Missouri River Catfish Clash

August 19, 2023 by Montana Cats Staff

8/19/2023 (Williston, ND) – This year's Missouri River Catfish Clash proved to be the most difficult fishing in the 13 years of the event.  41 boats competed in the tournament and only nine teams would break the 20 lb. barrier.  Nothing less than 30+ pounds had ever taken the tournament championship at the "Clash", until this year!  Joshua Pruitt, Bismarck, ND., and Caleb Wells, Williston, ND. would ultimately grind out the victory.  They become only the second team to ever win a Montana Cats event while bringing four fish into a five fish weigh-in.  Their 4-fish basket tipped the scales at 25.12 lbs.; narrowly defeating last year's Champion, Eric Braunberger, Miles City, MT., and his partner Aaron Roble, also of Miles City.  The Miles City duo weighed in 25.03 lbs. on five fish.  

August 20, 2022 by Montana Cats Staff

8/20/2022 (Williston, ND) – They needed a big day.  They delivered.  Eddie White and Eric Braunberger, both of Miles City, MT., were trailing four other fishermen for this year's Angler of the Year honors heading into the final event of the season.  Anything less than a tournament championship would have probably meant falling short of the coveted prize.  At the end of the day, their run and gun approach pounding "cover" paid off with a Missouri River Catfish Clash title.  The champs weighed in 32.21 lbs. on five Channel Cats to give them exactly what they needed to secure AOY honors.  

August 21, 2021 by Montana Cats Staff

8/21/2021 (Williston, ND) – Low Water. That was the theme of the 11th Annual Missouri River Catfish Clash held in Williston, North Dakota over the weekend.  The event came into question mid-week due to the low water levels and issues with the boat launch at tournament headquarters.  Thankfully, Montana Cats worked collectively with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to ensure safe access for all the anglers and assured that the event would go on as planned.  Despite conditions that had not been seen over the last decade of the event, and a drop in prop boat attendance, 42 boats still signed up to give it a go.  

August 15, 2020 by Montana Cats Staff

8/15/2020 (Williston, ND) – After 10 years, the Missouri River Catfish Clash can still take an anglers breath away!   The beautiful stretch of water from the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers to the far west reaches of Lake Sakakawea is simply outstanding and continues to produce trophy Channel Catfish year in and year out.  This year's event capped a decade of impressive performances by some of the finest catfish anglers throughout Montana and the Dakotas.  49 teams enjoyed a fine day on the water with twenty teams weighing in at least twenty pounds.  

August 17, 2019 by Montana Cats Staff

8/17/2019 (Williston, ND) – Since 2011, the Missouri Catfish Clash has given local anglers a chance to consistently battle with BIG Channel Cats.  It is no longer a secret.  Tournament boundaries stretch from the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri River's in far western North Dakota and head east to the western reaches of Lake Sakakawea. offer fisherman a chance at a trophy nearly every time their baits hit the water.  It's a given every single year for the champion team to have a basket with over a 7+ lb. average and it's no surprise that the event is one of the most popular on tour.

This year the event had 53 boats, up 13 from 2018, as anglers from Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin battled on a cool, wet unseasonable day.  Many of the tournament fisherman were on the water pre-fishing on Friday and enjoyed sunny skies and upper 80 degree temperatures.  Saturday featured a high in the low 60's with rain sporadic throughout tournament hours.