2022 Spring Mack Days begin
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News from the CSKT Natural Resources Department
FLATHEAD LAKE — The 40th Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake will begin on March 17 and end on May 15. This year’s event will focus on nine weeks of lake trout fishing, consisting of 60 total fishing days. Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event.
Mack Days fishing events began in the Fall of 2002, a total of 888 lake trout entries were turned in over the 15-day event with 80 anglers entered. In 2003, the Spring Mack Days Event was also 15 days with the increase of 127 anglers entered and a total of 1,052 lake trout entries. The largest event to date was in the Spring of 2019, which had a total of 40,362 lake trout entries by 219 anglers who turned in at least one lake trout out of the 614 anglers who were entered. This event lasted for 51 days.
Get hooked and come out fishing on Flathead Lake to help maintain a healthy and sustainable native fishery. Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The events are used as a management tool to reduce the non-native lake trout and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat populations.
This event has categories for everyone; Young (12 & under to 13-17) and Not So Young (70 & over), Ladies, Captains, Top Twenty Anglers Largest Lake Trout, Smallest Lake Trout, Weekend Prizes, etc. The most sought lake trout are in the Tagged Fish Category-(1) $10,000, (3)-$5,000, (5)-$1,000 plus a $1,000 sponsored Bretz RV and Marine fish, and over 9,000 with values from $100 to $500. Plus, there are bonus dollar amounts paid to anglers that begin once an angler has eleven lake trout in their total. Bonus amounts go up every 25 fish.
There is a special Flathead Lake (south half) Fishing License available to anglers from Montana for $21/year and $33/year out of state anglers. Any angler who enters at least one lake trout gets their name in the lottery drawings for cash prizes from $50 to $2,000. Every fish entered gets you an entry in the lottery drawings. There will be 30-50 cash drawings depending on all the cash payouts, plus there are drawings for weekends and weekdays. Go online for a complete list of drawings and the bonus chart.
Friday to Sunday fishing will be for the category prizes, lottery prizes, tagged fish, and bonus amounts. Monday to Thursday fishing will be for special lottery prizes, tagged fish, and bonus amounts.
Anglers may begin turning in lake trout entries on Thursday March 17 until 6 p.m. at the Blue Bay boathouse. Friday March 18 will be the first day of the weekend competition days. Fish until a half hour before dark or 9 p.m., whichever comes first. There will be fish pickups Friday through Sunday at the Somers boat ramp from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., the Wayfarers boat ramp from 5-5:30 p.m., the Big Arm boat ramp from 5-5:30 p.m., and Polson (Salish Pt) from 6-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday all entries are to be turned in at Blue Bay before 6 p.m.
Come out to help preserve the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat in Flathead Lake for our future generations. Even if you fish only one day it helps, every lake trout counts!
For more information, visit www.mackdays.com or call Cindy Benson at 406-270-3386.
