Four weeks are completed in the ten-week long 2020 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake. The event is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is used as a tool to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. Up to $200,000 in Cash and Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event. November 15th will be the last fish entry day.
A total of 8,422 lake trout have been entered by one hundred seventeen anglers. There are four hundred anglers registered. The fourth weekend total was 1,398. It was great weather for anglers on the lake but the fishing was a little tough. Instead of catching all day long the bite is on in the morning-afternoons are quiet-and then will pick up in late afternoon and evening. One anonymous angler was looking for something to do and started feeding his bait to the gulls thinking the bite was over and he was going to come in. He was surprised when he started catching again but by then he was out of bait. Lesson learned.
Fridays total was 427, Saturday 520, and Sunday 451. Monday through Thursday total is 1,748-363 were 4th week lake trout entries. Trollers are starting to catch some nice lake trout. Anglers who are jigging are getting the higher numbers of fish. Little Fin the $10,000 tagged fish is still out there-he could be anywhere in Flathead Lake. There are also 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000, and over 9,000 with values from $500-$100.
Tagged lake trout with values of $100 were turned in by Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls, Roger Schiff X 2-Whitefish, Kenny Garrett X 2-Missoula, Julie Perkins, Nathan Scalise-Polson, Paul Soukup-Polson, Richard Kreis-Huson, Larry Ashwell, Laurie Kreis, and Scott Bombard. A $200 tag was turned in by Terry Krogstad.
Mike Benson of Lonepine is leading the anglers with 545, 2nd Sam Cusker of Bigfork with 401, 3rd Scott Bombard of Missoula with 373, 4th Kolton Turner of Kalispell with 359, 5th Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 355, 6th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell with 321, 7th Steve Benson of Spokane Valley, WA with 288, 8th Bob Turner of Kalispell with 279, 9th John Gauci of Florence with 277, and 10th Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 241.
Julie Perkins leads the Ladies with 241, 2nd Laurie Kreis-Huson-154, 3rd Kim McMillie-Polson-54, 4th Gina Schiff-Whitefish-45, and 5th Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls-36. The 70 and Over leader is Larry Ashwell with 355, 2nd John Gauci-277, 3rd Larry Karper-211, 4th Jack Kirkland of Missoula with 164, 5th Marty Herak of Polson with 95.
Tripp Bick has 10 for 1st in the 12 and Under, 2nd Kaden Blowers of Missoula with 6, Gage Spring-Alberton is 3rd with 4, and Brodie Smith of Kalispell has 1. Jeff Devlin of Polson has 14 in the 13-17 category, 2nd Makenna Garrett of Missoula with 8, 3rd Kadin Kammerer of Missoula has 7, and Wyatt Thompson of Bigfork has 2. Weekend winners of $100 were: Laurie Kreis, Terry Krogstad, Beth Gardner of Kalispell, Dan Smith-Kalispell, and Kolton Turner.
Fish one day or everyday-Monday through Thursday fish are turned in at Blue Bay from 9-6. Friday through Sunday fish turn in: Blue Bay 9-dark, Somers Boat Access-3:30-4, Wayfarers Boat Access-4:30-5, Big Arm-4:30-5, Salish Point-5:30-5:45.
Mack Days are used to reduce numbers of lake trout and increase the numbers of native bull trout and weststlope cutthroat trout in Flathead Lake. Helping to restore a balance to the lake is the reason for the events. Native fish are important for future generations-they are important to the future history of the area-and are important to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and the State of Montana.
Come out and enjoy the great fall weather. For more information go to www.mackdays.com, there you can find the rules, fish identification, fishing tips, etc. or call 406-270-3386. Tight lines everyone!
—cskt–
