Yellowstone River Tournaments
Dates and results on the Yellowstone River, as the hosts published them.
- 0upcoming
- 0results
- 5hosts
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
The Yellowstone River derbies, ice days and walleye weekends
The file on the Yellowstone River reads 7 dated events, 0 of them in the future, and 0 posted results. Entries on the Yellowstone River come through Montana Catfish Association, Visit Glendive, Savage Volunteer Fire Department and Miles City Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. Boats and sleds head out from Glendive, Sidney and Glasglow.
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 2026 fields already fished on the Yellowstone River
| Date | Event | Host | Start point | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-17 | Yellowstone River Rats Walleye Tournament | Yellowstone River Rats | Sidney | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-10-03 | Glendive Walleye Tournament | Visit Glendive | Glendive | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-09-12 | Yellowstone River Classic | Miles City Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited | Miles City | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-07-18 | Monster Catfish Roundup | Montana Catfish Association | Sidney | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-06-13 | Savage Volunteer Fire Dept Catfish Tournament | Savage Volunteer Fire Department | Savage | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-05-16 | Land of the Giants Tournament | Visit Glendive | Glendive | Yellowstone County |
| 2026-05-09 | 20th Annual Yellowstone Challenge | Montana Catfish Association | Glasglow | Yellowstone County |
FWP approved 2026 open-water list and ice list; approval does not mean a result was published.
A Big Sky visit to the Yellowstone River when no field is out
On the Montana county map Yellowstone River sits in Carbon County, Custer County, Dawson County, Park County and Prairie County. 34 ramps and launches appear on FWP and state park files for this water. 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 lies inside Yellowstone National Park, so National Park Service rules apply there; read the park's fishing page before you go. 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 Yellowstone River, read November 12, 2026.
Cooler limits for fish taken out of the Yellowstone 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.
Where the booklet sets Yellowstone River apart
| Heading as printed | Section | Rule as printed | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Yellowstone National Park Boundary to Pine Creek Bridge | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Yellowstone National Park Boundary to Springdale Bridge FAS | Smallmouth bass: All smallmouth bass caught must be killed immediately, kept and the entire fish presented to FWP. Anglers who catch smallmouth bass in the Yellowstone River above Springdale Bridge FAS are required to report the catch to FWP within 24 hours 406 577-7900. Anglers will be asked to provide location, date and time of capture and may be asked to provide their full name, ALS number, and phone number. Anglers are required to present the whole smallmouth bass to a FWP office within 10 days of capture (frozen is allowed) during regular business hours. Edible portions of the fish are returned to angler upon request. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Springdale Bridge FAS to the North Dakota border | Smallmouth bass: 10 daily and in possession. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | From HWY 212 Bridge Downstream to the I-90 Bridge | Hook and Line: 2 lines with 2 hooks per line all year. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Eastern Fishing District The Eastern Fishing District includes all waters lying east of the Central Fishing District. For the boundary description, see Central Fishing District, page 47. Eastern District Exceptions Standard Regulations Transporting Live Fish Eastern District Exceptions to the Standard Regulations Methods of Taking Fish Hook and Line Limits Open Water Rivers and Streams Lakes and Reservoirs Ice Fishing Lakes, Reservoirs, Rivers and Streams Shelters: Hoop Nets Bait Regulations | See “Dead Bait” and “Live Bait” sections below for details on possession and use of nongame bait fish. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Eastern Fishing District The Eastern Fishing District includes all waters lying east of the Central Fishing District. For the boundary description, see Central Fishing District, page 47. Eastern District Exceptions Standard Regulations Transporting Live Fish Eastern District Exceptions to the Standard Regulations Methods of Taking Fish Hook and Line Limits Open Water Rivers and Streams Lakes and Reservoirs Ice Fishing Lakes, Reservoirs, Rivers and Streams Shelters: Hoop Nets Bait Regulations | Nongame fish may be taken from: (page 14) and a Commercial Pond License is required to sell bait from a privately owned pond. individual identifying number issued by the department attached. | 69 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Springdale Bridge FAS to the North Dakota Border | Smallmouth bass: 10 daily and in possession. | 83 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | I-90 Bridge at Billings to the mouth of the Bighorn River | Combined trout: 5 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, all may be cutthroat trout. | 83 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | I-90 Bridge at Billings to the mouth of the Bighorn River | Sauger/walleye: 5 daily only 2 may be sauger and 10 in possession only 4 may be sauger. | 83 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Mouth of the Bighorn River to Cartersville Diversion Dam at Forsyth | Sauger/walleye: 5 daily only 2 may be sauger and 10 in possession only 4 may be sauger. | 83 |
Anything an exception names follows the exception, not the chart.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 69 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Putting in for a contest on the Yellowstone River
Where Montana fields put in on the Yellowstone River
- East Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 1 acres, Yellowstone County
- Duck Creek Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 27 acres, Yellowstone County
- Buffalo Mirage Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 16 acres, Yellowstone County
- Voyagers Rest Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 20 acres, Yellowstone County
- Captain Clark Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 149 acres, Yellowstone County
- Holmgren Ranch Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 71 acres, Stillwater County
- Indian Fort Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 19 acres, Stillwater County
- Bratten Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 93 acres, Sweet Grass County
- Pelican Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 122 acres, Sweet Grass County
- Myers Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 49 acres, Treasure County
- Otter Creek Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 29 acres, Sweet Grass County
- Amelia Island Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 5 acres, Treasure County
- Grey Bear Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 25 acres, Sweet Grass County
- Springdale Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 14 acres, Park County
- Rosebud West Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 9 acres, Rosebud County
- Rosebud East Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 26 acres, Rosebud County
- Sheep Mountain Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 7 acres, Park County
- Highway 89 Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres, Park County
- Mayor's Landing on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 3 acres, Park County
- Carter's Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 3 acres, Park County
- Far West Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 34 acres, Rosebud County
- Pine Creek Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres, Park County
- Mallard's Rest Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 17 acres, Park County
- Loch Leven Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 76 acres, Park County
Who runs Montana fields on the Yellowstone River
Treasure State counties near the Yellowstone River
Big Sky gear for the Yellowstone 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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Contest pages by water in Montana, apart from the Yellowstone 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
- 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
Early light on the water near Yellowstone River, Big Sky style
Photo: Nicolas Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Barbara Ann Spengler, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain
Montana scenery around the Yellowstone River launch ramps
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, Public domain
Photo: Tracy Hunter, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jon Parise, CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions about contests on the Yellowstone River
What number of dates does the Yellowstone River carry?
7 dated events on file, 0 still ahead, plus 0 posted results.
What follows on the Yellowstone River calendar?
No later date is printed in the FWP lists or host pages read; the weekly check adds one when it appears.
What counts toward a score on the Yellowstone River?
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 sponsors schedule the Yellowstone River?
Montana Catfish Association, Visit Glendive, Savage Volunteer Fire Department and Miles City Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited.
Where do fields on the Yellowstone River start?
The hosts print Glendive, Sidney and Glasglow; the rest of the start details stay with each sponsor.
Which field finished last on the Yellowstone River?
No posted result is on file for this water so far.
What license covers a contest on the Yellowstone River?
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 lies inside Yellowstone National Park, so National Park Service rules apply there; read the park's fishing page before you go. 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.
Where does an angler register for the Yellowstone River?
The linked row shows the host and the printed entry fee; the sponsor handles registration.
How does a club get a the Yellowstone River date onto the list?
The Add a tournament button at the top accepts a date, and a host link lets it be verified.
Why does FWP list the contests on the Yellowstone 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.
Get on the Yellowstone River early
Mapped ramps and the booklet rules sit on the water page.
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.