Mack Days anglers haul in more than 20,000 lake trout

The third week of Spring Mack Days ended with a total of 20,211 lake trout entries. Weekend totals were 1,939 on Friday, 1,806 on Saturday, and 1,821 on Sunday.

The Monday-to-Thursday total was 4,612 and Friday-to-Sunday tally was 15,599. These numbers handily surpass the 2022 event total at three weeks of 9,039, the 2023 total of 11,315, and the 2024 total of 13,751.

Willy is the most wanted lake trout in Flathead Lake, with a bounty of $10,000. There are also three lake trout tagged for $5,000, five for $1,000 and more than 9,000 with values of $100 to $500 in the lake.

Turning in $100 tagged lake trout the third week were: Claude Kaber, Bob Turner and Clint Speer of Kalispell, Jack Kirkland of Lolo, Dave Myers of Riverton, Wyo., and Carter Lindsay of Pablo. The $200 winners were Matt Brazda of Missoula and Jerry Benson of Plains.

Brazda also became the new leader in the Largest Fish Category, turning in a 36.25-inch, 20.5-pound entry. The winner in this category is whoever catches the heaviest lake trout over 36 inches. Matt released his catch back into Flathead Lake.

The smallest lake trout so far are a 164mm (6.5”) lake trout entered by Mike Colyer of Missoula and 191mm (7.5”) entry by Bob Stewart.

Every angler is important to the event if they turn in one or two fish, 20, or hundreds. Every fish gives them a chance to win in the lottery, and once their total gets to 11 entries they begin to accumulate bonus dollars. As their total goes up they move up in the bonus dollar amounts.

Check out the bonus chart on the website.

For 10 days in a row, Bob and Kolton Turner of Kalispell have turned in their daily limit of 100 lake trout. Nine of those days count in the weekend totals. They are tied for first place with 900 lake trout entries each. 

Other leaders in the Top Twenty Category are Jason Mahlen of Kalispell, in third  place with 812, followed by Clint Speer of Kalispell with 673, David Myers of Riverton with 663, Jerry Benson of Plains with 626, Gene Corne of Kalispell with 525, Mike Benson of Lonepine with 512, Larry Ludahl of Kalispell with 496, and in tenth, Patrick Casey of Townsend with 454.

Julie Perkins of Kalispell is still leading the women’s category with 320, followed by Janey Myers of Riverton with 145, Shaunda Albert of Ronan with 56, Connie Jones of Kalispell with 52, and Laurie Bouley of Columbia Falls with 26.

Brodie Smith is leading in the 13-17 Category with 321 lake trout entries; he’s followed by Fjord Borgen of Kalispell with 14 and David Gerspach of Kila with three. Benjamin Dieterich of Kalispell is first in the 12 & Under group with 20, followed by Mason Cusker of Bigfork with six, Carter Lindsay of Pablo with five, and Allyvia Yang of Missoula with two.

The youth anglers are fun to watch as they get more and more experienced. Smiles are big at the end of the day.

Winners in the third weekend drawing were: Jason Mahlen, $200; and Larry Karper of Florence, Bob Stewart of Kalispell, Jason Mahlen, and Clint Speer of Kalispell, each winning $100.

Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, will be awarded to anglers at the conclusion of the event. There are several ways to win; check out the categories at www.mackdays.com. Entries are taken until the last day of the event.

Mack Days events are used to reduce the non-native lake trout population in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout populations. Anglers are helping rebuild populations of these native fish so they can be here for future generations.

The website lists the times for fish pickups around the lake and the fish headquarters at Blue Bay. 

Be safe, follow all boating and fishing regulations and please pay attention to weather reports!