2012 SPRING MACK DAYS
EVENT RULES
We will update as changes are made.
Event Dates
2012 Spring Mack Days will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from March 16 through May 20 of 2012.
Event Rules
Anglers are responsible for reading and following the rules of the event.
License Requirements
All anglers must have state or tribal fishing licenses, depending on the part of the lake they choose to fish (see insert on license requirements). Anglers may fish any area of Flathead Lake. The event includes all of Flathead Lake.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have made available a special $12.00 fishing license for the south half of Flathead Lake. That is the only license needed on the south half of the lake, but it does not cover the north end of the lake. You may purchase the license from vendors who sell Montana Fishing Licenses.
Entry fees
No entry fees will be charged for 2012 Spring Mack Days-this automatically makes everyone eligible for the large lake trout category.
Spirit of the Rule
It is the intention of this event to promote good sportsmanship and fair play. Unsportsmanlike conduct and cheating will result in disqualification. Interpretations of the rules shall be exclusively left to the event officials/committee; all decisions are final. See the Rules of Disqualification page.
Respect Private Lands and Tribal Homelands
Most waterways adjoin private lands or tribal homelands. Many shoreline and rock structure areas hold sacred significance to tribal members. Respect their privacy, customs, and ceremonies. Do not remove or disturb cloth prayer ties, offerings, or other items that have been placed in these areas. These are spiritual offerings, not souvenirs. Irreplaceable information about the past is lost if artifacts are removed or cultural resource sites damaged. Please report any pilfering or vandalism you may observe immediately to local authorities.
— US Army Corps of Engineers
Fish Bait on Flathead Lake
CSKT & Montana Fishing Regulations state that: No portion of salmonids (trout, salmon, and whitefish) except eggs may be used as bait in Flathead Lake. Non-game (fish with no bag limits in section 2A of the CSKT regulations) fish, or parts thereof, may be used dead as bait in Flathead Lake. It is illegal to use any part of any whitefish-lake, mountain, or pgymy whitefish-or to use lake trout as bait-even if caught in Flathead Lake. Please read the fishing regulation book for more information.
Fish Count
Anglers please be sure to have the correct total count of your entries when you come in for the day or be sure and stand by as your fish are counted in. Watch and count as we count your fish. We want to be as fair and accurate as possible for everyone. Lake trout are entered for each individual angler and for that angler only. All anglers in a boat are required to be registered in the event. No pooling of fish is allowed. . State and tribal regulations limit anglers to 100 lake trout under 30 inches per day. You cannot legally enter more than 100 fish per day. The large fish category is for a lake trout over 36 inches and over 24 pounds. Lake trout 30 to 36 inches are slot-limit fish and are to be returned to the water. If you enter a large fish over 36" you can legally enter 99 under 30" for that day.
For Prizes go to the Prizes Page
ID #'s will be sent when your on-line entry is received. If you do not receive an entry # back within a few days-please resend your entry making sure that you click the submit button at the bottom of the page. ID #'s are for your convience when entering your lake trout-we need the correct address to send your bonus amounts or prize drawing checks. Suggestion: you may also want to consider purchasing a rubber stamp with your name on it-you can leave it at the entry desk at Blue Bay. Go online and type in-rubber stamps- there are a variety of places to order a stamp or order from your local printing supply store. A date stamp-we have one available is also good to use. ID #'s aren't long so it does not take a long time to write the number on tickets if that is what you want to do.
Rules for the Tagged Fish Category
Background
3,000-4,000 lake trout will be tagged before the event and will be worth $100 to $10,000 each when they are caught during the event. There will be one $10,000, five $5,000, and ten $1,000 tagged lake trout. Tagged fish have the adipose fin clipped. They were released at different locations in Flathead Lake by CSKT & FWP fisheries staff. If you catch what you think may be a tagged fish, it will be helpful if you mark the fish by wrapping a rubber band or electrical tie around the tail of the fish or put something through the gill plate like the electrical tie. All lake trout with a clipped adipose fin will be scanned with an electronic reader by staff when fish are turned in at the check-in stations. Do not remove any tag from the fish. Removing the embedded pit tag will disqualify that fish for any cash award. Green external tags are FWP tags. Do not remove the tag. If you release the fish measure and note area caught. Contact FWP in Kalispell with the information.
The winning fish must meet these requirements for a $100 to $10,000 prize:
- It must have a PIT tag and it must still be embedded in the fish. (If this is an older dated tag with a freshly embedded scar the fish may be disqualified.)
- Its tag number must match a number of one of the over 3500 lake trout tagged by fisheries staff-a list with each tagged fish is at Blue Bay.
- The angler must be entered in the event. Youth anglers may win up to $600 in the tagged prize categories.
- The fish must be caught during one of the 34 days of the 2012 Spring Mack Days contest.
- All tagged fish received at the check-in stations that do not qualify for a $10,000, $5,000, or $1,000 prize will win a $500 - $100 prize-depending on the tag number.
- Regulation limits of lake trout will be up to 100 per day under 30" or 99 under 30" and 1 over 36". Event officials will mark each fish submitted if they are not donated.
- Fish may be submitted for tickets at the following locations (see map): Because of the new change in lake trout daily limits beginning with new regulations in Feb. 2011-100 lake trout per day- and to make the event fair for everyone we are going to implement an evening time limit- Blue Bay Campground: 9:00 A.M.-Dark-no later than 9:00PM. Somers Fishing Access: 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Wayfarers: 5:00 to 5:30 p.m-subject to change.) Big Arm: 5-5:30 p.m. Salish Point Boat Ramp: 6:00-6:30 p.m.
- May 20th- Fish check-in from 9:00-4:00-Blue Bay only. All fish are to be turned in by 4:00. No tickets will be issued after 4:00.
- Tickets will be drawn on Sunday May 20th- 5:00 p.m.-Blue Bay-Sunday is a separate day with tickets for a separate drawing.
- Fish fry at 4:00-bring your lawn chairs. You do not have to be present to win a lottery prize-checks will be sent.
- Anglers may submit fish from anywhere on Flathead Lake. If you do not wish to keep your fish you may donate them to the event, which will distribute them to area food banks. IMPORTANT: All fish submitted for donation must have been on cubed or crushed ice from the time of capture to the time submitted.. Fish not put on ice will not be accepted for donation.
Fish submitted for entries must be caught on the day submitted.-If there is a question about the condition of fish they will not be accepted for entry. No fish with cloudy eyes, white gills, or if they have been frozen will be accepted. - All prize winners are responsible to cover all taxes/costs associated with prize winnings. A W-9 form is required of any angler receiving $600 or more.
- All anglers in a boat submitting fish for the lottery drawing must be entered in the event-THEY CAN ENTER AT THE END OF THE DAY IF NEEDED. Entries are taken at anytime until the end of the event. NO entry fee is required.
- Please observe the following: Know the difference between bull trout and lake trout (information on identification will be available). Check out the identification page for bull trout under the Essentials Tab.
- Safety is very important when boating. Anglers are required to follow all U.S. Coast Guard Boating Regulations. We recommend having a cell phone or Marine Band Radio on board your boat. Keep phones in a dry area-zip loc bag- and batteries charged. PFD's/life jackets do you no good if they are not on your back when you need them-wear your PFD. Make sure someone knows when you expect to be off the water. Be aware of weather conditions at all times. Practice the three C's-Caution, Courtesy, and Common Sense.
Rules for the Largest Live Lake Trout Contest
Lake trout are a highly abundant predator that has shaped the fish community in Flathead Lake. The goal of the State and Tribes, developed with extensive public involvement, is to reduce the numbers of lake trout to benefit native trout in the lake. Specifically, the direction of the management plan is to reduce small lake trout while continuing to protect large lake trout. This direction is the result of a practical compromise. The overall reduction of numbers is intended to reduce the predation by lake trout on other species. The protection of large fish is a compromise to maintain quality fishing opportunities for lake trout. The end result should be a more diverse fishery. This event is conducted to be consistent with the management goals.
Prize: $500 must be 24 pounds or over and over 36 inches long.
- All entrants are encouraged to have a cell phone and scales. Calls must be made between 9:00 a.m. & 4:30 p.m.-no large lake trout accepted after that time. (See # 5)
- Anglers are asked to check the www.mackdays.com website (this website) before each day of angling to determine the weight of the leading fish. We cannot update on the weekends so telephone us for the leader information. Anglers are encouraged to release large lake trout whose weight is clearly less than the weight of the leading fish currently in first place. The winning lake trout will be the heaviest lake trout.
- When a large fish is caught, anglers must call 406-982-3142 (Blue Bay) or 406-270-3386 to determine the size of the currently largest fish, and if their catch is larger, a boat will come to the location of the angler and conduct an official weighing or we may meet you at a boat ramp or dock that is close to your location.
- If you are close to Blue Bay you may choose to bring the fish in and have us meet you at the boat ramp to measure and weigh it.
- To qualify for the contest, winning fish must be alive at the time of the official weighing. Anglers may keep their fish for personal use, but will be encouraged to release the fish. Keep the fish in a live well or large cooler changing and adding water until it is weighed. A mesh net hanging on the side of the boat also works.
- This contest ends at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday May 19th. No calls accepted after that time for weighing in of large lake trout. There will be no Large Fish Contest the last day (May 20th) of the event.
- Lake trout must be over 36 inches and over 24 pounds to be accepted for entry in the large lake trout category. Anglers do not receive a drawing ticket for lake trout over 36".
Mack Days reserves the right to: photograph event entries, reproduce any photos for publicity purposes, and retain all photo rights.
Questions:
Barry Hansen 406-883-2888 Ex. 7282
Cindy Bras-Benson 406-883-2888 Ex. 7294 or 406-270-3386
email: webmaster
Blue Bay (during the event)-406-982-3142
Click here for Rules of Disqualification
Sanctioned by CSKT and MFWP
CINDY'S RECOMMENDED LINKS
Learn: How to Identify a Bull Trout • About Invasive Aquatic Species • About the Biology of Lake Trout
Flathead Lake Fishing Tips • Keep Your Hooks Sharp • Learn about Mysis Shrimp • Fishing Knots
And be sure to visit these pages: Entry Form • Lake Trout Recipes • Fishing Tips • Fishing Quotes
Take a kid fishing, you'll have more fun!
Good Luck!