2024 Fall Mack Days first week results
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FLATHEAD RESERVATION — Mack Days anglers were under very warm sunny skies for the first four days of the nine-week long event on Flathead Lake. 2024 Fall Mack Days began on Thursday September 5th and will end on Sunday November 3rd.
Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a management tool to reduce non-native lake trout population in Flathead Lake. Native bull trout and westslope cutthroat are a vital piece in the Flathead ecosystem. They dominated the fish populations of Flathead Lake for hundreds of years until the introduced lake trout population exploded. Protecting the native fish populations now by reducing the predation of them by the lake trout will help ensure their populations will continue for generations to come. Mack Days are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
Up to $200,000 in cash and prizes that will be awarded at the conclusion of the fall event. There are many ways to win; lottery prizes begin at $100 and go up to $2,000. All it takes is one entry to win in the lottery drawing. There are also categories for Top Twenty Anglers, Ladies, Youth 12 & Under, Youth 13-17, Golden Oldies-70 & over, etc. Entries are taken until the last day of the event. Our website is up and running, please visit us at: www.mackdays.com for information and to register for the event.
Johnny Cash, the $10,000 tagged lake trout is out there somewhere in Flathead Lake. He hears the boats a coming, moving overhead, he hasn’t seen the sunshine since he doesn’t know when, he is stuck in Flathead Lake and time keeps a moving on, the anglers are searching for him at the end of their lines hoping he comes on board with them. The $10,000 tagged fish have been caught three different times over the years.
There are also three $5,000, and five $1,000 tagged lake trout plus over 9,000 trout with values from $100 to $500. Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls was a lucky angler over the weekend turning in a $500 tagged lake trout. Jay Martinsen of East Helena came in with a $200 fish and David Kelch of Great Falls, Terry Krogstad of Kalispell, Larry Ashwell of Missoula, and Jeff Freeman of Polson all turned in $100 tagged lake trout. Anglers turned in a total of 504 lake trout on Thursday. Kolton Turner of Kalispell had the high count of 71 lake trout entries. Friday’s total came to 587 with Jerry Benson of Plains turning in the high of 81, Saturday’s total came to 515 with a high from Mike Benson of 75, and Sunday’s total of 486 with Jerry Benson high again at 63. Total lake trout entries are at 2,092, which compares to 2,002 from the 2023 event. The total at the end of 2023 fall was at 17,502, in 2022 it was 13,901, in 2021 it was 14,036, and in 2020 it was 14,821.
Top Twenty Angler totals are: first - Jerry Benson of Plains – 195; second - Mike Benson of Lonepine – 193; third - Larry Karper of Florence – 106; fourth - Richard Kreis of Huson – 105; fifth - Laurie Kreis of Huson – 92; sixth - Larry Ashwell of Missoula – 72; seventh - David McDaniel of Polson – 65; eighth - Jack Kirkland of Lolo – 63; ninth - Bryan Long of Columbia Falls – 59; 10th - Julie Perkins of Kalispell – 51; 11th - Terry Krogstad of Kalispell – 49; 12th - Paul Grove of Wyoming, Illinois – 45; 13th - Jeff Freeman of Polson – 39; 14th - Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls – 36; 15th - Mike Colyer of Missoula -35; 16th - Nate Dieterich of Kalispell – 32; 17th - Joe Minnehan of Kalispell – 31; 18th and 19th Felix Gauci of Stevensville - 28 and Steve Mack of Helena – 28; and 20th - Lorinda Freeman of Polson - 25.
Leading in the Ladies Category is Laurie Kreis with 92; second is Julie Perkins 51; third is Lorinda Freeman - 25; fourth is Jolene Tatum of Missoula – 8; fifth - Diane Kelch of Great Falls – 3; and Cathleen Kuchera of Kalispell has 1.
In the 12 & Under Category, Payton Kuchera of Kalispell -1 and the 13-17 Category-James Kuchera of Kalispell - 3.
Smallest lake trout entries were Mike Benson 189mm (7.5”) lake trout and Larry Ashwell 201mm (8”) lake trout entry.
The first weekend drawing winners were: Paul Grove $200-and the $100 winners were Jack Kirkland, Larry Ashwell, Mike Benson, and Steve Mack of Helena.
There are eight weeks left in the event. Anglers are an important part of the plan to slowly reduce the numbers of lake trout in Flathead Lake. They make the events successful by participating. You can fish one day or several. Come out and enjoy the beauty of Flathead Lake. Some anglers are trolling, and others are jigging while fishing for the lake trout. Be aware of how to properly ID the fish you catch. We have had reports of WCT being caught. Westslope Cutthroat Trout and Bull trout cannot be turned in. Bull Trout are a “Threatened Species” under the “Endangered Species Act” and WCT are a “Species of Special Concern.” Please release either of these fish back into the lake. Ask for information if you do not know how to ID them. There is information on the website: www.mackdays.com.
Safety is important for everyone. Please be aware of weather conditions and have the proper safety equipment on board.
Good luck and tight lines everyone!
