FLATHEAD LAKE — Want to help out some native trout species and maybe win a lot of money in the process?

If so, make time one of these weekends to grab the fishing pole and tackle box and head down to the waters of Flathead Lake for this fall’s Mack Days. The twice-a-year fishing derby will be taking place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until Nov. 2, and will then run for ten straight days until its conclusion on Nov. 11.

Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and officially sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the contest aims to “correct an imbalance in the Flathead Lake trout fishery” by targeting invasive lake trout (colloquially referred to as “mack,” or mackinaw). Introduced to Flathead Lake at the turn of the last century, lake trout represent an aggressive competitor for native trout species such as bull trout and cutthroat trout. By enlisting the help of the sportfishing community, tribal officials hope to help level the playing field in the Darwinian trout arena.

“Mack Days represents a new approach to fisheries management, one that strives to directly involve the angling public in shaping the fish community,” according to a statement from CSKT fisheries biologist Barry Hansen posted on the official website for the event.

As if the prospect of hooking a monstrous 40-inch, 30-pound lake trout wasn’t enough to coax fishermen out to the lake, there are also significant financial incentives in place to lavishly reward a handful of lucky line-setters, as up to $125,000 will be awarded to successful anglers. Those netting the most lake trout in various age- and gender-based categories are eligible to win money, as are those who reel in the largest specimens. Anyone catching more than 20 lake trout over the course of Mack Days is assured of at least some monetary compensation.

In addition to catching mack in the greatest quantities, prior to the start of the contest, some lake trout were released with hidden tags denoting dollar amounts that can be redeemed once the fish are entered with CSKT officials. Some trout patrolling the depths of the lake are worth between $100 and $5,000, and somewhere out there, probably nestled alongside the Flathead Lake Monster is one lake trout with a $10,000 bounty on its head (or rather, adipose fin).

Anglers who catch little fish need not be discouraged, because they too can qualify for a consolation prize of $250 in the “smallest lake trout” competition.

Determined to do our part for the sake of healthy fisheries, and also seeking a dose of adventure (and perhaps a handsome payout, to boot), reporter Emilie Richardson and I took to the steely gray waters of the lake with local legend and fishing store owner, Dick “The MacMan” Zimmer, hoping to hook The Big One.

Instead, we hooked only one.

Try as we might, we couldn’t get the fish to bite, as we spent the morning experimenting with a handful of different spots out on the lake. We altered the depth at which we were fishing – 315 feet down… 325 feet… 340 feet… back up to 307 feet. We even made sure to regularly put on fresh pieces of Zimmer’s homestyle bait – chunks of filleted pike minnow mixed with a unique recipe of salt, sugar, and pork sausage to mimic a blood scent.

But alack, I guess some days the fish just don’t bite. At least they say that misery loves company, and based on conversations with other fishermen in the Yellow Bay area, it didn’t sound as though we were alone with our rotten luck.

Even so, it had been a day well spent, as our time on the lake was enjoyable and we were able to glean a few tricks of the trade from The MacMan himself, who has made a career out of bagging the big guys. I suppose the good news for other aspiring anglers is that after coming ashore with only one ichthyoid, we left plenty of fish out there for other people to catch.

Through one weekend, “anglers turned in a total of 1,302 lake trout,” according to a release from Germaine White of the CSKT Natural Resources Department. The leading adult fisherman was Max Martz of Corvallis, while Polson’s Kim McMillie led lady anglers and Eric Sams, also of Polson, paced the youth division.

Those wishing to cast a line in the contest are reminded that a state or tribal fishing license is required, depending on the area of the lake being fished. More information about rules, prizes and fishing stories can be found online at mackdays.com.