A Call to Boycott the Mack Days Slaughter!!

[sra61]

Maybe I'm the only one out there that thinks the fishing on Flathead has gone downhill to the point that I don't even fish it anymore? I don't understand the popularity of this contrived event. How can you guys out there contribute to the destruction of what I thought was the best fishery in NW Montana, all just for a chance at a few bucks waved in front of your nose? What a laugh the CSKT must get from all of this. White man's greed destroying their own resource. You gotta hand it to them, it would be pretty funny if it wasn't so much of a loss for me personally. I won't have anything to do with it, and I'd like to call on every guy out there who used to love to fish the "big Lake", to speak out in support of what's left of a great fishery. Granted the fish are the lowly Lake Trout, non-native. I get it.
JUST SAY NO!!!

[MatCat]

I don't know much about the Mack days, do usual limits apply or is it as many fish as you can catch and bring in?

[MTHank]

I don't know much about the Mack days, do usual limits apply or is it as many fish as you can catch and bring in?

With 100 lake trout limit? Why would they/should they modify? And what are you going to do with 100 "a day?"

[MatCat]

Sorry didn't realize that the limit on flathead was 100.

[Jim F]

A year ago, I too thought the fish numbers where down. They are not. The fish moved.
If you cant find lakers, you aint trying hard enough. The fish have also gotten "smarter",
in the sense that what used to work well, doesnt, and stuff you never thought would work is doing well.
I had the same thought, that  the fish where going. Now I dont think so.

Now, that said, I do think they are STOOPID for what they are trying to do.
They screwed up with the shrimp and wrecked the salmon fishery.
My opinion is, That pooch is screwed, get over it and manage the lake for a major fishery.
Saving the precious wimpy ass bull trout and cutthroat is a waste of money, Its never gonna happen.
Develop what is working and get on with it. We have a tremendous lake trout fishery, what not milk it for all its
worth economically.
Oh yeah, that's right - the Dept of Fish & Shrimp wouldn't have anything to do ifit worked that way  , silly me

The other, and biggest, bio mass in Flathead Lake is Superior Whitefish. How comes no one gripes about them?

[PyroZuki]

...If you cant find lakers, you aint trying hard enough. The fish have also gotten "smarter"...


...The other, and biggest, bio mass in Flathead Lake is Superior Whitefish. How comes no one gripes about them? ...

*Edit* This ^


Pyro

[Fishawn]

You may not like it, and I respect a different opinion, but would you rather have FWP do "their thing" or allow sport fisherman to take care of the their problem? I personally like the approach of allowing sport fisherman to pull down the lake trout population than having FWP gill net, posion, or do something more dramatic to trim the population. Money is just insentive to get people on the lake, it not a slaughter if you realize the magnitude of the population.

I personally fish Mack Days to have fun, I've never entered a fish, but I respect the ingenuity to allow sport fisherman to help out. If you don't respect that effort than you aren't truely a fisherman.

Just my opinion on the matter.

[Jim F]

*Edit* This ^


Pyro

Huh?

[A Able]

Guys...it is NOT FWP that wants to kill all the lake trout...They were forced to go along for 10 years with a co-management plan that is TOTALLY being driven by the CSKT.  Politica all along.

Montana FWP 2 weeks ago pulled out of ALL management of Flathead beyond their normal invlolvement.

I am not going to go into it at length here, you can find a LOT of info by searching "gill netting Flathead Lake...

FWP's (at least region one that KNOWS the lake) position is that bull trout have stabilized...lake trout numbers have stabilized, or even declined slightly, so there is no need for more drastic reduction of lake trout.

The CSKT now are the sole sponsors of Mack Days, and any gill netting proposals no longer have any FWP involvement...the only FWP official that EVER supported a gill netting proposal was Joe Maurier...head of FWP and I have a letter with his signature on it to prove it...

[Neptune]

I feel like its just time to leave well enough alone and let the lake "balance" itself out...

Personally I tend to fish the north end of Flathead.  I use to catch lots of Macks in Sommers Bay, McGovern Bay(Kalispell Bay) and on the Delta.  As of late, the few times I've fished Flathead in the last three years I have caught more Bull trout than I have Lakers.  The lake is obviously changing and in my opinion for the better.  I'd much rather battle a Bull than drag in a Mack...

I don't participate in the Mack Days tourney anymore, more out of disappointment in its management than anything.

Last few times on the lake I've been targeting Pike and caught Bulls!

[eyewinder]

I always enjoy messages that include references to "true fishermen/sportsmen/etc." (i.e.:  "you aren't truely a fisherman").  I'm feeling really warm & fuzzy now that those words have been communicated from God's lips to my ears via a forum member.   

[Lundin-loading]

Whatcha talking about there eye?

[eyewinder]

Yep, BE34 is on the money. . .I'm not trying to stir anything up; it's just that the "true fisherman" reference never fails to raise my hackles. . .

[Lundin-loading]

Fair enough, no worries eye. I think I just disregard all posts ending in "just my opinion/2¢".