Fall Mack Days tourney increased to 10 weeks

The 2020 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake is just around the corner, and begins Sept. 8. This fall event has been extended to 10 weeks of lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake — if you love to fish, this event is for you. The 2020 Fall Mack Days event will end on Nov. 15. Up to $200,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be awarded to participants of the event.

This year’s Fall Mack Days event has been extended two weeks longer than the regular Fall Event, due to the shortened Spring event because of Coronavirus concerns. The number of lake trout harvested was not as high as anticipated during the spring event. The Tribal Fisheries Program feels that it’s important to reach the annual estimated number of lake trout needed to help reduce the lake trout population within Flathead Lake, therefore the decision was made to extend the 2020 Fall event.

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 cutthroat trout. Preserving the native fish is important to the history of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the state of Montana. 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.

Participation from anglers is very important to that success and the continuation of these events. Using these events as a tool to give anglers the opportunity to help native fish numbers increase for future generations. We do require that all anglers follow social distancing guidelines and other specific safety measures that will be posted on the website and on entry forms.

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 9000 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 plus there are cash prizes for 11th -20th. You don’t have to fish everyday-choose your days Friday-Sunday for the lottery prize categories-32 from $1,000 to $400- bonuses, and tagged fish. Every lake trout entry gives you an entry in the lottery drawing. Monday-Thursday fish for bonus totals, 10-$50 and 2-$100 prize drawings, and tagged fish. Bonus amounts begin with your eleventh fish and go up as your fish entry goes up. Participants can choose to fish one day, several days, or every day.

Headquarters for the event will be at Blue Bay-lake trout can be turned in from 10 AM until dark or 9 PM whichever comes first. Fish pickups will be done at Big Arm State Boat Ramp, Salish Point, Somers State Boat Ramp, Wayfarer State Boat Ramp-times will be posted on the website. 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. Boats coming in from out of the Flathead Basin are required to be inspected for AIS.

All it takes is one fish to win, and there is no entry fee required. Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event. There is one special Early Bird Drawing for entries received on, or before September 2nd with a required one fish entry. Come out and join the Fall Mack Days Fishing Event. Check out the categories, bonus amounts, rules, schedules, etc. at mackdays.com or by telephone at (406) 270-3386 or (406) 675-2700 ext. 7294.