As the 2026 Mack Days event on Flathead Lake enters its final stretch, anglers have officially wrapped up an intense seventh week of competition, pushing the total number of lake trout removed to an impressive 30,188. This critical fisheries management initiative, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, continues to draw participants committed to reducing non-native lake trout populations to support the recovery of native bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout. With only two weeks remaining until the May 9th awards ceremony, the race for top honors and elusive cash-tagged prizes remains wide open, and with late entries still being accepted, there is still time for new anglers to join the effort.
Here’s the 7th week update from CSKT:
2026 Mack Days on Flathead Lake will end May 9th at 3:00 in the afternoon at the Blue Bay Campground with an awards ceremony for the anglers and the lottery prize winner announcements. The anglers have just completed the seventh week of the nine-week long event. It is not too late to enter-entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event. The entry form is on the website www.mackdays.com. Total lake trout entered in the event is 30,188. Fridays total came to 1,551, Saturday 1,865, and Sunday 647.
Mack Days are used as a tool and are part of Flathead Lake fisheries management for native species fish in Flathead Lake. Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes the events are used to include anglers in the plan to reduce non-native lake trout and increase the native fish species-bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout which are so important and are a part of the history of the Flathead Lake system. Anglers receive bonus dollars once their fish total goes to eleven lake trout. The dollar amount increases every twenty-five fish. Check out the chart at www.mackdays.com. Lottery drawings and other prizes begin at $2,000 and go to $100-the prize list is also on the website. There are over 10,000 lake trout with tags also.
Chase-the famous $10,000 slippery, slimy, lake trout- still the most sought-after lake trout- is avoiding all the skilled and experienced anglers. His partners 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000 and over 10,000 lake trout with values from $100-$500 are out there waiting for just the right hook and line. The high dollar lake trout were tagged right before the event began and the others have been being tagged over the years. Tyler Varga of Kalispell caught a $500 tagged lake trout during the week and Bob Stewart of Kalispell turned in a $100 tagged fish on Saturday. Bob’s fish was double tagged which is done to check for tag retention. Both tags were still there-but the dollar amount doesn’t double.
Strong hard-working lady angler Julie Perkins of Kalispell who has fished consistently every year has a total of 940 lake trout entries for 1st in the Ladies Category, 2nd Shaunda Albert of Ronan has really had some good days as she is learning about the fishery and she has 380 entries for 2nd, 3rd Angie Morrow of Kalispell-a tiny tough lady-331, 4th Laurie Kreis of Huson has 83, and 5th place is held by Connie Jones of Kalispell with 25. These ladies and others who are in the event have learned how to catch the lake trout alongside their fishing partners and they know what they are doing. They are out in all kinds of weather for hours every day! Ladies you are awesome!
The Top 10 Anglers all have eighteen days of fishing in. Their final placing at the end is on their best eighteen-day average. Kalispell angler Kolton Turner has grown up fishing the lake and puts in the time, hard work, and effort to be in 1st with 1,759-90 Friday, 100 Saturday, and 82 on a rough windy Sunday. Kolton’s average is 91.5. Every one of these anglers does a great job and are greatly appreciated. 2nd Bob Turner of Kalispell with 1,528-85, 78, 76-79.89 avg., 3rd Patrick Casey of Townsend with 1,258-86, 92, 0 and 69.17 avg., 4th Jerry Benson of Plains-1,168-99-just couldn’t get that last one in on Friday-57, 29 and 60.94 avg., 5th Larry Ashwell of Missoula-1,102-33, 74, 25 and 59.83 avg., 6th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell with 1,061-63, 100, 25 and 58.94 avg., 7th by average is Julie Perkins with an avg. of 52.22-total fish 940-64, 91, 34, 8th Mike Benson of Lonepine-971-33, 74, 25 and 52.0 avg., 9th Devon Bukowski of Kalispell 942-87, 47, & 33 and 51.22 avg., 10th Clint Speer of Kalispell with 905-63, 43, 36 and 47.06 avg. Jack Kirkland of Lolo is 11th with 896, 12th David Kelch of Great Falls-806, 13th Gene Corne of Kalispell-765, 14th Steven Andrachick of Kalispell-745, 15th Larry Karper of Florence-634, 16th Ken Varga of Kalispell-581, 17th Brodie Smith-Kalispell 510, 18th Tristan Persico-Missoula 493, 19th Larry Ludahl-Kalispell 492, and 20th Michael Stevenson-Kalispell 425.
Mason Persico of Missoula is in the number one spot in the 12 & Under with 180, 2nd Lincoln Gauci of Florence-75, 3rd Carter Lindsay of Pablo-41, 4th Eli Dutton of Kalispell 12, and 5th Allyvia Yang of Missoula 11.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell continues his lead in the 13-17 category with 510, Ellis Stammers of Charlo has 6, and Charles Hodgenson of Polson has 2.
Weekend winners were: $200-Scott Hale-Lolo, $100 Larry Ludahl and David McDaniel of Ronan.
Two weekends left-it is not too late-come out and fish for lake trout on Flathead Lake. You could be a winner!
Good luck and tight lines everyone!
-cskt-