Spring Mack Days begins March 12

Lake trout anglers are prepping their gear for Spring Mack Days, a fishing event that begins Thursday, March 12, and ends Saturday, May 9.

Mack Days is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is used as a fish conservation tool to reduce the non-native lake trout and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout which are an important piece of the Flathead Lake system.

Lake trout were introduced into the lake in 1905 and the increased populations of this predatory fish has put the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat populations at risk.

Lake trout numbers exploded in the 1980s when they discovered that mysis shrimp (also introduced to the ecosystem) were a great food source. Numbers of the native fish dramatically declined to populations lower than they had been for thousands of years.

The twice-a-year fishing events aim to help restore a better balance to the fish populations in Flathead Lake by reducing the number of non-native lake trout.

Lake trout anglers can fish the entire lake Monday-Sunday with every lake trout entry giving them a chance in the lottery drawings that begin at $600 and go up to $2,000. Prize amounts are different for Monday-Thursday and Friday-Sunday.

The top 20 lake trout anglers receive cash prizes depending on their placing. Tagged lake trout swim in all areas of the lake with one valued at $10,000, two tagged for $5,000, five at $1,000 and more than 9,000 with values from $100-$500.

Bonus amounts are another way to win and are paid once the anglers’ totals get to 11 lake trout; the payouts go up every 25 fish with bonus amounts paid for fish totals at the conclusion of the event.

These events were designed for everyone with categories including Ladies, Youth 12 and Under, 13-17 Youth, 70 and Over, Largest Lake Trout (over 36 inches), and Smallest Lake Trout.

Check out the different categories, rules, fishing videos, tips, and how to ID fish at www.mackdays.com.

From Monday-Thursday all fish are to be turned in only at Blue Bay Campground on the east shore; fish pickup sites and times for Friday-Sunday are listed on the website. There is a special fishing license rate for the south half of the lake that vendors who sell licenses have available both in-state and out-of-state residents.

Entries will be taken until the last day of the event. Anglers are asked to ice their fish, and may keep their catch or turn them in to fisheries staff.

For information on boat inspections for those boats coming from out of the area or boats locally that have been on waters outside of the Flathead Basin telephone Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, 406-752-5501, or CSKT at 406-275-2700 ext. 7261.

Boaters are advised to clean, drain and dry their crafts, be on the alert for any aquatic invasive species and always stop at boat checking stations.

It’s an angler’s responsibility to know fish ID and know how to identify a bull trout or westslope cutthroat. These fish are to be returned to the lake as soon as caught. 

Also, any lake trout over 30 inches is to be released. Entries for Largest Lake Trout have changed and lake trout over 36 inches are to be released after measuring and verifying the catch with a date-stamped photo. 

To return a fish to the water, anglers must wet their hands first and have a way to safely lower it back into the water, usually with help from a fish-descending device located on the boat. Anglers are also advised to have separate coolers in a boat for each angler so any questionable catch is in that person’s cooler.

Participants are also encouraged to become weather wise when fishing on Flathead Lake because Montana weather changes happen fast. Have weather apps downloaded on phones (which need to be kept dry); have safety equipment on board; use life jackets and vests; and let someone know your plans.

For questions or comments, contact Cindy at 406-270-3386 or Joe at 406-274-0613.