Fishing Tournaments

Idaho Fish and Game regulates organized fishing tournaments to protect fish populations and manage crowding concerns.

Tournament details, start and end times, location, sponsor, etc. are available in the table below or on a calendar. Events can change at any time, be sure to contact the tournament sponsor for up-to-date information. 

 

NOTE: Most of the tournaments are club/contest events. Crowding may occur on a specific body of water on a given day. Non-contest anglers may wish to use another boat ramp or location that day.

Do I need a permit for a tournament or contest? 

Any person, organization, club, business, partnership, corporation or other entity sponsoring any organized fishing event that charges an entry fee or offers any prize(s) will need a permit if the event: 

  • Has a live-fish weigh-in

  • Cash or prize of $1,000 or more based on the number, size or species of fish caught

  • Expects 20 or more participants

Any person, organization, club, business, partnership, corporation or other entity sponsoring any organized fishing event that charges an entry fee or offers any prize(s) will need a permit if the event: 

If you're interested in sponsoring a fishing contest, contact your local Fish & Game office for permit application information OR complete this contest application permit form [PDF, 160 KB] and mail it to:

IDFG Fishing Contests
PO Box 25
Boise, ID 83707

Upcoming Fishing Tournaments

Start Date Event Sponsor Body of Water Boat Ramp Used Region
May15
 American Bass Association Lake Cascade Sugarloaf/Sugarloaf Southwest Region
May15
 Idaho North American Bass LPO & connected waters Morton Slough/Morton Slough Panhandle Region
May15
 Intermountain Bass Anglers Anderson Ranch Reservoir Curlew/Curlew Magic Valley Region
May15
 Magic Valley Bassmasters Milner Lake Burley Golf Course Marina/Burley Golf Course Marina Magic Valley Region
May15
 Rocky Mountain Bowfishing Association American Falls Reservoir McTucker, Sportsmans Park, Willow Bay/Willow Bay Marina Southeast Region
May16
 Mountain Home Hawg Hunters Lake Walcott Lake Walcott State Park/Lake Walcott State Park Magic Valley Region
May21
 Lake Pend Oreille Anglers Club LPO & connected waters Hope, Garfield Bay, Bayview Panhandle Region
May21
 Yak-Bassin' Pacific Northwest LPO & connected waters Sandpoint City Beach/Sandpoint City Beach Panhandle Region
May21
 Yak-Bassin' Pacific Northwest CDA Lake & connected waters Higgins Point/Higgins Point Panhandle Region
May22
 Boise Bass Busters Anderson Ranch Reservoir Curlew/Curlew Magic Valley Region
May22
 Idaho Walleye Unlimited Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir Lud Drexler/Lud Drexler Magic Valley Region
May22
 John Adams, GMC, Ford American Falls Reservoir Willow Bay MarinaWillow Bay Marina Southeast Region
May22
 Panhandle Bass Anglers LPO & connected waters Willow Bay/Willow Bay Panhandle Region
May22
 Payette River Bassmasters Lake Cascade Sugarloaf/Sugarloaf Southwest Region
May22
 Pend Oreille Bass Club Priest Lake Coolin/Coolin Panhandle Region
May22
 Snake River Bassmasters Brownlee Reservoir Woodhead/Woodhead Southwest Region
May23
 Idaho Basshunters American Falls Reservoir Sportsman's Ramp/Sportsman's Ramp Southeast Region
May23
 Yak-Bassin' Pacific Northwest Spirit Lake Maine St. Public Launch/Spirit Lake Panhandle Region
Jun5
 American Bass Association Brownlee Reservoir Woodhead/Woodhead Southwest Region
Jun5
 Boise Bass Busters Lake Cascade Sugarloaf/Sugarloaf Southwest Region
Jun5
 Idaho North American Bass CDA Lake & connected waters Harrison/Harrison Panhandle Region
Jun5
 Kayak Fishing Northwest (KFNW) Lake Cascade Any public ramp/Kelly's Water Park Southwest Region
Jun5
 Mini-Cassia Bassers Milner Lake Golf Course/Golf Course Magic Valley Region
Jun5
 Pend Oreille Bass Club LPO & connected waters Morton Slough/Morton Slough Panhandle Region
Jun6
 Mountain Home Hawg Hunters Anderson Ranch Reservoir Curlew/Curlew Magic Valley Region
Jun7
 Boise Police Association Brownlee Reservoir Woodhead/Woodhead Southwest Region
Jun11
 Guided by River Adventures, Riggins ID - Rich Friend Snake River/Hells Canyon Pittsburg Landing/Not needed Clearwater Region
Jun13
 Mini-Cassia Bassers American Falls Reservoir Aberdeen/Aberdeen Southeast Region
Jun13
 Panhandle Bass Anglers Twin Lake Upper Twin Lake ramp/Twin Lake Panhandle Region
Jun19
 Idaho Walleye Unlimited Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir Lud Drexler/Lud Drexler Magic Valley Region
Jun19
 Jimmie Desaro Memorial Foundation Inc. Lake Cascade Van Wyck/Blue Heron Southwest Region
Jun19
 North Idaho Pike Association LPO & connected waters Hope/Hope Panhandle Region
Jun19
 Pend Oreille Bass Club LPO & connected waters Morton Slough/Morton Slough Panhandle Region
Jun25
 Idaho Bass Nation Brownlee Reservoir Woodhead/Woodhead Southwest Region
Jun26
 Idaho Basshunters Dworshak Reservoir Freeman Creek/Freeman Creek Clearwater Region
Jun26
 The Montana Bass Federation LPO & connected waters Morton Slough/Morton Slough Panhandle Region
Jun26
 Yak-Bassin' PNW Hayden Lake Sportsman/Sportsman Panhandle Region
Jul10
 Idaho Backcountry Veterans, Kokanee Tackle, Fall Creek Resort Anderson Ranch Reservoir Fall Creek Lodge/Fall Creek Lodge Magic Valley Region
Jul10
 Idaho Walleye Unlimited Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir Lud Drexler/Lud Drexler Magic Valley Region
Jul10
 Kayak Fishing Northwest (KFNW) Anderson Ranch Reservoir Any public ramp/Walmart-Mtn. Home Magic Valley Region
Jul10
 Mini-Cassia Bassers Snake River Massacre Rocks State Park/Massacre Rocks State Park Southeast Region
Jul10
 Payette River Bassmasters Lake Cascade Sugarloaf/Sugarloaf Southwest Region
Jul10
 Pend Oreille Bass Club CDA Lake & connected waters Rainy Hill/Rainy Hill Panhandle Region
Jul10
 Snake River Bassmasters CJ Strike Black Sands/Black Sands Southwest Region
Jul10
 Treasure Valley Bass Lake Lowell Caldwell Ramp/Caldwell Ramp Southwest Region
Jul11
 Mountain Home Hawg Hunters CJ Strike Black Sands/Black Sands Southwest Region
Jul12
 Hammer Down River Excursions LLC Salmon River, Snake River Hammer Creek, Pittsburg Clearwater Region
Jul17
 Idaho Basshunters CJ Strike Black Sands/Black Sands Southwest Region
Jul17
 Panhandle Bass Anglers CDA Lake & connected waters Harrison/Harrison Panhandle Region
Jul17
 Yak-Bassin' Pacific Northwest LPO & connected waters Public Launch/Sponsor Location Panhandle Region