Grab your gear; Spring Mack Days are nearly here

While winter struggles to hang on, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are preparing to launch the 40th Mack Days fishing event on Flathead Lake, which begins Thursday, March 17 and runs through May 15.

This year’s event will focus on nine weeks of lake trout fishing, consisting of 60 total fishing days. Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the conclusion.

The event is sponsored by CSKT and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It is used as a management tool to reduce the non-native lake trout and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat populations.

Mack Days began in the fall of 2002. A total of 888 lake trout entries were turned in over the 15-day event, with 80 anglers entered. In 2003, the Spring Mack Days event was also 15 days, with the increase of 127 anglers entered and a total of 1,052 lake trout entries. The largest event to date was in the spring of 2019, which had a total of 40,362 lake trout entries and lasted 51 days.

Competition categories include age divisions for 12 and under, 13-17 and 70 and older. There also are categories for Ladies, Captains and the top 20 anglers, with prizes awarded for largest and smallest entry. There also will be weekly raffles for prizes.

Another way to cash in is to catch a tagged lake trout. Wildlife officials tagged one trout worth $10,000 that’s swimming in the lake. There also are three worth $5,000, five worth $1,000, another $1,000 fish sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine, and more than 9,000 fish worth $100 to $500.

Anglers who turn in at least 11 entries can earn bonus dollars, which increase for every 25 fish turned in.

There is a special Flathead Lake (south half) fishing license available to anglers from Montana for $21 a year and $33 a year out-of-state anglers. Any angler who enters at least one lake trout gets their name in the lottery drawings for cash prizes from $50 to $2,000. Every fish entered gets you an entry in the lottery drawings. There will be 30 to 50 cash drawings depending on all of the cash payouts plus there are drawings for weekends and weekdays. Visit www.mackdays.com for a complete list of drawings and the bonus chart.

Friday to Sunday fishing will be for the category prizes, lottery prizes, tagged fish and bonus amounts. Monday to Thursday fishing will be for special lottery prizes, tagged fish and bonus amounts. Visit www.mackdays.com click on the Events tab at the top of the page for the dropdown boxes with rules with the bonus chart, entry page, check in sites and time, prizes, etc.

Anglers may begin turning in lake trout entries on Thursday, March 17 until 6 p.m. at the Blue Bay boathouse. Friday, March 18 will be the first day of the weekend competition days. Fish until a half hour before dark or 9 p.m., whichever comes first. There will be fish pickups Friday through Sunday at the Somers boat ramp from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.; Wayfarers boat ramp from 5 to 5:30 p.m.; Big Arm boat ramp from 5 to 5:30 p.m.; and Salish Point in Polson from 6 to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday, all entries are to be turned in at Blue Bay before 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www.mackdays.com or call Cindy Benson at 406-270-3386.