Week 2 of 2026 Fall Mack Days: The Trout Are in Deep, and So Is the Competition
Angela Montana·September 22, 2026
The fish are biting, the numbers are climbing, and somewhere in the depths of Flathead Lake, a $10,000 lake trout is still playing hard to get! Week two of the 2026 Fall Mack Days brought in another 2,156 lake trout, pushing the event total to 3,983 fish and proving that anglers are wasting no time making waves for native fish conservation. With seven weeks still to go, plenty of prize money swimming around, and some friendly competition heating up, there’s no telling what the next cast might bring!
2026 Fall Mack Days week 2 Results
2026 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is underway. The nine-week long event began September 10th and will end on November 8th. The first week’s lake trout total was 1,827, combined with week two totals of 2,156, for an overall total of 3,983 lake trout turned in to date.
Mack Days events are used as a tool to reduce numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. Preserving and protecting the native fish populations of bull trout and westslope cutthroat in the lake is important to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Montana anglers. Efforts made now will make a difference for the future of these fish. It is difficult for some to understand the importance of stepping up and helping to preserve the native fish that have been here for thousands of years. Declining native fish populations everywhere happen very easily and quickly when non-native fish like lake trout are introduced into a system where they outcompete the resident fish for food and territory. This fish conservation effort is part of the fisheries management plan for Flathead Lake and is a tool that will continue to be used.
Most anglers dream of landing the $10,000 tagged lake trout from the depths of the lake. There are also 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000 and over 9,000 with values from $100-$500.
Top anglers are Terry Krogstad with 491, Jack Kirkland with 323, Devon Bukowski with 302, Larry Karper with 254, Larry Ashwell with 242, Richard Kreis with 217, Mike Benson with 217, David Kelch with 192, Clint Speer with 154, John Gauci with 144, Bob Stewart with 129, Julie Perkins with 122, Laurie Kreis with 109, Paul Grove with 108, Shaunda Albert 81, Cory Speer with 61, Justin Bair with 39, Mark McMillin with 36 and Jerry Benson with 34.
Corey Speer, Angie Marrow and Turned in $100 tags during the second week. Smallest Fish Caught by Larry Karper 144mm, Devon Bukowski 160mm. There have been No Large Fish turned in yet. Weekend drawing winners were; Felix Gauci $200, Shawnda Albert $100 and Cory Schmautz $100.
ontinue to be taken until the last day of the event. Fish one day or several days. Every entry put you in the lottery drawing and gives you the chance to win. Check out theventry page, fish ID, fishing tips, etc. on the website at www.mackdays.com.
Be safe out there, wear your PFD’s, keep your cell phone dry, be alert to weather predictions, have dry clothing on board, and let someone know your plan. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Joe Santos at joe.santos@cskt.org.
Thank you to all of these hard-working anglers! They make the events a success.
