Anglers are coming up on the half way mark of the 2018 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake. A total of 5,297 lake trout entries have been turned in over the first three weekends. Battling windy weather and rolling waves has hampered the numbers in this event. Ninety two anglers out of the four hundred and two entered have entered tickets in the drawing. There are several ways to win. Go to www.mackdays.com for information or telephone 406-883-2888 ex 7294 or 7282 or call 406-270-3386.

There is UP TO $150,000 in CASH and PRIZES sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes that will be available to anglers who turn in at least one entry/lake trout at the end of the eight week-long event. Entry forms will be taken until the last day of the event on November 11^th. One ticket gets you entered in the lottery style drawing that begins at $1,000 and goes to $500.

Walter the $10,000 tagged lake trout and the most wanted lake trout is still lurking in the depths of Flathead Lake. He has partners that have values of $5,000-3, $1,000-5, and over 6,000 with values from $500-$100. Joseph King-Big Arm, Richard Kreis, and John Gauci caught $200 tagged lake trout over the third week. Julie Perkins X2, Monte McPhearson, Ron Boyce-Polson, Richard Kreis, Bob Christensen, Laurie Kreis X3, Sam Cusker, Nick Kammerer-Missoula, Kim Mack, and Steve Mack-Helena caught $100 tagged lake trout. Luck sometimes falls into a person’s lap and Ron Boyce was the recipient of that kind of luck. He caught his first Mack Days fish that was a tagged lake trout and a $100 winner.

Anglers put in many hours to get the high numbers of entries. Ladies are out there with the men fishing from daylight to dark many days in all kinds of weather. Several different methods are being used-jigging, trolling, casting-bait and no bait-you have to try it all. Dock anglers are catching also. Some are using bait and some are casting.

Julie Perkins of Kalispell leads the Ladies with a total of 133, 2^nd Laurie Kreis of Huson-87, 3^rd-Kimberly Mack of Helena with 70, 4^th Gina Schiff of Whitefish with 51, and 5^th Jeanee Mooney of Missoula with 49.

Mike Benson of Lonepine is first in the Top Ten Category with 374, 2^nd Felix Gauci of Stevensville-349, 3^rd-David McDaniel of Polson-319, 4^th-Scott Bombard-Missoula-275, 5^th-Sam Cusker-Whitefish-230, Terry Krogstad of Kalispell is 6^th with 156, Larry Karper of Florence is 7^th with 152, Richard Kreis of Huson is 8^th with 140, 9^th is lady angler Julie Perkins of Kalispell, and 10^th Bob Christensen of Missoula with 126.

Larry Karper is 1^st in the 70 & Over Category with 152, 2^nd Bob Christensen-126, Larry Ashwell of Missoula is 3^rd with 116, John Gauci of Florence is 4^th with 82, and Bernard Olson of Lakeside has 34 for 5^th.

The 12 and Under Category-Tripp Bick of Arlee-5, Brodie Smith-Kalispell-1, Michael Marlett-Missoula-1, and Ashton Lamberton-Missoula-1.

Felix Gauci of Florence turned in two small lake trout over the weekend to take over that category. His lake trout entries were 159mm and 156mm-2.5”.

There has not been an entry for the largest lake trout over 36” and over 24#’s.

Weekend drawing winners of $100 were-Terry Krogstad, Shawn Madsen of Whitefish, Nicole Garrett of Missoula, Roger Schiff of Whitefish, and Larry Karper.

Mack Days are used as a tool to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. There are two events per year spring and fall. Check it out-all it takes is one fish to win!

(photo via MackDays.com)