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Mack Days season ends

The crowd waits for the awards to begin. (courtesy photo)

POLSON — The 2009 Fall Mack Days ended November 15 with a total of 12,925 lake trout entries compared to 10,129 in the 2008 Fall Event.

All anglers agreed that the weather during this event has been the worst of all the Mack Days Events. But despite the weather, the numbers were up and several anglers topped out days with 50 fish limits more, according to CSKT fisheries data.

Mack Days Fishing Events are bi-annual and held once in the spring and another in the fall that last for 21 days.

The fishing events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

The event is used as a tool to slowly reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the numbers of native Bull trout and Westslope Cutthroat trout.

“The true fear is that Bull trout will become extinct,” said Tom McDonald Division Manager.

According to the fisheries officials, Mack Days helps the ecological balance of Flathead Lake by thinning the mackinaw population, also called lake trout. The event has been a success and in it’s first event, in the Fall of 2002, it stimulated the harvest of lake trout and educated people about the Flathead Lake Fisheries Management Plan.

Eric Sams of Polson holds a large lake trout. (Courtesy photo)

Lake trout have few predators with the exception of man and the sea lamprey. In 1829, the Welland Canal between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie was opened and nearly wiped out many of the Great Lakes stock.

One fact remains about the lake trout: they are easy to catch because of their predatory nature.

Once common throughout the inland Northwest, bull trout now live in small numbers in five western states and two Canadian provinces. Numbers have been reduced due to damage to their stream habitats, competition from introduced exotic species like brook trout and lake trout, and poaching.

Bull trout are now listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Currently they are extinct in California.

Although Montana is the bull trout’s stronghold in the United States, they still remain a “species of special concern,” and face a chance of extinction in most streams where they still live.

One way the general public can help is to be able to identify Bull trout is to check the dorsal fin, if “No black-put it back.” “No black” means no black spots. Bull trout have pale yellow spots on the back and red, pinkish, or orange spots on the side.

The event paid out over $24,500 in cash awards and up to $30,000 additional in bonuses for all anglers entering 20 or more lake trout- plus over 1,000 tagged lake trout with values from $100 - $5,000.

The Tribes sponsor this event as part of the management plan.

These anglers cast a few more hooks as the end of Mack Days 2009 drew to a close. The next Mack Days will begin some time in the spring of next year. (courtesy photo)

“Our mission is to keep the fisheries diverse and that species don’t become extinct,” said McDonald.

Each year Mack Days adds a little change in prizes to get more participants, according to McDonald.

Top angler of the Fall Event-determined by the 12-day average- was Pablo’s Stephen Naethe with 823 total entries and a best 12-day average of 49-$650. Second place went to Brandt Hammernick of Missoula with 570 total entries and a 12-day of 43.58-$600. Polson’s Roger Dilts came in next with 616 entries and a 12-day of 39.75-$550. Fourth place went to Missoula angler Don Peters with 466 entries and a 12-day of 38.16-$500. Mike Benson a Hot Springs angler-came in fifth with 601 total entries and a 12-day of 37.08-$450. Sixth place went to lady angler Nicole Peters with 383 and 12-day of 31.25-$400. Paul Lebert-Kalispell placed seventh with 402 and a 12-day of 29.66-$350 and Phil Meredith of Kalispell placed in the number eight position with 392 and 29.5 avg.-$300. Another Kalispell angler Sid Bitney placed in the ninth position entering 433 and a 12-day of 28.8-$250 and Polson angler David McDaniel was tenth with 300 entries and a 22.0 12-day-$200.

Top youth award ages 17-13 went to Stephen Naethe-$200 with Dalton Meredith of Kalispell coming in second with 102 entries-$150, Heidi Hereford-Missoula third-$75 with 39 entries and Eric Sams, Polson-fourth place-$50, fifth place goes to Charlo’s Brady Weible-$50. Charlo youth angler Garett Vaughan placed 1st in the 12 and under category with 111 entries-$100, Mikayla Lebert of Kalispell came in second with 51 entries-$75, third went to Hannah Madsen of Polson-37 entries, and Hunter Peterson with 21 entries came in fourth.

Lady angler’s were lead by Nicole Peters of Missoula in first place with 383 entries-$300, Susanne Albrecht of Polson placed second with 109 entries-$200, and Cindy Upwell of Kalispell entered 85 entries and won $100.

Several cash prizes were drawn with many anglers winning part of the $47,000 awarded at the conclusion of the event. CSKT sincerely thanks all of the participants who made the event a success.

For more information go to www.mackdays.com or telephone 883-2888, ext. 7294.
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