Spring Mack Days heads into eighth week
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Spring Mack Days, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, is moving into the eighth week of the nine-week event. Kalispell angler Jason Mahlen held onto first place through the seventh weekend of Spring Mack Days with weekend totals of 71, 93, and 82 bringing his entries to 1,229 and his best eighteen day average to 67.2. There are still two weeks to go in the event-six week days (Tues-Thurs) and six weekend days-Fri-Sun. Mahlen has 71 entries over the 1,158 lake trout entries of Ryan Shima of Kalispell. Ryan turned in 66, 63, and 59 over the weekend and has an average of 62.3 Top ten anglers are placed by their best eighteen day average. Both of these hard working anglers along with many others are putting in 12-14 hour days fishing for high numbers of fish. Kalispell youth angler Danner Shima is in third place with 1,001 lake trout entries and an average of 55.1. Steven Benson of Four Lakes, Washington is in 4th with 746-40.7, 5th-Felix Gauci of Stevensville with 712-39.5, 6th-Scott Bombard of Missoula with 708-38.8, 7th-Mike Shima of Polson with 689-no average yet, 8th-Mike Benson of Lonepine-653, 9th-Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-637 and 34.1, and 10th-Bob Turner of Kalispell-620. There is up to $225,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the tribes that will be awarded to the anglers on May 17, the last day of the event. Entry is free and will continue to be taken until the last day of the event.
Anglers turned in 4,196 lake trout entries over the seventh weekend bringing the total for the weekend part of the event to 22,817. Total for Tuesday through Thursday is 4,921. That brings the total for seven weeks to 27,738 lake trout entries. The 2012 event was the largest so far since the beginning of Mack Days. In that event at the end of seven weeks the total for Friday-Sunday was 21,963, but that event ran for 10 weekends with 10 straight days at the end (34 days) with a final total of 38,085. This event may come close to breaking that record.
Youth anglers are the future of the events. Every one of the youth anglers love to be out there fishing for lake trout just like their parents. Some even out fish their parents.
Youth angler Matthew Guckenberg Jr. of Kalispell is in first in the 12 and under group with 159 entries. Youth lady angler Abby Hodgson of Kalispell is in second place with 105, Aaron Lang of Kalispell is third with 33, Tripp Bick, Arlee, is in fourth with 23, and Teagan Bates of Columbia Falls is fifth with 15 entries. Danner Shima has a total of 1,001 for the lead in the 13-17 age group. Kobe Cox of Charlo is second with 215, Garret Vaughan of Charlo is third with 111, Christopher Shae of Kalispell is fourth with 110, and Jade Smith of Charlo is fifth with 100.
Lady angler Julie Vacca of Florence has 206 lake trout entries and is leading that category followed by Debbie Pike of Polson with 176, Nicole Peters of Missoula is third with 147, Leanne Guillory of Kalispell is fourth with 144, and Jane Ramey of Florence with 107 is fifth. The ladies put in their time out there. They are great anglers.
Larry Karper of the Florence has 557 entries and is first in the 70 and over group. He is followed by Jim Hoover of Whitefish with 201, Conn Hodgson-Kalispell-114, Ralph Johnson-Columbia Falls-95, Thomas Shonholtzer-Helena-58, and Rodney Cluphf of Missoula with 55. These gentlemen are troopers and never quit trying or fishing.
A $500 tagged fish was caught by Conn Hodgson of Kalispell on Saturday and Don Peters of Missoula turned in a $200 tagged fish on Sunday. There are still one $10,000, three $5,000, five $1,000 and more than 5,000 with values from $100-$500. One hundred dollar tagged fish were turned in by Shawn Ogden of Polson X2, Kyle Hovey, Brian Hodgson, Scott Mahlen, Bob Stewart, Bob Turner, Chris Steen, Danner Shima, Ryan Shima of Kalispell, Chad Cottet, Bernd Albrecht, and Krista Kruse of Polson, Steve Benson of Washington, Greg Karlson-Hot Springs, Howard Wall-Cut Bank, and Mike Benson-Lonepine.
Deana Knipe of Polson has a 192mm small lake trout entry and Felix Gauci has a 190mm entry (7.5 inches). Mike Shima almost had a largest fish entry on Sunday. Largest fish has to weigh in at 24 pounds. Mike had one that weighed in at 23.1 pounds. That category ends on Saturday, May 16. Last of the heaviest bucket day of fish is coming up on Sunday, May 10. Four of an angler’s heaviest fish are weighed in a bucket. Heaviest bucket weight wins $200. Overall winners for the three days will be totaled. Tied for first with 10 points each is Dave Hobart/Tripp Bick of Arlee and Randy Hovet/Rick Castor of Charlo.
The event will end on May 17 with the awards and fish fry for anglers, families, and friends at the Blue Bay Campground.
Go to www.mackdays.com for more information or telephone (406) 883-2888, ext. 7294.
