Mack Days angler lands, releases bull trout

Spring Mack Days, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, is moving into week number six in the nine-week long event. Entries continue to be taken until 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11.

Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded by CSKT to anglers who have been participating in this management program to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase populations of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat.

Catching a bull trout is an experience, as angler Dan Deuschman of Missoula can attest. He was out with his fishing partner Larry Ashwell Saturday and caught a 10-pound bull trout. Dan had it back in the water quickly and the bull trout took off like a shot and disappeared into the depths of the lake.

We get reports of smaller bull-trout catches but this one was a good-sized fish. It is super important to be able to properly identify your fish, since both bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout are catch-and-release in Flathead Lake and it is unlawful to keep them.

The current total entries for the 2024 spring event are 22,241. Friday’s total was 1,799, Saturday was 1,373, and Sunday was 1,332 for a weekend total of 4,504.

The $10,000 tagged lake trout is still eluding anglers. There are also three $5,000 fish, six valued at $1,000 and more than 9,000 with values from $100-$500. Turning in $100 tagged lake trout last weekend were Josef Kuchera and Matthew Mitts, both of Kalispell.

Kalispell angler Kolton Turner remains in the number-one spot among the top 20 anglers, having turned in a total of 1,475 fish, and posted 14 100-fish days, including his last two weekends. Robert Turner has a total of 1,342 fish, with nine 100-fish days; Jason Mahlen of Kalispell has reeled in 1,234 and posted eight 100-fish days. Clint Speer of Kalispell is in fourth place with 857; and Gene Corne of Kalispell is in fifth with 733.

Brodie Smith of Kalispell is first in the 13-17 age category with 332, followed by Kennedy Yang of Missoula with 31, Lane Brazda of Missoula with 14, Matthew Mitts of Kalispell with 12, and Lucia Savoia of Missoula has 1. The 12 & Under Category leader is Eli Yang of Missoula with 31.

Leading the Ladies Category is angler Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 166; next is Corrine McCubbins of Kalispell with 69, Shirley Batz of Kalispell with 58, Melissa Triano of Bigfork with 24, and Janine Kowalski of Frenchtown with 17.

Michael Benson leads the 70 & Over age group with 568. He’s followed by Larry Ashwell, Felix Gauci, Jack Kirkland and Terry Krogstad.

The three-way tie in the popular category for the Smallest Lake Trout was broken Sunday by Gene Corne with a 164mm lake trout entry. Kolton Turner, Jason Mahlen and Gene Corne of Kalispell all have turned in 166mm (6.5”) lake trout and are now tied for second.

The second Bucket Day Competition is Saturday, April 20. Anglers put their four heaviest lake trout in a bucket and a weight is taken. Matthew and Colin Mitts of Kalispell were the winners of the first Bucket Day with a weight of 19.15 pounds.

Weekend winners were: $200, Terry Krogstad of Kalispell; and $100, Travis Banyai (times two), Bob Turner and Matt Clark.

Anglers can enter at any time. One entry in the event gives you a chance in the lottery drawings that begin at $100 and go to $2,000. Call 406-270-3386 to enter or enter at the end of the day when you turn in your catch. You can keep your catch or they can be donated to be processed.

Be weather wise on the lake. Have the proper safety equipment in your boat and keep cell phones dry.