Montana Catfish Association - News & Updates

June 01, 2019 by Montana Cats Staff

6/1/19 (Glasgow, MT) - The 20th Annual Milk River Catfish Classic was historic in more ways than one.  In the weeks leading up to the tournament, the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce announced a “New” event in conjunction with the Catfish Classic.  The Inaugural Milk River Catfish Days brought a whole new flavor to downtown Glasgow that lasted the entire weekend.  The community enjoyed two nights of live music, a pancake breakfast, a bloody mary and breakfast burrito brunch hosted by the Elks, a Corn hole tournament for both youth and adults, a beer pong tournament, a catfish fry catered by the Cottonwood, the school’s out carnival hosted by the Children’s Museum, a 1 Mile / 5k Race called the Catfish Crawl, a pitching booth hosted by the Glasgow Reds, Catfish “Crazy Days” for vendors and retail stores alike, a youth fishing tournament at Home Run Pond, and a youth outdoors clinic hosted by the Hi-Line Sportsmen. All of the aforementioned events added to the traditional; Friday night Calcutta, Social, and Street Dance, the 20th Annual Cat Classic, and the “Famous Midnight Weigh-ins” to make this year’s version one that will not be soon forgotten.

This year’s 80-team field was filled during the first month of open registrat

May 14, 2019 by Montana Cats Staff

5/11/19 Huntley, MT- Catfish enthusiasts packed into CowBoys Bar & Casino for the annual kick-off tourney to the Montana Cats tour this past Friday evening.  Through the duration of the Calcutta/social, the crowd experienced overcast and rainy conditions, threatening to play a familiar scene on most historical Yellowstone Challenge tourney weekends.  Competition day, however, was an entirely different story.  Seventy degree temps, light winds and moderate river flows were a welcome change over the course of this year’s affair.  The 2018 Yellowstone Challenge boasted RECORD flows of over 40,000 CFS.  The 2019 version punched the meter at just over 10,000 CFS.  That is in large part why this event is such a CHALLENGING competition.  Unpredictable spring weather and flows consistently throw a wrench in even the most seasoned catfish veteran’s plans.

August 23, 2018 by Montana Cats Staff

The 8th Annual Missouri River Catfish Clash took place in Williston, ND. over the weekend as 40 boats hit the water on a beautiful sunny day. The Clash never seems to disappoint in terms of the number of catfish caught or the overall size of the fish and this year was no different. An impressive, NINETEEN teams weighed in over TWENTY pounds. Only once before in the tournament’s 8-year history has there been more 20-pound baskets brought to the scales. (23 in 2013) To make things more exciting, thirty-five of the forty teams weighed in fish and big cats tipped the scales with regularity.

August 22, 2018 by Montana Cats Staff

Congratulations goes out to KaCee McPherson and Nicole Peterson both of Savage, MT on winning the 10th Annual NE Montana Monster Cat Round-up today in Sidney with 33.28 lbs! It’s a truly historic victory. McPherson and Peterson are the first “all female” team champions in Montana Cats Circuit history. They are also the first shore team to ever win a MT Cats event outside of the Milk River Catfish Classic! Until today, there had never been a shore champ at the Yellowstone Challenge, the Missouri River Catfish Clash, or the Monster Cat Roundup. Very impressive! The ladies stayed in one spot all day and it produced early and often as they had over 30 lbs.

June 07, 2018 by Montana Cats Staff

Big Fish. The 19th Annual Milk River Catfish Classic will be remembered for two words. Big Fish. For the first time in Montana Cats Circuit history, six (6) cats were weighed in over 10 lbs. in a single event. 14 year old, Jake Kuka, led the way with his 12.26 lb. pig, his award winning “Jumbo Whiskers” is the 4th largest in Classic history. Montana Cats Circuit veteran, Bobby Wise of Billings, added an 11.6 lb. kitty. The catch earned him the “Big Whiskers” award for the 2nd largest of the evening. One other 11+ lb. cat was landed to go along with three other 10+ pounders. Simply unbelievable.