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Permitted Fishing Tournaments


Upcoming North Dakota Fishing Tournaments (pdf)


A fishing contest in which prizes or cash are given for catching fish from waters open to the public must receive a permit from the Game and Fish Department. There are two exceptions to this requirement:

  • Individual big fish promotions sponsored by resident, local businesses not charging any entry or participation fee and
  • Any local fishing tournament charging an entry or participation fee of less than five dollars per angler unless there are more than 49 participating individuals or 14 participating boats.

A completed application, along with the tournament sponsor rules and regulations, must be submitted to the Department within 30 days of the pending contest.

Applications, Regulations, Reporting