Montana Catfish Association - News & Updates

July 24, 2023 by Montana Cats Staff

7/15/23 - Sidney, MT. - It was another great day on the Yellowstone River for the Annual Monster Cat Roundup!  This year provided more unique challenges for the 37 teams in attendance.  It happened to be the 3rd highest river levels in the 15-year history of the event as the streamflow hovered at 30,000 cubic feet per second.  Only the inaugural year and the flood year of 2011, provided higher water.  Our recent cooler summer temps also kept the water temperature nearly 8 degrees cooler than the tournament average.  Despite those obvious differences, fishing still proved to be quite difficult for much of the field.   
One team stood above all others, however, as the father-son duo of Todd Lindsay, Laurel, MT., and JJ Lindsay, Billings, MT., absolutely obliterated the field with a heaping basket of cats that tipped the scales at 37.03 lbs.  It proved to be nearly 11 lbs. clear of the runner-up team and marks the 2nd largest margin of victory in tournament history.  Todd turned an incredible trick on tournament day as he landed the TWO largest Cats of the day. An 11.08 lb. whopper and a 9.14 pounder to go with it.  Todd remarked, "It was 10:00 AM and we had 37 pounds.  After that, we did continue to catch 5 pound fish and we could have had a 2nd basket of nearly 25 lbs."  This marks the first Montana Cats Circuit win for the Lindsay family and one this is extremely well deserved!  Todd, JJ, and Kellie have been cutting their teeth on the circuit for 5+ years and they are not afraid to put in the time.  Congratulations to the whole family.

June 04, 2023 by Montana Cats Staff

Glasgow, MT 6/3/23 -  Just when you think you've seen it all, the Cat Classic will surprise you with conditions one might deem "impossible".  After two consecutive years with unseasonably low water; we had nearly record river flows and at least minor flooding throughout tournament boundaries as the main channel and it's tributary creeks swelled with the onslaught of early summer rainfall.  The Tampico section in particular, saw rapid overnight rise, going from 2,000 to 5,000 CFS from midnight on Friday to Midnight on Saturday.  The previous record flows for tampico was just 2,800 CFS 2010 and 2012.  Every section, downstream of Beaver Creek, was dramatically effected during tournament hours.        

May 13, 2023 by Montana Cats Staff

5/13/23, Huntley, MT- The Yellowstone River is the longest free flowing river in the lower 48.  In it’s most Western reaches it boasts trophy class trout.  The further east it meanders, the water temperature rises.  The combination of rising water temps, plentiful forage fish and attractive underwater structure transforms the Yellowstone from a Trout haven, into one of the finest Channel Catfish destinations in the region.  The primary Channel Catfish populations in the Yellowstone span from the confluence near Williston, ND to as far West as Huntley, MT.  The western boundary of this long free flowing beauty is where the Yellowstone Challenge Catfish tournament has taken place the past 17 years, the second Saturday in May. 

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.  

July 22, 2022 by Montana Cats Staff

7/16/22 - Sidney, MT. - There always seems to be two mainstays at the Monster Cat Roundup.  The anglers should always expect a challenging bite and they should never forget the sunscreen.  This year provided more of the same.  The summer heat peaked in the mid 90's this time around, but despite those difficult conditions it is safe to say the 50-boat field won this version of the battle!  Twenty teams weighed in over 20 lbs. breaking the previous record of seventeen teams with 20+ pounds in 2020.  Teams reported solid weights, but limited numbers.  In what has become customary at this post-spawn event, a five fish limit presented it's own unique challenges.     
No one "cracked the code" quite like Glendive anglers, Cole Plouffe and Brett Burman.  The veteran Catfishermen deployed a mobile strategy that helped them land over 40 catfish throughout the duration of the event.  Those are numbers unheard of in this Sidney section for this time of year.  Cole stated, "We caught over 20 Cats in one spot and had 35+ pounds by 10:00 AM".  It is the first Monster Cat Roundup title for either angler, but it is a 6th tournament championship for Plouffe during his Montana Cats Career.  Moving himself into a tie with Chad Dawson and the Wise Guys (Bobby and Robert) for 3rd All-Time in career circuit victories.  Congratulations gentleman on a great day on the water!