UP TO $200,000 in Cash and Prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be awarded at the end of the current 2024 Mack Days on Flathead Lake which will end on November 3rd. Mack Days are used as a fish conservation management tool to reduce the invasive non-native lake trout in the Flathead Lake-once a stronghold for native bull trout and westslope cutthroat.
These dominate lake trout impact most of the Flathead Basin reaching all the way into Glacier Park lakes with wide-spread decline of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat numbers throughout the region. Historically the native fish were the dominate fish and were used as a foods source for many tribal and non-tribal people. They are a part of the history of past generations. The non-native lake trout have caused havoc in the Flathead area. They have a huge appetite for other fish and they spawn thousands of eggs-they grow slow and they live long sometimes up to 30-40 years. Reducing their numbers is part of a long-range plan to increase the native fish numbers while there is still a chance to hopefully see them slowly recover some of their native ranges.
A total of four hundred twenty anglers are signed up in the event. Entries continue to be taken until the last day so it is not too late to come out and get involved. A hundred and forty-one anglers have entered one or more lake trout. One entry get you entered in the lottery drawing that begins at $2,000 and goes down to $100. There are lots of way to win. Go to www.mackdays.com for all of the information and the entry form page.
Staff would love to be able to tell an angler to “Say Hello-It’s Jonny Cash” when we look up the number of a tagged lake trout they have brought in. That lake trout’s tag has a value of $10,000. There are 3-$5,000 and 5-$1,000 plus over 9,000 with values from $100-$500. Carey Hauser of Lakeside turned I a $500 tagged lake trout and one for $100, Richard Kreis of Huson turned in a $100 tagged lake trout-wife Laurie turned in two at $100 each, Ryker Bair of Helena turned in two for $100 each, and Mike Benson of Lonepine turned in one for $200.
A total of 14,621 lake trout entries have been entered in the 2024 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event at the conclusion of the seventh week. There are still two weeks left in the nine-week event on Flathead Lake. Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event on November 3rd. The 2023 event total this far into the event was at 14,255, 2022-12,654, 2021-11,615, & 2020-10,912. The success of the events is totally dependent on the hard-working lake trout anglers who compete. Many of the anglers leave before daylight and do not come in until they have to which is ½ hour before dark. Some fish every day Friday to Sunday-others many choose day or two to fish. There are a few who fish from shore but most fish from boats putting their expertise to work finding the wily lake trout in the depths of Flathead Lake. There is also Monday to Thursday fishing with all entries being turned in by 6:00 at Blue Bay. This time of the year lake trout can be caught trolling, jigging, or casting. Each lake trout entered gives the angler a chance in the lottery drawings and adds up for bonus dollars.
There are categories for everyone-get your fishing poles out and try your luck. Monday the high catch angler was Monte McPherson of Silverdale WA with 11, Tuesday’s high was turned in by Lyndon Lee of BC -16, and Wednesday was Lyndon with 13, Thursdays high came in from Larry Ashwell of Missoula-42, Friday high Jerry Benson with 50, Saturday another good day for Larry Ashwell with 69, and Sunday it was Bryan Long of Columbia Falls with 51. Total for the Mon-Thursday fishing is at 2,724 and Friday to Sunday 11,897.
Two brothers are battling it out for top spot in the Top Ten Angler category. Top Ten anglers are placed by their best 18-day average at the conclusion of the event. Jerry Benson of Plains and Mike Benson have been flipping the top spot and top scores back and forth. The duo each fish from their own boat in different areas of the lake. Currently in 1st in the Top Ten is Mike with 1,148-his average is 58.2-Friday total 39, Saturday 57, and Sunday 43, 2nd Jerry with 1,145-59.5 avg-50,40,40, 3rd David McDaniel of Polson with 655-36.39-0,0,0, 4th Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 625-32.0-32,69,29, 5th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell 600-31.89-18,24,40, 6th Richard Kreis 561-29.94, 7th Jack Kirkland of Lolo 554-30.78, 8th Patrick Casey of Townsend 513-28.0, 9th Julie Perkins of Kalispell 413-22.9, and 10th Laurie Kreis with 405-22.5. Top Ten Anglers are placed on the last day by their 18 day average. Coming in at the 11th place is Larry Karper of Florence with 384, 12th Carey Hauser of Lakeside 318, 13th Clint Speer of Kalispell 309, 14th Bryan Long 287, 15th Felix Gauci of Stevensville 274, 16th Dan Deutschman of Fergus Falls MN 267, 17th Joe Minnehan of Kalispell 213, 18th Mark McMillin of Missoula 205, 19th Steve Mack of Helena 197, and 20th Lyndon Lee of BC with 193.
Julie Perkins leads the Ladies with 413, Laurie Kreis is 2nd with 405, 3rd Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls with 131, 4th Kim Mack of Helena with 49, and 5th Lorinda Freeman of Polson with 25.
James Kuchera of Kalispell has 8 in the 13-17 age category. Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls is 1st in the 12 & Under with 20, 2nd Paisley Helvey of Thompson Falls with 18, 3rd Linday Carter of Pablo has 3, 4th Bear Yarrow of Frenchtown with 6, and in 5th Eli Yang,-Bucky Yarrow-Tayzee Whimper of Frenchtown-Zander Oliver of Missoula all have 2, and in 6th Payton Kuchera from Kalispell has one entry.
The last day of the Bucket Competition was Sunday. Winning with a weight of 27.6lbs for 4 lake trout under 30” was Jens Gran of Polson, 2nd Rick Skates of Big Arm 26.85, 3rd Steve Mack of Helena 25.8, 4th Sam and Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls 24.9, and 5th Marty Herak of Polson 23.9. Overall winner of the 3 days was Jens 1st, Rick Skates 2nd , and Richard and Laurie Kreis of Huson 3rd.
Weekend winners: $200 Bryon Long of Columbia Falls and $100-Robert Church of Polson, Laurie Kreis, Jerry Benson, and Jack Kirkland.
Sunday November 3rd will be the last day of the event. All entries are to turned in at Blue Bay by 3:00. There will not be a fish fry but there will be a small awards ceremony. For more information go to the website www.mackdays.com.
Good luck and tight lines everyone!
—CSKT—
