2025 Fall Mack Days begins Thursday, September 4th and will end in nine weeks on November 2nd.
Passionate lake trout anglers will begin casting their lines and hitting the waters of Flathead Lake on Thursday September 4th. Nine weeks of lake trout fishing is an angler’s dream especially if they reel in the lake trout numbers like they did in the 2025 Spring Event (total fish 60,138) which broke all records for fish totals in the Spring Event. David Myers of Riverton Wy turned in a record 4,401 lake trout for Mon to Sun fishing and Kolton Turners high for Fri to Sun was 2,320. Record for a Fall Event is 19,540 from the 2015 Event. David Myers holds the high number for a Fall Event with 2,780 in 2023 for Mon to Sun and 1,423 Fri-Sun.
Totals are lower in the fall since fewer anglers fish the Fall Event but the anglers are hoping for higher fish totals for bonus payouts. Other totals for the Fall were: Terry Krogstad of Kalispell in 2016-1,378, Wes Shockley of Plains 1,361 in 2011, and Jerry Benson of Plains in 2024 1,301.
Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a tool to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. This is a conservation effort to increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat numbers in the lake.
The $10,000 tagged lake trout named Double D (aka Downrigger Dale) is swimming the depths of the lake. Any angler would love to have a shot at hooking this fish. There are also 3-$5,000, and 5-$1,000 tagged lake trout along with over 9,000 with $100-$500 values.
Lottery prizes from $2,000 to $100 will be drawn from the lake trout entries. Categories for Top Anglers, Ladies, Youth, Weekend, Largest Lake Trout, Smallest Lake Trout, etc. go to www.mackdays.com to see all of the prize categories and amounts listed along with the bonus chart, rules, entry page, fish ID, etc. The higher an angler’s total is the higher they go in the bonus charts. Example: 31-50 lake trout an angler receives $88, 151-175 $420, 451-475 $1,710 and on up.
These dollars compensate the anglers for the expense of helping in this restoration effort. Staff from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will do fish pickups at Big Arm and Salish Point Friday-Sunday. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will pick up at Somers and Wayfarers State Park. You can turn in fish at Blue Bay every day. Check times and sites on the website.
Come out and bring the gang with you, fish one day or several days. You can be a serious angler or you can make it a family fun day and get your kids hooked on fishing! Entries are taken until the last day of the event.
We remind everyone to think safety first-be aware of changing weather conditions, have safety equipment on board, wear your PFD-your safety vest does no good if it is not on your back when needed, keep cell phones dry, have a plan and let someone know your plan. Have questions, contact Cindy Benson at 406-270-3386.
Tight lines everyone!
–CSKT–
Feature photo: Felix Gauci with a $10,000 lake trout in Fall 2014
