Posts Tagged ‘Mack Days’

Chuck Forgey at 2011 Mack Days Competition, image courtesy of The Daily Beacon Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon

For the past 11 years Fisherman and fishing enthusiasts have been putting forth their best effort to manage the lake trout population in the Flathead Lake. Biologists believe that controlling the mackinaw population will stimulate native bull trout population growth. We recently read an article in The Flathead Beacon about one of our favorite events of the year, Mack Days, in which fisherman gather to cast their hand at controlling the lake trout population.

From the Flathead Beacon:

So it is with the most dedicated anglers at Mack Days, a popular twice-a-year fishing tournament that pulls tens of thousands of lake trout out of Flathead Lake. Though the majority of participating anglers are less serious, there are fanatics at the top of the tournament standings who refuse to let weather diminish their fish totals.

More:

Mack Days began in 2002 as a fisheries management tool to control the thriving non-native lake trout population in Flathead Lake. Biologists believe that properly managing lake trout will help spur the native bull trout population.

In addition to keeping their fish, participants will compete for prize money that will be distributed among the worthy at the conclusion of the contest.

From The Flathead Beacon:

A total of $150,000 in prize money will be distributed to the winners and other anglers, including those who hook into tagged fish worth up to thousands of dollars each. As of last week, there were 680 anglers signed up for this spring’s event, though Bras-Benson expects around 1,000 to participate by tournament’s end.

Mack Days will be in full swing until May 20th, 2012. To read the entire article please visit The Flathead Beacon: