2020 Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake
Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake will begin March 20th and will run through May 17th. Up to $225,000 in Cash and Prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be available to anglers at the conclusion of the event. Get those fishing poles ready and come out and enjoy some fantastic lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake. There will be one-$10,000, three-$5,000, and five-$1,000 plus over 6,000 with values from $500-$100. The higher dollar tagged fish will be tagged the week before the event begins. Lines will be going in the water from boat anglers and from shore anglers. Try your luck. Catching just one lake trout has brought good fortune before for some anglers with prizes from $100 to $1,000.
Anglers enter lake trout Tuesdays through Sundays. You can choose to fish one day or every day. Your choice-and maybe your partner’s choice. Competition for the top angler prizes (twenty prizes)-new-1st through 20th, bonus dollars, top ladies, youth-12 & under and 13-17, golden oldies-70 and over, captains, smallest lake trout, largest lake trout, five $100 drawings per weekend, and lottery prizes from $1,000 to $450 will be during the Friday-Sunday fishing days. Tuesday to Thursday lake trout fishing is for increasing your total for higher bonus dollars, tagged fish, Siberian cooler tickets, and five $50 drawings. Tickets are awarded for every lake trout entry in the different categories-all it takes is one fish to win. Bonus amounts are based on the total number of entries at the end of the event. Once an angler turns in eleven lake trout they begin to accumulate bonus amounts. Go to the website www.mackdays.com to read the rules and information about the event. Fish maybe donated or anglers may choose to keep their catch.
Mack Days Fishing Events are used as a tool by fisheries managers to reduce the number of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. It is important to preserve and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout populations which were once the dominate fish of the lake. Native fish are an important part of tribal culture and history. They are also important to the history of Montana.
Pickup sites will be at Big Arm State Park boat ramp, Salish Point in Polson, Somers State Park boat ramp, Wayfarers State Park boat ramp. Tentative times are Somers-4-4:30, Wayfarers-5-5:30, Big Arm-5-5:30, Salish Point-6-6:30, and Blue Bay 10:00-dark or 9:00 whichever comes first. Pickups are only done Friday-Sunday. Tuesday through Thursday all fish are to be turned in at Blue Bay before 6:00 in the evening.
The website www.mackdays.com includes fishing information, fish identification, weather, maps, entry forms, etc. There are videos for anglers to watch to learn about fishing on Flathead Lake.
Boat inspection for AIS is required and proof must be shown at entry time. Boat inspection stations are said to be up and running before and during the event. We will not accept entries from any boat who has not been inspected.
Come out and join in the effort to make a difference on Flathead Lake for future generations.
Tight lines everyone!
www.mackdays.com