There are still 5 weeks left in the 2024 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake. A total of 8,730 lake trout entries have been entered so far in this event. UP TO $200,000 in CASH and Prizes will be awarded on the last day of the event November 3rd. Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a management tool in a fish conservation effort to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat. The events are designed to give everyone who catches even one lake trout the ability to win in the lottery drawings. Come out and give it a try. Go to www.mackdays.com for information.
A total of 366 lake trout anglers are entered in the event which is up from the 2023 number of 343. One hundred five anglers have caught one or more lake trout. Monday there were 133 lake trout entries with Terry Krogstad of Kalispell being high angler with 24 entries, Tuesday 96 lake trout entered with Lyndon Lee of Canada turning in the high of 45, Wednesday 204 entries and Patrick Casey of Townsend was high with 92, Thursday total came to 130 and Mike Benson of Lonepine was high with 46. Monday-Thursday total comes to 1,725. Friday the first day of the 4th weekend of fishing Mike Benson turned in 72 for the high out of the 559 entered. Jerry Benson of Plains was high hook on Saturday with 53 out of a total of 620 entries. Sunday was a high wind day with gusts expected to be from 30 mph and up. The lake was rocking and rolling all day with a lot of high wave action happening. A total of 315 lake trout were entered. Jerry Benson again was high angler with 79 lake trout entries.
The $10,000 tagged lake trout is still out there along with 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000 and over 9,000 valued from $100-$500. Turning in $100 tagged lake trout were: Bob Stewart-Kalispell, Dan Deutschman of Fergus Falls MN, and Julie Perkins of Kalispell.
Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls is leading the 12 & Under Category with 13 entries, 2nd Paisley Helvey has a total of 12. They helped their grandfather Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls celebrate his birthday by going fishing with him over the third weekend. Bear Yarrow of Frenchtown caught 4 on Saturday bringing his total to 6 for 3rd, Eli Yang-Bucky Yarrow- &Tanyzee Whimper of Frenchtown, Zander Oliver of Missoula-2, and Payton Kuchera of Kalispell has 1. 13-17 lone angler James Kuchera of Kalispell has 8.
Lady angler Laurie Kreis of Huson is 1st in the Ladies Category with 304, 2nd Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 219, Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls is 3rd with 39, 4th Kim Mack of Helena-29, and Lorinda Freeman of Polson has 25.
The competition in the Top Ten Angler Category is continuing to move back and forth. With the daily limit of 100 lake trout under 30” totals change fast. Jerry Benson moved into first with a total of 766 after having a good weekend of fishing-Friday 63, Saturday 53, and Sunday 79. Mike Benson moved down into 2nd with 754-72,33,50. Coming in 3rd David McDaniel of Polson 460-21,49,32, 4th Richard Kreis of Huson 384-26,34,15, 5th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell 371-33,23,12, 6th Larry Karper of Florence 344-1,38,4, 7th Jack Kirkland of Lolo 335-25,10,0, 8th Larry Ashwell of Missoula 316-22,18,12, 9th Laurie Kreis of Huson 304-13,23,10, 10th Felix Gauci of Stevensville 257-12,0,0. Julie Perkins of Kalispell is 11th with 219, 12th Patrick Casey of Townsend 201, 13th Dan Deutschman of Fergus Falls MN 187, 14th Carey Hauser of Lakeside 155, 15th Bryan Long of Columbia Falls 151, 16th Mark McMillin of Missoula 143, 17th Paul Grove of Wyoming IL 121, 18th Joe Minnehan of Kalispell 120, 19th Steve Mack 109, and 20th Lyndon Lee of Kelowna BC 95.
The 70 & Over group-Mike Benson 1st with 754, 2nd Terry Krogstad-371, 3rd Larry Karper-344, 4th Jack Kirkland -335, and 5th Larry Ashwell-316. Six anglers out of the Top Ten Anglers are also 70 & Over.
Jerry Benson turned in a 149mm small lake trout on Sunday-6”. That puts him in for one of the two $250 prizes for smallest lake trout. Julie Perkins also holds a place in that category with a 176mm lake trout-7”.
The second of the Bucket Days is coming up on Saturday. Anglers put their four largest lake trout under 30” in a bucket and a weight is taken for a $200 prize.
There is no large lake trout entry so far in the event. The Largest Lake Trout Prize of $500 is given by Bretz RV and Marine of Missoula for the heaviest lake trout over 36” and over 20 pounds. Thank you to Bretz for being a sponsor of this prize.
November 3rd is the last day of the event. There is still time to come out and try out your fishing skills catching lake trout in Flathead Lake. Beautiful scenery to enjoy and maybe you will have the $10,000 tagged lake trout at the end of your line. Check out all of the ways to win online at www.mackdays.com.
There are fishing tips, fish ID, rules, entry page, stats, and lots more on the website.
Good luck and tight lines everyone!
—CSKT—
