Spring Mack Days begins Friday on Flathead Lake
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News from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
FLATHEAD LAKE — The 2015 Spring Mack Days fishing event begins March 20, just a very few days to go before lines are hitting the water. Fish on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for nine weeks until May 17. Anglers’ best 18 days from the Friday-Sunday fishing days will count for the top angler prizes, top youth, ladies, 70 and over, weekend, small fish, large fish, captains, and the lottery. There will be 51 total fishing days in 2015 Spring Event because new to this event will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday added fishing days which will count for the bonus and tagged fish only. Totals will be kept separate until the last day and then added together for the bonus amounts at the conclusion of the event.
Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to anglers at the end of the event in lottery dollars, prizes, merchandise, tagged fish, and bonus amounts. Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and are used as a management tool to reduce numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. All it takes is one fish/ticket to win.
There is a new $10,000 tagged lake trout plus three $5,000, five $1,000 and more than 5,000 fish tagged with values from $500-$100. For each event the higher-dollar fish are tagged a week before the Mack Days event begins. Lucky angler Felix Gauci of Stevensville caught the one and only $10,000 tagged lake trout in the 2014 fall event.
Enter at www.mackdays.com on the entry form under the events tab. Entries will be taken until the last day. Qualify for one $200 prize if your entry is received on or before March 18. Entries can also be sent directly to cindyb@cskt.org. Include your name, address, telephone number, and age group. Check in stations will be the same as in the past at Somers, Wayfarers, Big Arm, Salish Point, and Blue Bay. Go to the website www.mackdays.com for updates on times.
Tips:
• Weather conditions change very fast on Flathead Lake; always be aware of what is happening and think safety first.
• Brings lots of ice and layer ice and fish in the coolers. Internal temperature of the fish has to be at 41 degrees for them to be donated.
• Use separate coolers to keep track of your fish if you are fishing with another person.
• Know your fish; go to the www.mackdays.com website or Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks website to check out bull trout and lake trout identification.
