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Fall Mack Days Final

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News from Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Four hundred sixty-nine anglers registered for the 2016 Fall Mack Days fishing event sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on Flathead Lake with up to $150,000 in cash and prizes.

One hundred seventy-eight anglers turned in a total of 17,527 lake trout entries in 45 days of fishing. The 2016 fall event ranked third highest in numbers entered for a fall event since it began in 2002. The highest total, 19,525, was turned in in 2015 and the second highest, 18,357, was in 2011.

Kalispell angler Terry Krogstad was Top Angler of the event with a total of 1,341 entries and a 15-day average of 72.9, setting a new average high record. The old record was an average of 68.2, set by the same three time fall event winner when he won the 2013 fall event with 956 entries. He also won 2015 Fall Event with a 65.07 average and 1,251 entries.

Mike Benson of Lonepine is in second place with a 65.6 average and 1,292 entries. Benson was the former winner in the 2014 Fall Event with a 45.8 average and 1,037 entries. His previous best average was in 2010, winning with a 48.7 average and 915 entries.

Felix Gauci of Stevensville is in third place with 777 and 44.8. Larry Karper of Florence is fourth with 648 and 39.0. Sam Cusker of Whitefish is fifth with 597 and 35.6. Sixth place goes to Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 533 and 32.9. Scott Bombard of Missoula is in seventh place with 607 and 32.8. Eight place goes to Bob Stewart of Kalispell with 454 and 28.3. Richard Kreis of Huson is in ninth place with 510 and 27.8, and tenth place is a tie between Danny Smith, 388 and 20.07, and Greg Karlson, 386 and 20.07. Laurie Kries of Huson turned in 190 entries to win the Ladies Category. Brandy Hilde of Whitefish is second with 142. Third place goes to Jeanee Mooney of Missoula with 127. Gina Schiff of Whitefish is fourth with 82, and Deb Amdahl of Kalispell is fifth with 53. Tyler Varga of Kalispell won the 13-17 age category with 53. Danner Shima of Kalispell is second with 12. Third place goes to Carson McDaniel of Polson, nine. Justin Line of Missoula takes fourth with eight, and Ayden Tripp of Missoula is fifth with with one.

Winning the 12 and under category was Dawson Adley of Pablo with 10. Second goes to Matt Kreis of Huson, eight. Hayden Hall of Missoula is in third place with three.

Golden Angler Larry Karper with 648 entries placed in the top ten, which disqualified him from winning a cash award in the 70 and over category. Winning first was angler Bob Christensen of Missoula with 240, and second goes to Glenn Hoffman of Missoula with 175. Bear Malatare of Arlee took a third place drawing, and Gail Parsons of Kalispell won a fourth place drawing.

David Kanniainen of Lolo won one of the two smallest fish prizes with a 153mm lake trout, and Randy Collins of Kalispell won with a 163mm ‘laker’.

Spirit of the Event winners of custom made knives by Bob Crowder of Thompson Falls went to Randy Hovet of Charlo and Bobbi Hereford of Missoula.

Powell Rods sponsored special rods for the overall numbers of lake trout caught by a male and female angler Tuesday through Sunday. Winning those rods were Mike Benson with 2,111 and Laurie Kries with 190.

Top winners in the lottery drawings were John Malatare of Arlee, Larry Ashwell, Felix Gauci, George Thompson of Missoula, Jeanee Mooney, and Sam Cusker. For a full list of the twenty seven cash winners, go to www. mackdays.com.

A total of 93 tagged fish were turned in during the event with values from $100-$500. The 2016 top value fish will be revalued for the 2017 Spring Event and new high dollar tagged fish will be tagged before that event begins on March 17, 2017. Mack Days Spring 2017 will end May 14, 2017.

Mack Days is successful due to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of every angler who fishes the event. They are out on the lake every day on the sunny nice days, rainy days, and windy rough water days. They are who bring in the numbers of fish with hours and hours of fishing on Flathead Lake as their workplace. Thank you to all of them for the event’s success that is sponsored by CSKT to reduce the non-native lake

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