Fall Mack Days starts Sept. 16
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Bull trout, above, must be released back into the lake. For more information on identification go to www.mackdays.com.
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FLATHEAD LAKE – Fall Mack Days on Flathead Lake will be held Thursday, Sept. 16 to Sunday, Nov. 14.
The event is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is used as a management tool to reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.
There will be nine weeks of lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake during the 38th Mack Days event. “We encourage participation in the event for anyone who loves to fish,” organizers state. “Come out and test your skills at reeling in lake trout and maybe you will have a winning tagged fish or a winning lottery entry fish on the end of your fishing line.”
Up to $200,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event. All it takes is one lake trout entry to qualify for one of the many prizes.
A tagged lake trout worth $10,000 will be released prior to the first day of the contest.
Three $5,000, five $1,000 fish and over 9,000 lake trout with values from $500 to $100 are in the lake. “We are excited to announce that Bretz RV and Marine, in Missoula, will be sponsoring an additional tagged lake trout with a $1,000 gift,” organizers state.
Bretz RV and Marine is also sponsoring the $500 cash prize for the largest lake trout award. “We appreciate your support for this fish conservation effort in Flathead Lake,” organizers state.
Increasing the numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout is important to the ecology of Flathead Lake, the culture of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and the objectives of the State of Montana in the Flathead Basin. “We have a responsibility to future generations to help these native fish in Flathead Lake increase to sustainable levels,” organizers state.
There are several categories of prizes waiting for several lucky anglers: top 20 anglers; ladies category; the over 70 age group; youth 13-17; youth 12 and under; heaviest lake trout; over 36 inches. There are also categories for the smallest lake trout; Friday to Sunday lottery drawings; weekend awards; and cooler drawings. Check out the awards and prizes at www.mackdays.com. Click on the events tab at the top of the page for the drop down boxes with the different pages.
All anglers are encouraged to know their fish identification and know the difference between lake trout and bull trout. Smaller trout are sometimes hard to distinguish from bull trout. If you are in doubt about the identity of a fish, put it back in the lake. Go to the website for tips on the identification of those fish species. Participants should know boat safety rules and follow all boat safety recommendations. “We are required to follow all tribal and state fishing regulations,” organizers state.
For more information, please go to the website at www.mackdays.com or call 406-675-2700 ex 7294 or 406-270-3386. “We look forward to a successful fishing contest with many happy anglers.”
