CSKT announces start of spring Mack Days
The 2014 Spring Mack Days will begin March 14. We are looking forward to a great spring event. Go to the www.mackdays.com website for information-fishing tips, entry forms, videos, boat safety, weather information, fish ID, etc., and updates during the event.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes sponsor the $150,000 event on Flathead Lake and use it as a tool to reduce the non-native lake trout in the lake. Increasing the diminished populations of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout is important to the tribes and Montana. Native bull trout and the weststlope cutthroat trout were the dominant fish of Flathead Lake and are a part of the fishing heritage of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the State of Montana.
All it takes is one fish to win, and there are several different ways to accomplish that. Lottery tickets - anglers receive one ticket for each lake trout under 30”, top ten angler prizes, ladies and youth categorie. Bucket of Fish Days - 3 specified days, weekend drawings, bonus amounts go up as your total goes up, and tagged fish. One $10,000, two-$5,000, and five-$1,000 tagged lake trout are in the lake along with over 5,000 with values from $100-$500. Anglers also receive bonus amounts depending on their fish total at the end of the event. Bonuses total at the end of the 34 days to determines bonus amount: 0-19 lake trout=$0, 20-30=$35, 31-60=$75, 61-100=$125, 101-150=$210, 151-200=$290, 201-250=$380, 251-300=$465, 301-350=$570, 351-400=$675, 401-450=$765, 451-500=$875, 501-550=$995, 551-600=$1,120, 601-650=$1,250, 651-700=$1,420, 701-750=$1,630, 751-800=$1,940, 801-850=$2,270, 851-900=$2,625, 901-950=$3,000, 951-1000=$3,400, 1001-1050=$3,750, 1051-1100=$4.035, 1101-1150=$4,275, 1151-1200=$4,700, 1201-1250=$4,900, 1251-1300=$5,100, 1301-1350=$5,300 & up.
We ask that all participants in Montana fishing tournaments cooperate with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes & Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks by ensuring that all boats be washed prior to launching. Thorough cleaning of any plants or animals prior to launching a boat will help to prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species. Report any sightings of an aquatic nuisance species to the National Hotline: 1-877-786-7267. Wash, clean, and dry-our best defense against these invaders.
Again there will be a Heaviest Bucket of Fish competition included for 3 days of the event. Friday-3/28, Saturday-4/12, & Sunday-5/11-prizes will be given for the 4 heaviest fish under 30 inches that are in an anglers count. The four heaviest fish entries are to be tagged or identified with some kind of marking-electrical ties, string, rubber bands- before coming through the door at Blue Bay. Fish will be put in a bucket and one weight per boat will be taken. No changes will be made to entries-this has to be the rule because of time limits-points are given based on weight. Top weight for each of the three days will win $200. Overall prizes based on weight at the end of the three days $300, $200, & $100 will be awarded at the end of the event.
The Mack Days website has information about bull trout identification. If you do not know how to identify these fish please go to the website or ask for information. All bull trout turned in during the event will be turned in to the proper authorities.
Entries continue to be taken up until the last day of the event. Contact us if you have comments or suggestions.
- Courtesy of Cynthia Bras, CKST