CLUB INFO

2023 State meeting/social/banquet

Social to be held at the VFW Post #1579 Friday March 31st at 5:30 pm .Breakfast will be served at 7:00 am April 1st at the Miles City Town and Country Club with the meeting to follow breakfast at the same location. The Banquet will be held at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds in the Custer County Event Center. Doors will Open at 4:30 pm for a social, National Anthem at 5:30 and Dinner will be Served at 6:00. Hotel rooms are available with a group rate at two hotels. Miles City Hotel & Suites (406-234-1000) for 129 plus tax per night and Miles City Hotel (Pet Friendly 406-234-3141) for 99 plus tax per night. When booking a room make sure and let them know that you are with the Walleyes Unlimited to get the group rate. We will have a shuttle service from these motels to the Custer County Event Center. The shuttle will run from 4:00-5:30 pm before the banquet and 9:30-11:00 pm after the banquet. Please join us in Miles City April 1st for the 40th anniversary of Walleyes Unlimited of Montana.

Executive Director – Steve Harada – Jan 2023

     Happy New Year and have an awesome 2023.  Dang, I wonder if I’m the only one that 2023 sounds peculiar to.   But here we are so I hope you put lots of fish on the ice for the hard water anglers and may your livewells be full when open water comes around.  Ft Peck Reservoir froze over on December 20th, making it the 5th earliest on record since 1944.  There have been two years where the lake didn’t freeze over completely, the winter of 1986-87 and 1991-92.  We’ve had some extreme weather up in northeast Montana this winter but Mother Nature has eased up some with the mid 30s forecast for this weekend. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for spring now. 

     The WUM legislative fish fry is scheduled for January 18, 2023 at the Family Roots Gold Rush Restaurant in Helena. The meet and greet will start at 5:30 PM with dinner to be served around 6:30.  This is a good time to meet your elected Senators and Representatives and some of the FWP folks, too. If you’re able to attend let President Keller know and all our welcome.  I’m not sure if there are any controversial bills looming but we’ve got our old watch dog lobbyist Bob Gilbert up in Helena,  keeping a wary eye on things and keeping everyone current on the upcoming legislation. 

       There are some proposed fishing regulation changes that walleye members should take a look at and most don’t feel it is the best interest or fair to the Canyon Ferry and Missouri River Fisheries.  The proposal is to recommend more liberal fishing and remove the current regulation that only allows one walleye over 15 inches from Canyon Ferry upstream to Toston Dam.  Many local anglers feel the walleye fishing and quality of fish is just beginning to improve on Canyon Ferry and this would only take a step backwards and harm Canyon Ferry walleye fishing.  Please take the time to voice your comments at https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission/february-2023-meeting then click on the Upper Missouri option.  This is the link to public comment and your comments do not go unheard.  WUM would like the regulations in the reservoir to be the same in the river above as the reservoir.   The deadline to voice your opinion is February 3, 2023. 

     I may venture ice fishing this weekend but I’m not committed yet.  It’s unfortunate but as a person gets older it much easier to not go fishing than it is to just go,  unless I totally commit to it and almost put it on my calendar.   Invariably, something will come up and I won’t go.   I look forward to seeing many of you at the legislative fish fry, upcoming banquets, the state meeting and state banquet on April 1 in Miles City and/or on the tournament trail!  Sign up one new member, take a kid or someone who isn’t able to on their own fishing and contact me anytime with any concerns or just talk fishing. 

2023 Chapter Banquets

Great Falls Banquet

February 4th  – Montana ExpoPark

Doors open at 4, dinner at 6:30

For more information, call 406-590-6565 or 406-868-2676.

Crooked Creek Banquet 

Feb 18 – Fergus County Trade Center

Lewistown – 5pm doors open – Dinner 630 pm.    

Tickets available January 10.   

Questions call Don Pyrah, 406-380-0064

Flathead Banquet

March 4th – Flathead County Fairgrounds

6pm

Billings Chapter Banquet

March 11, 2023 – Billings Hotel and Convention Center

Upper Yellowstone chapter

March 18th – Livingston Elks Club

Cornhole tournament and membership drive.

1pm to 5pm

Wolf Points Banquet

March 18th – Elks club

Circles Chapter Banquet

March 25th – Circle country market

Glendive Banquet

March 25th – Eastern Plains Event Center (EPEC)

6PM – No host cocktail

7PM – Dinner

Questions or Tickets call Brian McDanold 406-989-1065

Glasgow Chapter Banquet

March 25th 

Elks Lodge. Glasgow 

Miles City Banquet

April 1st – Eastern Montana Fairgrounds-Custer County Event Center

Doors open @ 4:30 pm—Dinner @ 6:00 pm

Plentywood Banquet

April 1 – Sheridan County Civic Center. 

Doors open at 4:30. 

Jordan Chapter Banquet

April 14th – 2023 VFW Hall

Tough guy tournament the 15th

Gallatin Madison Banquet

April 18th – Best Western Grantee

Fresno Chapter Banquet

April 22nd – Havre Ice Dome

Big Horn Basin Chapter

September 16, 2023 – Park County Fairgrounds

Powell, Wyoming – 4:30PM to 9:00 PM


                                                  

Walleye Calendar

  1. Dave Sedlock

    Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are being caught from shore on the north end of the reservoir at the Outhouse, Shannon and…

  2. Dave Sedlock

    Canyon Ferry: Rainbow trout are still cruising the shorelines and providing great action on the north end of the reservoir…

  3. Dave Sedlock

    Canyon Ferry: Rainbow trout fishing on the north end of the reservoir is great from shore as they are cruising…

  4. Dave Sedlock

    I’ve seen the recent social media and posts of an angler catching a good number of some very large, trophy…