Welcome to our Third Annual Trout Rodeo, to be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024 in Bishop, California! This catch and release tournament is a challenge to ALL anglers to see who comes out on top. The event is open to fly and conventional anglers and we have made it easy to be a part of it!

Cost- 25.00 per person and 20.00 team fee (no limit to the number of members on a team)

Teams - There will be separate prizes for each team member. To compete as a team, you must designate a Team Leader. All participants need to register individually and the Trout Rodeo Director will place you on the team (not yet automated). The cost of being a team can be split amongst the members but cannot be handled within iAngler. Scoring as a team will be calculated by the total points divided by total team members so there is no advantage to having a larger group.

Other Categories - Separate prizes will be awarded for fly caught and lure caught fish. If you are a licensed guide or lodge/retail owner, you may participate in a separate category for no cost. If you are affiliated with Casting for Recovery and/or Project Healing Waters, there is no team charge for you to participate.  If you are in this category, please contact Michael Schweit.

Target Species

• Rainbow trout
• Brown trout
• Carp
• Largemouth bass

Scoring – All individual anglers MUST register and use the iAngler app (https://www.ianglertournament.com/2023-bishop-trout-rodeo) . The app allows you to photograph and record your catch and will send the information to the event administrator for scoring. All catches must be photographed with your phone for verification. Fish must be measured from the tip of their nose to the fork of their tail and rounded to the next lowest ¼”. All species available (trout, carp and bass) will count towards your total score and must be released.  All flies and lures MUST be a single hook and de-barbed. In the case of lures, replacing your treble hook with a single barbless hook is fine. Foul hooked fish (not mouth hooked) will not be counted. Scores for each individual will be totaled and finalists (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) determined.

Scoring is by the inch with the highest totals being declared the winners. We have added a bonus for larger fish as follows - 1 point per inch up to 14 inches, and 2X points per inch for any inches over 14. Example – 14” fish is 14 points and 15” fish is 16 points.

iAngler will “hold” the record of your catch until your phone has Internet coverage. At that point, the app will download your catches and send the information to the event administrator for scoring.  So, there is no need to worry if your catch does not appear uploaded immediately.

 All catches MUST be caught during the designated hours of the tournament from 9am to 4pm. Fish must be caught within the eligible waters listed below. Your catch is automatically time and location stamped so even if you lose coverage and regain it after the eligible hours, the administrator is able to see that your fish were caught within the designated tournament hours.

Awards and Prizes – There will be 3 winners in each category (fly, gear, fly team, gear team, non-profits). Each winner will be awarded raffle tickets to be used in the giant raffle following the event.

Award levels are listed below.  

1st place individual – 20 tix        1st place team – 20 tix each

2nd place individual – 15 tix      2nd place team – 15 tix each

3rd place individual – 10 tix       3rd place team – 10 tix each

Any participant in the Tournament can buy additional ticket through our on-line portals or at the event.

$1.00 – 1 ticket

$5.00 – 6 tickets

$20.00 – 30 tickets

$50.00 – 100 tickets

Hours of event

7 a.m. - 8 a.m. – Registration occurs when you sign in with the iAngler app however, we are asking everyone to meet at the Tri-County Fairgrounds parking lot for a quick Q&A before you head out. If you have any questions ahead of or during the event, we will be available by phone. Michael Schweit 818.6019702.

You MUST be signed into iAngler before the start time of 9 a.m. so please plan accordingly. Before the event, you will need to download and install iAngler. Once you are signed in to the event, you are responsible for taking photographs and measurements.

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. - Head out and fish your favorite area! Feel free to move around but be sure not to crowd other anglers.

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – We will be meeting at the Tallman Building on the Tri-County Fairgrounds and there will be signage. We will be ordering from Pino’s Pies, a wonderful Bishop eatery and details will follow closer to the event. Winners and raffles will be announced right after dinner.

Eligible Waters – With the DFW regulations changes, there are many additional waters open to fishing at this time of year. Fishing will not be limited to the Lower Owens and the Pleasant Valley Reservoir. We are expanding the area to Long Ears in the north (Upper Owens) all the way down to Independence in the south. You still need to be fishing waters that are designated as open and follow all DFW regulations on this matter. As we cannot forecast weather for the day of the event, we leave it up to each contestant to fish with safety in mind. Remember, you need to allow enough time to get a cell signal so your catch be uploaded for scoring no later than 4:30 p.m. Awards and prize drawings will begin at 7 p.m.at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in the Tallman Building.

Lodging – https://bishopvisitor.bookdirect.net/#/lodgings?campaign=Bishop-interior-bookingwidget&checkin=20230104&checkout=20230105&locale=en

There is also camping at nearby campgrounds or the Tri-County Fairgrounds.

Download schedule here