Salt Lake City — If you want to add an extra challenge to your ice fishing this winter, a tournament may be just the thing. Plus, you can help many of Utah's fisheries by harvesting overabundant fish and also have the opportunity to win prizes!
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah State Parks and other partners will be sponsoring or hosting several ice-fishing events and tournaments around the state over the next few months. A valid Utah fishing license is required for anyone who is 12 or older to fish in any of the events. The entrance fee will apply for any tournaments or events held within a state park.
Learn tips for ice fishing
If you want to improve your ice-fishing skills before the tournaments — or if you've never been ice fishing and are excited to try it — you should consider attending an upcoming DWR ice-fishing seminar.
- Vernal: The first seminar will be held on Thursday, Jan. 8, from 6-8 p.m., at the DWR office at 318 N. Vernal Avenue. Participants will learn the basics of ice fishing, as well as tips to target a few fish species found in reservoirs in the Uintah Basin. While the event is free, participants are asked to register for it in advance on Eventbrite.
- Springville: The second seminar will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 13, from 6-7:15 p.m., at the DWR office at 1115 N. Main Street. This event will also teach the basics of ice fishing, including ice safety, needed equipment and lure selection. Similar to the first event, participants should register for this free seminar in advance on Eventbrite.
Fishing tournaments/events
Anyone participating in an ice-fishing tournament or event should be familiar with the ice-safety recommendations on the Utah State Parks website and should take all the necessary safety precautions. Anglers should also visit the DWR website to find more helpful ice-fishing tips and ways to avoid common violations.
Important: Due to warm weather this year, some of these events may be canceled or postponed if continued warm temperatures and wind cause unsafe or nonexistent ice conditions, so watch the event websites and your registration emails for updates.
Here are some exciting ice-fishing tournaments to check out this winter:
Mac Attack Fishing Contest
Hosted by Buckboard Marina at Flaming Gorge Reservoir and sponsored by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, this annual fishing contest is geared toward helping control the population of small lake trout — under 25 inches — at Flaming Gorge to help improve the fishery. Anglers can participate in this event via ice or boat. This contest will be held on Feb. 20-22, and registration is $65. Find more details on categories, prizes and registration on the event website.
For anglers fishing on the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge for this and other tournaments, ensure that you have the proper permits for Wyoming and the U.S. Forest Service, including reciprocal stamps, licenses and other permits.
Lake Trout Angler Harvest Program
The new Lake Trout Angler Harvest Program — sponsored by the Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce, Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the DWR — is similar to the Mac Attack with a goal of reducing the numbers of small lake trout at Flaming Gorge to improve the fishery. This new program opened Jan. 1 and runs until April 30, 2026. Awards will be given to the anglers who catch the most lake trout under 25 inches or tagged lake trout. The program is free and details can be found on the Flaming Gorge website. Additional information, fishing locations and population data for Flaming Gorge Reservoir is available on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website.
Steinaker Youth Ice-Fishing Derby
Steinaker State Park and the DWR are partnering with Disabled Outdoorsmen Utah to again host an ice-fishing tournament specifically for youth. Pending ice conditions, the event will tentatively be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. While the tournament is free, participants must register on Eventbrite by Feb. 4. There are three age categories for the tournament, and every participant will be entered into a prize drawing, with an additional prize entry for each fish caught.
Frozen Frenzy Ice Fishing
Hosted by Scofield State Park, a Frozen Frenzy Ice Fishing tournament will take place on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Scofield Reservoir, pending safe ice conditions. Thousands of dollars in cash prizes are available for several different categories. Registration details and contest information can be found on the Frozen Frenzy Ice Fishing Facebook page.