Flathead River Tournaments
the Flathead River: fields, posted marks and put-ins.
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Fishing contests on the Flathead River
Counting FWP approvals and organizer recaps, the Flathead River carries 1 dated event: 1 are yet to fish, with 0 posted results beside them. The approved rows for the Flathead River name Chancy’s Fish Camp. Weigh-ins and launches are tied to Kalispell.
Mark 2026-10-12 for Chancy’s Fish Camp Fall Whitefish Festival.
Montana fields coming to the Flathead River
| Date | Event | Host | Start point | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 to 2026-11-21 | Chancy's Fish Camp Fall Whitefish Festival | Chancy's Fish Camp | Kalispell | Sanders County |
FWP approved contest lists and host pages, read November 12, 2026.
The Flathead River contests in the approved list's own words
Chancy's Fish Camp Fall Whitefish Festival (2026-10-12 to 2026-11-21): sign-up price as posted: $10/angler Kids under 12 free; clock times: 10/12/2026 to 11/21/2026 0700 to 1800; quarry printed: lake whitefish; the host expects near 50 anglers; listed around Kalispell.
Details as printed on the FWP approved contest lists (contests page), retrieved November 2026.
The Flathead River between the contest weekends
Montana files Flathead River under FWP's Western fishing district. County pages for Flathead River: Flathead County, Lake County and Sanders County. Montana site records list 4 ramps and launches along the shore.
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. The mapped outline here is the Montana part; the water reaches crosses or meets a state or Canada line in part of its course: check before printing.
Montana FWP MFISH stream layers (ArcGIS service) for Flathead River, read November 12, 2026.
Season and limit lines covering the Flathead River
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.
Exception lines printed for Flathead River
| Heading as printed | Section | Rule as printed | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLATHEAD RIVER | From the confluence of North and Middle Forks to Flathead Lake | Hooks/lures must have single points, no double or treble hooks. | 32 |
| FLATHEAD RIVER | From the confluence of North and Middle Forks to Flathead Lake | Open entire year. | 32 |
| FLATHEAD RIVER | From the confluence of North and Middle Forks to Flathead Lake | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | 32 |
| FLATHEAD RIVER | From the confluence of North and Middle Forks to Flathead Lake | Rainbow trout: 5 daily and in possession. | 32 |
| FLATHEAD RIVER | From the confluence of North and Middle Forks to Flathead Lake | From Dec. 1 to third Saturday in May, maggots and artificial lures only, no artificial lures can be scented (infused, saturated, or applied). | 32 |
| FLATHEAD RIVER | F lathead Indian Reservation boundary to confluence with Clark Fork River | Open entire year. | 32 |
The district chart is superseded wherever an exception speaks.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 32 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Montana license and regulations
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Launches on the Flathead River from FWP records
- Sportsmans Bridge Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 6 acres, Flathead County
- Pressentine Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 11 acres, Flathead County
- Kokanee Bend Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 185 acres, Flathead County
- Teakettle Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 3 acres, Flathead County
Clubs and sponsors on the Flathead River
County pages for fields on the Flathead River
Rods and rigs for the Flathead River
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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More Treasure State waters with fields besides the Flathead River
- 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 Lake3 dated rows
- 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
Prairie reservoirs and Rockies lakes by Flathead River through a lens
Photo: Luke Detwiler, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nicolas Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Barbara Ann Spengler, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Shawn Michael, CC BY 2.0
Water near the Flathead River Montana tournament stops, on camera
Photo: Scott Shawcroft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Justin Brockie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Barbara Ann Spengler, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Quick replies on the Flathead River events
How busy is the Montana calendar on the Flathead River?
1 dated event on file, 1 still ahead, plus 0 posted results.
When does the next field fish the Flathead River?
Chancy's Fish Camp Fall Whitefish Festival on 2026-10-12.
How does a field on the Flathead River pick a winner?
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 hosts stage the fields on the Flathead River?
Chancy's Fish Camp.
Which launch serves the Flathead River fields?
The hosts print Kalispell; the rest of the start details stay with each sponsor.
What is the newest posted result on the Flathead River?
No posted result is on file for this water so far.
Does a field on the Flathead River require a Montana fishing 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. The mapped outline here is the Montana part; the water reaches crosses or meets a state or Canada line in part of its course: check before printing.
Who collects entries for the Flathead River?
Each host runs its own sign-up, and FWP approval is the only link some rows have, so ask the sponsor for the entry form.
Can a Montana club send a the Flathead River date?
Derbies, club days and benefit events can all use the Add a tournament button.
Who approves a fishing contest on the Flathead River?
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.
Learn the Flathead River ahead of the weigh-in
Open the water page for rules and ramps.
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.