Fall Mack Days kicks off Friday

The 2019 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake begins Friday.

Eight weeks of lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake will end Nov. 10 with awards and a fish fry at the Blue Bay Campground.

There will be up to $150,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes that will be awarded to hard-working anglers.

Mack Days Fishing Events are used as a fisheries management tool to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and westslope trout.

Preserving the native fish is important to the history of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The native fish of the lake were the dominant fish of the lake for thousands of years before the non-native lake trout were introduced and their population exploded.

Anglers asked for the opportunity to be part of the management of the fishery of Flathead Lake. Using the events as a tool gives them the opportunity to help make this a success story and see the native fish numbers increase for future generations. Participation by anglers is very important to that success and the continuation of the events.

There are several ways to win in the event including tagged lake trout with values from $10,000-1, $5,000-3, $1,000-5 and over 9,000 with values from $500-$100. Prizes are awarded in categories for Ladies, youth 12 & under, Youth 13-17, Golden Oldies (age 70 & over), lottery drawings-$1,000 to $400-35 drawings, and the popular Top Ten Category.

Anglers don’t have to fish every day. They can choose from Friday through Sunday for the prize categories, bonuses, and tagged fish. Every lake trout entry gives an angler an entry in the lottery drawing. Tuesday-Thursday fish for bonus totals, 8-$50 prize drawings, and tagged fish.

Bonus amounts begin with the 11th fish and go up as the fish entry goes up. Check out the categories, bonus amounts, rules, schedules, etc. at mackdays.com or telephone 406-270-3386 or 675-2700 ex. 7294.

Headquarters for the event will be at Blue Bay-lake trout can be turned in from 9 a.m. until dark.

Fish pickups will be done at Big Arm State Boat Ramp 4-4:30, Salish Point 5-5:30, Somers State Boat Ramp 4-4:30, Wayfarer State Boat Ramp 5-5:30.

Also, knowing fish ID is important. Please know how to identify lake trout from bull trout. It is especially important in the smaller fish.

There is information on the mackdays.com website or at local vendors who sell the fishing permits.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a special yearly fishing permit for the south half of Flathead Lake available to anglers from anywhere.

Boat coming in from out of the Flathead Basin are required to be inspected for AIS.

Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event.