The 2025 Spring Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake started out with anglers saying “Fish On” many times over the first few days of the event. There is Up To $225,000 in Cash and Prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes that will be awarded at the conclusion of the event in several different ways. Categories are set up for the Top Twenty Anglers, Ladies, Youth, 70 & Over, Captains, Weekend Prizes, and Weekday Prizes. Thirty lottery prizes begin at $2,000 and go to $500-all it takes is one fish to win in the lottery drawings. Bonus dollars are set by totals of fish that anglers turn in once they have 10 fish entered. Bonus dollars add up every day of the event.
Mack Days are a tool used by the fisheries program to help bring native bull trout and westslope cutthroat populations in Flathead Lake increase. Go to the website www.mackdays.com for information on the many different ways to win.
“Willy” where are you–will be the most popular fish call on the lake. Willy has a $10,000 pit tag and will be sought after by all anglers. There are also 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000, and over 9,000 with values from $100 to $500. Bob Bouchee of Missoula and Larry Ashwell of Missoula were lucky $500 tag winners. Jason Mahlen of Kalispell, Ray Wolf of Lago Vista Texas fishing with Big Sky Fishing Charters-Captain Chris Mischke, and Devon Burkowki of Kalispell turned in $100 tags.
First entry in the largest lake trout category was off the Big Sky Fishing Charter boat. Phil Sanger of Austin Texas caught a 38” lake trout weighing 20.35 lbs.
Smallest lake trout entries are 164mm 6.5” Mike Colyer of Missoula and 218mm 8.5”-Clint Speer of Kalispell.
All of these anglers put in many, many hours on the lake in some extreme weather conditions at times. They are determined, tenacious, and tough. Every one of them are contributing to the program and helping in this conservation effort to bring back the native fish populations in Flathead Lake!
Some of the anglers started on Thursday which was a banner day for a first day of fishing, there were 1,215 lake trout turned in. Turning in 100 fish were: Jerry Benson, David Meyers, Jason Mahlen, Bob Turner, and Kolton Turner. That is a great start and total for the first weekend, the total for all four days was 6,677.
Friday fishing ended with a 10-way tie for 1st place with ten anglers turning in full 100 fish limits-Larry Ashwell-Missoula, Mike Benson-Lonepine, Jerry Benson-Plains, David Meyers-Riverton WY, Clint Speer-Kalispell, Jason Mahlen-Kalispell, Ken Varga-Kalispell, Bob Turner-Kalispell, Kolton Turner-Kalispell, Travis Banyai-Lakeside all had perfect fish totals. Fridays total came to 2,273 which is a record for a first day total. Saturday 100’s continued for Jason Mahlen, Bob Turner, Kolton Turner, and Jerry Benson-Saturdays total was 2,016. Kolton Turner, Bob Turner and Jason Mahlen continues with 100 fish runs and ending weekend totals of 300 each on Sunday. Fourth place is held by Jerry Benson with 267, 5th Mike Benson-258, 6th David Meyers-257, 7th Clint Speer-240, 8th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell with 226, 9th Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 178, 10th and 11th Larry Ashwell of Missoula and Larry Ludahl of Kalispell, 12th Gene Corne of Kalispell-163, 13th Travis Banyai-155, 14th-Patrick Casey of Townsend-142, 15th Cory Speer-Athol ID, 16th Jack Kirkland of Lolo-136, 17th Sam Cusker of Bigfork-128, 18th Ken Varga of Kalispell with 116, 19th David Kelch of Great Falls-112, and 20th Steve Andrachick from Kalispell.
Total for Sunday-1,173. Julie Perkins leads the Ladies with 178, 2nd Janey Meyers of Riverton WY, Connie Jones of Kalispell comes in with 19, and Shaunda Albert of Ronan has 16.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell is in the 13-17 Category and has grown up fishing Mack Days for several years. He turned in 90 for his first weekend.
Benjamin Dieterich of Kalispell has a total of 15 entries.
Hugh “thank you” to all anglers. You make this happen. It is not too late to join in. Entries are taken until the last day of the event which is Saturday May 10th. Come out and enjoy the beauty of Flathead Lake while trying your luck fishing for lake trout. Go to the website www.mackdays.com for information, entry, fish ID, etc.
We remind everyone to stay safe, watch weather predictions, have proper gear, keep cell phones in a dry area, and have a plan that someone knows about. Mack Days are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
Tight lines and good luck everyone!
-cskt-
Feature photo: Largest fish entry Phil Sanger of Austin Texas and Chris from Big Sky Fishing Charters with the large fish entry.-38” and 20.35 pounds
