If you’ve noticed a large number of catfish this year on Big Horn Lake, you’re not alone. Rumor has it that the catfish are out prowling the lake’s murky depths in record numbers this year and a tournament next Saturday, July 12, should bring in a lot of them to shore and help the Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. tag and study the catfish throughout the season.


The Friends of Big Horn Lake is hosting the two-person team tournament next weekend. Organizer Joe Anderson said this is the first fishing tournament organized by FOBHL and also the first catfish tournament on Big Horn Lake. He expects the contest will fill up quickly and urges fishermen to register early to ensure their spot.


The cost is $50 per two-person team and top teams will be awarded cash prizes in the top eight categories for total weight of six catfish. A prize will also be awarded for the biggest catfish (big whiskers contest).


In addition to fun and cash prizes, the tournament will help the Game and Fish Dept. to easily tag all of the catfish caught during tournament hours. The Game and Fish Dept. will use the tagged fish to study their movement and asks anyone who catches a tagged catfish prior to the tournament to report the location of the catch.


The tournament boundaries stretch from the Big Horn Lake South narrows at marker 64 down to the south end of the Yellowtail Wildlife Management Area.


Entries may be sent or brought to Anderson at the Horseshoe Bend Motel, 375 East Main Street, Lovell, WY, 82431. No entries will be accepted after 7 a.m. on July 12; mail-in applications must be received by Thursday, July 10.


Anderson said though he hasn’t been catfishing himself yet this season, he has heard stories of large cats being pulled out of the water one after the other.


“I’d be surprised if we don’t see some 20-plus pound catfish here,” he said. Last year, Anderson said, a catfish was caught at the Yellowtail Habitat Area that weighed just eight oz. less than the Wyoming state record.

•Team members must attend two mandatory meetings: one at 7 a.m. and one at 5 p.m. at the Kane boat ramp on the north side of the causeway east of Lovell.


•Each team member must hold a current Wyoming fishing license.


•Two rods per person.


•Team members must stay together at all times.


•Entries are non-refundable and may not be resold.


•Anyone 14 or younger must be paired with someone over 18.


•Limit six catfish per team. Any team in possession of more than six catfish during the tournament or at the weigh station will be disqualified.


•Weigh-in starts at noon and goes until 5 p.m. Anyone not present will be disqualified.


•Fish must be alive. Dead fish will not be counted in the tournament.


•Fish on stringers will not be weighed. Fish must be contained in proper containers or coolers.


•Contestants can only fish during the tournament hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-fishing is allowed up until Friday, July 11, at 7 p.m., for fishermen to get a feel for the lake.


•In the case of a tie, prizes will first be awarded to the team that caught their limit of six catfish. If both teams caught their limit, the prize will go to the team with the heaviest catfish. The big whiskers prize will be split between two teams if the weight is the same.


•No alcohol will be allowed at the official weigh-in station; violators will be asked to leave.


•Team identification must be worn and visible at all times.


•Patrolling tournament officials have the right to check teams’ amount of fish and approximate weight during the tournament. They may also count rods and check for illegal fishing tactics.


•A complete list of rules can be found on the tournament entry form.