Fall Mack Days continues with many prizes
courtesy photo
An angler displays his Mack Days catch.
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News from CSKT
FLATHEAD LAKE – Fall Mack Days will end on Nov. 10 with awards and a fish fry at the Blue Bay Campground. Up to $150,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be awarded to hard-working anglers.
Mack Days fishing events are used as a fisheries management tool to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and Westslope trout. Preserving the native fish is important to the history of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The native fish of the lake were the dominant fish of the lake for thousands of years before the non-native lake trout were introduced and their population exploded.
Anglers asked to be part of the management of the fishery of Flathead Lake. Using the events as a tool gives them the opportunity to help make this a success story and see the native fish numbers increase for future generations. Participation by anglers is very important to that success and the continuation of the events.
There are several ways to win in the event including tagged lake trout with values from $10,000 to $1,000 and over 9,000 fish with values from $500 to $100. Prizes are awarded in categories for ladies, youth 12 & under, youth 13-17, golden oldies (age 70 and over) and the popular top-ten category.
You don’t have to fish every day. Choose your days from Friday to Sunday for the prize categories, bonuses and tagged fish.
Every lake trout entry gives you an entry in the lottery drawing. On Tuesday and Thursday, fish for bonus totals with $50 prize drawings. Check out the categories, bonus amounts, rules, schedules, etc. at mackdays.com or telephone 406-270-3386 or 675-2700 ex. 7294.
The headquarters for the event will be at Blue Bay. Lake trout can be turned in from 9 a.m. until dark or 9 p.m. – whichever comes first. Fish pickups will be done at Big Arm state boat ramp from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; at Salish Point from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Somers state boat ramp from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wayfarer state boat ramp from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Fish identification is important. Please know how to identify lake trout from bull trout. It is especially important in smaller fish. Information is available at mackdays.com or at local vendors who sell fishing permits. CSKT has a special yearly fishing permit for the south half of Flathead Lake, available to anglers from anywhere. Boats coming in from out of the Flathead Basin are required to be inspected for aquatic invasive species.
