2013 Fall Mack Days begins Friday
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News from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
POLSON — The 2013 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event began Friday Oct. 14 and will end Sunday Nov. 17. Anglers will fish Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Nov. 7 and then 10 straight days through the Nov. 17. Up to $125,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to anglers on Nov. 17 during the Mack Days Awards and Fish Fry. Mack Days fishing events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and are used as a tool to slowly reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. Native fish populations — bull trout and westslope cutthroat — have declined dramatically over the years in Flathead Lake. Increasing native fish numbers in the Flathead system is important for the future of these fish. The native bull trout and weststlope cutthroat trout are a part of the history of the Flathead Lake system, the state of Montana, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It is illegal to catch and harvest any bull trout in Flathead Lake. Weststlope cutthroat trout are catch and release only in Flathead Lake. The Mack Days website has links for fish ID or telephone any Montana FWP or Tribal NRD office for information.
More than 4,000 tagged fish with values from $10,000 to $100 have been released in all areas of Flathead Lake. Tagged lake trout are scanned and values are associated with the numbers are also looked up when anglers turn in their fish. The tagged fish have adipose fin clips for identification.
Categories for prizes are: Top ten anglers-$700-$200, Ladies Only-$300-$100, Golden Angler Award-$200-$100, Smallest lake trout-$250, Largest lake trout-$500, Youth anglers-$200-$50, and many more. Check out the website for more information www.mackdays.com.
All it takes is one fish to win in the lottery-style drawing-$1,000 to $100. Bucket fish days are Oct. 11, Oct. 26 and Nov. 10. Your four heaviest lake trout are put in a bucket and a weight is taken. Daily winners will receive $200. You can fish as a team or a single angler from a boat or shore.
Lake trout move into shallower depths in the fall when they begin to spawn. Anglers will be jigging and trolling to catch the elusive lake trout. Video clips on the website give fishing tips and techniques for the different seasons, depths, and areas. There are also bull trout ID pages on the website. Anglers are required to release any bull trout or weststlope cutthroat trout they may catch.
Entries are taken up until the last day of the event. You can enter at any time online or enter when you turn in your fish. Fish pick up times and locations are posted on the website. If you are going to donate your fish to be processed for delivery to food banks you are required to have them on ice.
For more information call (406) 883-2888 ext. 7294.
