The 2024 Fall Mack Days concluded on Sunday November 3rd with a total of 18,414 lake trout entries, 151 anglers out of 436 registered entered one or more lake trout. This event has been the most successful in numbers since 2015 when 19,540 lake trout were entered. There were 17,502 turned in during the 2023 Fall Event.
Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a management tool to decrease numbers of invasive lake trout numbers in Flathead Lake. Native fish are an important part of the history of Flathead Lake. Bull trout and westslope cutthroat were an important food source for hundreds of years for people who were living in this area. There was Up to $200,000 in Cash and Prizes awarded to many anglers who participated in the event.
Jerry Benson of Plains was the Top Angler of the Event. He turned in a total of 1,301 with an 18-day average of 60.28, 2nd Mike Benson of Lonepine 1,295-58.22 avg, 3rd David McDaniel of Polson 859-44.83 avg, 4th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell 745-36.44 avg, 5th Jack Kirkland of Lolo 649-34.17avg, 6th Larry Ashwell of Missoula 761-33.83 avg, 7th and 8th (tie) Richard Kreis of Huson 652-31.22 avg and Patrick Casey of Townsend 583-31.22 avg, 9th Larry Karper of Florence 508-27.89 avg, 10th Julie Perkins of Kalispell-515-25.83 avg. The Top ten anglers are place by their average. The top 11th – 20th are placed by total entries, 11th place was Laurie Kreis of Huson-490, 12th Carey Hauser of Lakeside-447, 13th Bryan Long of Columbia Falls-346, 14th Clint Speer of Kalispell-309, 15th Felix Gauci of Stevensville-274, 16th Steve Mack of Helena-272, 17th Dan Deutschman of Fergus Falls MN-267, 18th Joe Minnehan of Kalispell-263, 19th Lyndon Lee of BC-245, and 20th Mark McMillin of Missoula-205.
Ladies Top Angler-1st Laurie Kreis of Huson-490, 2nd Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls-149, 3rd Kim Mack-Helena 68, 4th Jolene Tatum of Missoula 26, and 5th Lorinda Freeman of Polson with 25.
Youth 13-17 winner is James Kurchera of Missoula with 16 and 2nd Alison Putzler of Kalispell with 6. The 12 & Under winner is Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls with 20, 2nd Paisley Helvey of Thompson Falls with 18, Bear Yarrow of Missoula with 6.
The 70 & Over winner was Felix Gauci with 274, 2nd Mike Cosby of Thompson Falls-128, 3rd Paul Grove of Wyoming IL-121.
The $10,000 famous “Jonny Cash” avoided anglers during this event and is still in the depths of Flathead Lake. Turning in $100 tagged lake trout over the week were Steve Mack of Helena, Richard Kreis, and Kim Mack. The last day winner of heaviest fish under 30” was Dale Peters of Thompson Falls with a 7.65lb lake trout.
Spirit of the Event Awards went to Carey Hauser of Lakeside, an angler who has put in many years fishing the events and perfecting his skills and Barry Hansen who has spent many years of his career caring for and working on the lake and the lake trout program for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
For a complete list of awards and prizes go to www.mackdays.com.
Thank you to each and every angler who participated in the event. You make the events successful!
Mark your calendars, the 2025 Spring Mack Days, which will begin March 13th and end on May 10th. Join us for nine weeks of lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake!
Tight lines everyone!
—CSKT—
