted | Format as printed | Start point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-10 | Fall Mack Days (2026) | 21,985 lake trout entries over nine weeks; $4,400 of tagged-fish prizes turned in | nine-week lake trout removal event; fish entries counted, no weigh-in winner | Blue Bay (Polson) |
Results as published by the organizers and Montana Outdoor’s Tourney Trail, each row linked; no angler names are copied.
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| Date | Event | Host | Start point | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-26 | MT Student Anglers 2026 Season Points Event | Montana Student Anglers | Kalispell | Lake County |
| 2026-03-12 to 2026-05-09 | 2026 Spring/Fall Mack Days Fishing Events | CSKT | Pablo | Lake County |
FWP approved 2026 open-water list and ice list; approval does not mean a result was published.
The Montana water under the Flathead Lake events
The FishMT page gives Flathead Lake 122,885 acres. Flathead Lake sits within FWP's Western fishing district for FWP rule purposes. Locate Flathead Lake on the Montana map in Flathead County and Lake County.
Mapped here: 4 ramps and launches. Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident. The mapped water touches the Flathead Reservation, where tribal rules and permits can apply on top of anything FWP sells; check with the tribe before fishing.
Montana water-level feeds for Flathead Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Flathead Lake At Polson Mt | 2,890.68 ft lake elevation | Nov 15 3:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 15, 2026 4:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USACE readings for Flathead Lake, Nov. 12, 12:00 a.m. MST.
USACE Access to Water (water.usace.army.mil), dated readings as served, read November 12, 2026. Not live.
Size as the FWP FishMT page for Flathead Lake prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026.
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Flathead Lake, read November 12, 2026.
Keeper rules on Flathead Lake under the 2026 booklet
The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
The booklet lines that replace the district standard on Flathead Lake
| Heading as printed | Section | Rule as printed | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLATHEAD LAKE | Flathead Lake north of Flathead Indian Reservation boundary | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | 31 |
| FLATHEAD LAKE | Flathead Lake north of Flathead Indian Reservation boundary | Lake trout: 100 daily and in possession, only 1 over 36 inches, and all fish 30 to 36 inches must be released. | 31 |
| FLATHEAD LAKE | Flathead Lake north of Flathead Indian Reservation boundary | Yellow perch: no limit, only 10 daily over 10 inches. No possession limit. | 31 |
| FLATHEAD LAKE | Flathead Lake north of Flathead Indian Reservation boundary | NOTE: A Flathead Indian Reservation Tribal Permit is required to fish on the southern portion of the lake. Check Tribal Fishing regulations for the south portion of the lake. | 31 |
Read the exception line first; the district chart yields to it.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 31 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Ramps, sponsors and counties on Flathead Lake
Launch spots FWP lists on Flathead Lake
- Woods Bay Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, ramp (concrete), dock, concrete surface, 12 acres, Lake County
- Walstad Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, ramp (concrete), dock, concrete surface, 1 acres, Lake County
- Bigfork Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, dock, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres, Flathead County
- Somers Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, ramp (concrete), dock, concrete surface, 2 acres, Flathead County
Hosts on Flathead Lake
Counties that host Flathead Lake fields
Tournament rigging for Flathead Lake
Spinner harnesses
Trolled walleye rigs
Deep crankbaits
Diving plugs for suspended fish
Lead-core line
Gets trolled baits down
Rod holders
Boat mount for trolling
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Other Montana contest waters beyond Flathead Lake
- Ackley Lake2 dated rows
- Bull Lake (Lincoln County)1 dated row
- Canyon Ferry Lake6 dated rows
- Clark Canyon Reservoir1 dated row
- East Fork Reservoir1 dated row
- Echo Lake (Flathead County)2 dated rows
- Flathead River1 dated row
- Fort Peck Lake21 dated rows
- Fresno Reservoir2 dated rows
- Hauser Reservoir1 dated row
- Hebgen Lake2 dated rows
- Lake Koocanusa1 dated row
- Lake Mary Ronan2 dated rows
- Lion Lake1 dated row
- McGregor Lake1 dated row
- Milk River1 dated row
- Murphy Lake1 dated row
- Nelson Reservoir (Phillips County)1 dated row
- Newlan Reservoir1 dated row
- Noxon Rapids Reservoir6 dated rows
- Smith Lake2 dated rows
- Spotted Eagle Lake1 dated row
- Tiber Reservoir3 dated rows
- Tongue River Reservoir2 dated rows
- Willow Creek Reservoir (Lewis and Clark County)2 dated rows
- Yellowstone River7 dated rows
Big Sky shorelines and trout-stream riffles around Flathead Lake, photographed
Photo: Nicolas Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain
Photo: Barbara Ann Spengler, CC BY 2.0
Montana scenery around the Flathead Lake launch ramps
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ethan Kan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Montana questions about Flathead Lake
How many dated rows does Flathead Lake carry?
2 dated events on file, 0 still ahead, plus 1 posted result.
Which entry date on Flathead Lake is closest?
No later date is printed in the FWP lists or host pages read; the weekly check adds one when it appears.
Are scores on Flathead Lake in pounds?
Each organizer picks its own format: two-angler walleye teams are posted in pounds, Mack Days counts lake trout entered and salmon events post weights. Scores appear as printed and are not averaged.
Which clubs visit Flathead Lake?
CSKT, Montana Student Anglers and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT).
Where are catches on Flathead Lake recorded?
The hosts print Pablo, Kalispell and Blue Bay (Polson); the rest of the start details stay with each sponsor.
What was posted most recently from Flathead Lake?
Fall Mack Days (2026), 2026-09-10: 21,985 lake trout entries over nine weeks; $4,400 of tagged-fish prizes turned in.
Does an entrant on Flathead Lake buy a Montana license?
Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident. The mapped water touches the Flathead Reservation, where tribal rules and permits can apply on top of anything FWP sells; check with the tribe before fishing.
Which page takes sign-ups for Flathead Lake?
Entries go through the sponsor; the event link leads to the FWP approval list or a host page, and the sponsor sets the sign-up terms.
Is there a way for a circuit to add a Flathead Lake stop?
Use Add a tournament up top and add the host page so the date can be confirmed.
Does a Montana contest on Flathead Lake need FWP approval?
Montana requires FWP approval for fishing contests, and FWP posts the approved ice and open-water lists on its contests page. This calendar reads those lists and adds results the organizers published; it was checked November 12, 2026.
Pre-fish Flathead Lake ahead of the crowd
Launches and limits for this Montana water are one click away.
Know a tournament that is not listed?
Send it here with a link to the organizer’s event page or schedule. Weekly and monthly ones only need to go in once. If that page shows the name and the date (or the day of the week), it goes on this page right away. If not, we check it by hand within a week.
We keep what you send so we can check the event. Your email is never published.