- This event has passed.
2026 Opening Day Trout Fishing Tournament
March 28 - March 29
With a registration fee of $15 and a two-day fishing permit ($17), covering both tournament days, you’ll be fishing for your share of $20,000 by catching beautiful trout in rivers all across the Qualla Boundary (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters), which will be stocked with tagged fish. When you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office, Oconaluftee Island Park, Tsali Boulevard, US-441, Cherokee, NC, which is across the street from Cherokee Welcome Center off Hwy 441. Prize redemption hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each tournament day, with a final tag turn in time of 4 p.m. on day two.
Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or at FishCherokee.com by March 27, 2026. Fishing hours are thirty minutes before sunrise and end thirty minutes after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.
EBCI Natural Resources Department reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or amend any tournament or event due to catastrophes, pandemics, states of emergency, adverse weather, etc.
Location:
General Fishing Waters
Tag turn in location:
Oconaluftee Island Park, Tsali Boulevard, US-441, Cherokee, NC
Contact: Nancy Maney, EBCI Natural Resources Program Coordinator
Phone: 828-788-3013
Email: [email protected]
Friday March 27, 2026
Hours:
March 28th 30 minutes before sunrise until 1-hour after sunset
March 29th 30 minutes before sunrise until final tag turn in time
Tag Turn in Time: 2PM – 4PM both tournament days
Admission/Ticket Price:
Tournament Registration $15 (online or from local permit vendor)
Valid fish permit covering both tournament days (2-day $17)
