Mack Days angler reels in tagged fish worth $1,000

Many anglers participating in Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake are having great days and big numbers of lake trout entries.

An exciting event over the fourth weekend was a $1,000 tagged lake trout that was turned in by Michael Stevenson of Kalispell. He caught the tagged trout up on the Delta in the north end of the lake. The tag had been put in the fish on March 4 by CSKT fisheries staff in Skidoo Bay. Congratulations Michael!

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes use the biannual Mack Days fishing events as tools to reduce the number of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. The conservation effort, sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, aims to increase the populations of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat.

A total of 6,286 lake trout were entered during the fourth weekend, making it the highest weekend number of lake trout since 2017 when 6,138 were turned in over one weekend. Total numbers are 21,885 fish caught from Friday to Sunday, 5,219 hauled in Monday to Thursday, for a grand total so far of 27,104.

Warmer spring weather gave the anglers a break this fourth weekend. The previous record amount of lake trout was in 2019 when 40,362 lake trout were entered. 

Willy – the $10,000 tagged lake trout – is still hiding in the depths of the lake waiting for just the right lure. There are also three $5,000 lake trout, five valued at $1,000 and more than 9,000 with values from $100-$500. Catching $100 tagged fish the fourth weekend were: Kyle Shank-Kalispell, Shaunda Albert-Ronan, Garett Vaughan-Charlo and Britton Salois-Pablo.

Kolton Turner of Kalispell is continuing his 100-fish-a-day streak for first in the Top Twenty category. His total at the end of 12 days of the weekend fishing is 1,200. Running a close second is Bob Turner with 1,158, followed by Jason Mahlen of Kalispell with 1,112; David Myers of Riverton, Wyo., with 950; Clint Speer of Kalispell with 842; Jerry Benson of Plains with 808; Patrick Casey of Townsend with 691; Gene Corne of Kalispell with 677; Steve Andrachick of Kalispell with 644; and Mike Benson of Lonepine in 10th with 639.

Lady angler Julie Perkins is in first with 443 lake trout entries; she’s followed by Janey Myers of Riverton with 238, Connie Jones of Kalispell with 126, Shaunda Albert of Ronan with 106, and Laurie Bouley of Columbia Falls with 33.

Brodie Smith leads the 13-17 Category with 412, followed by Fjord Borgan of Kalispell with 14. David Gerspach of Kila and Sawyer Clark of Columbia Falls are tied for third with three each.

Benjamin Dieterich of Kalispell and Carter Lindsay of Pablo are tied for first in the 12 and Under Category with 21 each; next in line is Mason Cusker of Bigfork with 6, followed by Wyatt Best of Florence with 3, and Allyvia Yang of Missoula with two.

Jerry Benson is first in 70 & Over with 808, followed by Mike Benson with 639, Terry Krogstad with 560, Jack Kirkland with 474, and Larry Ashwell with 379.

Smallest lake trout entries are Mike Colyer of Missoula with a 164mm (6.5 inches) and Korey Heindahl of Kalispell with a 162mm catch.

Matt Brazda of Missoula still holds the lead in the largest fish category with a 36.25-inch 20.5-pound lake trout. Contestants for the category must measure over 36 inches and 20 pounds.

Weekend drawing winners were Jason Mahlen, $200; and Larry Ashwell, Dan Deutschman of Fergus Falls, Minn., and Steve Andachick, $100. Drawings are done electronically and witnessed by CSKT staff.

Spring Mack Days will continue until Saturday, May 10, so it’s not too late to get your fishing lines in the water. Go to the website www.mackdays.com for information, to enter, and tips on fish ID. You can go out and fish all day and enter at the end of the day when turning in your catch.

We would like to ask everyone to be safe out on the water! Please watch the weather reports, have safety equipment on board (life jackets do no good unless you have them on), keep cell phones dry, and make sure someone knows your plan for the day.