2026 Spring Mack Days Mid-Event Update for Week 5

We’ve officially crossed the halfway mark of the 2026 Spring Mack Days, and things are getting interesting on Flathead Lake! While Saturday’s relentless rain might have scared off the faint of heart (pro tip: the fish don’t mind the water!), the die-hards pushed through to help bring our grand total to a staggering 20,527 lake trout. We’re currently chasing the ghost of 2025’s record pace, but with Kolton Turner sitting pretty at nearly 1,200 entries and the $10,000 tagged legend “Chase” still playing hard to get in the deeps, there is plenty of glory left to grab. Whether you’re a “Golden Oldie” or a 12-and-under rookie, there’s still time to enter, earn those bonus bucks, and help the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in this massive conservation effort. Grab your rain gear (or don’t—we won’t judge) and get out there before the May 9th finale!

Here’s the 5th week update from CSKT:

The fifth weekend of 2026 Spring Mack Days closed with a Friday total of 1,418. It was a good day on the water especially if you were fishing on the north end of the lake. Saturday it was a cold relentless rainy day which was a limiting factor on Saturdays total. Fish aren’t bothered by the rain but some people don’t like to fish when it is raining and others are not troubled by it at all. Total for Saturday was 1,336. Sunday fish total came in at 1,289 lake trout. Final Friday to Sunday total is at 17,460.  Monday to Thursday total is 3,067 with the final total for all days 20,527. Comparisons to other years at this time-2025 which was a great year we were at 34,179, 2024-22,241, and 2023-18,508. One hundred forty-three out of three hundred seventy-six anglers have turned in one or more entries. 

Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a management tool in this native fish conservation effort on Flathead Lake. Enter at any time up until the last day of the event-there is no entry fee. Check out our website at www.mackdays.com for information on the event, fishing ID, safety tips, etc. There will be twenty lottery drawings at the end of the event starting at $2,000 and going to $600. Anglers earn bonus dollar amounts once they reach eleven fish entries. As the fish total goes up the dollars go up. The bonus chart is on the website. There are tagged fish with values from $10,000 to $100. The $10,000 tagged fish-Chase is still swimming in the lake. He is the most popular lake trout who is evading all anglers as he is swimming in the depths of the lake. There are 3-$5,000, and 5-$1,000 plus over 10,000 with values from $100-$500. Ted Stewart and Gene Corne of Kalispell each turned in $100 tagged fish over the fifth weekend. 

Kolton Turner of Kalispell continues his 1^st place lead in the event with 1195 entries, 2^nd Robert Turner of Kalispell 1017, 3^rd Patrick Casey of Townsend 968, 4^th Larry Ashwell-Missoula 786, 5^th Devon Bukowski-Kalispell 750, 6^th Jerry Benson-Plains 736, 7^th Terry Krogstad-Kalispell 720, 8^th Clint Speer-Kalispell 638, 9^th Jack Kirkland-Lolo 633, 10^th Julie Perkins-Kalispell 621, 11^th Mike Benson-Lonepine 576, 12^th David Kelch-Great Falls 547, 13^th Gene Corne-Kalispell 517, 14^th Ken Varga-Kalispell 386, 15^th Marty Herak-Polson 363, 16^th Brodie Smith-Kalispell 351, 17^th Steven Andrachick-Kalispell 346, 18^th Larry Ludahl-Kalispell 332, 19^th Tristan Persico-Missoula 307, 20^th Richard Kreis-Huson 280. 

Brodie Smith is 1^st in the 13-17 age category with 351 and Charles Hogensen of Polson and Ellis Stammers of Charlo each have 2. 

Mason Persico of Missoula has 79 in the 12 & Under age category, 2^nd Lincoln Gauci of Florence with 45, 3^rd Carter Lindsay of Pablo 38, 4^th Allyvia Yang of Missoula with 11, and 5^th Wyatt Best of Florence with 9.

Julie Perkins is 1^st in the Ladies with 621, 2^nd Angie Morrow of Kalispell with 259, 3^rd Shaunda Albert of Ronan 215, 4^th Laurie Kreis of Huson 83, and 5^th Connie Jones of Kalispell 15. 

Golden Oldies (70 & Over) 1^st Larry Ashwell 786, 2^nd Jerry Benson 736, 3^rd Terry Krogstad 720, 4^th Jack Kirkland 633, and 5^th Mike Benson 576. 

Patrick Casey turned in two small lake trout on Saturday to take over the smallest category-160mm (6.5”) and the 2^nd one at 168mm. 

The event continues until May 9^th. There are four weekends left to come out and be involved in this native fish conservation effort.  Anglers can enter up until the last day.  

Good luck and tight lines everyone!