Kasper takes first in 7th week of fishing event
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FLATHEAD LAKE – Lake trout anglers have two weekends left in the spring Mack Days fishing event on Flathead Lake. It is not too late to become involved and win some of the $225,000 in cash and prizes, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Come out and help in the effort to reduce the numbers of the non-native lake trout in the lake and increase the populations of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout.
A total of 22,534 lake trout entries have been turned in by 216 hard-working anglers. The Friday to Sunday total was 20,561. The Monday to Thursday total was 1,973. Friday’s total came to 1,039; Saturday 696; and Sunday was 742.
The $10,000 tagged lake trout is still waiting for some lucky angler. Three $5,000 and five $1,000 tagged lake trout are in the lake, plus over 9,000 with values from $500 to $100.
Hank McLeod, of Kalispell, turned in a $500 tagged fish, and Julie Perkins, of Kalispell, turned in a $200 lake trout.
Due to COVID-19, there will not be a fish fry or awards ceremony on the last day of the event. Drawings will be done electronically after the event ends. There is a total of $30,000 in the lottery drawings. The drawings begin at $50 and go to $1,000.
There will be 67 drawings for cash prizes. It only takes one fish entry to be a winner. Go to www.mackdays.com and click on the events tab to check out the many ways you can qualify to win.
The third and final day of the heaviest bucket of fish contest was Sunday. Rick Skates, of Big Arm, turned in a winning weight of 27.35 pounds for his bucket of four lake trout. Terry Krogstad and Julie Perkins were second with a weight of 24.2 pounds. Shore anglers Kathleen Bell, of St. Ignatius, and Julie Duncan, of Polson, were third with 23.75 pounds in their bucket. Overall winners of the three-bucket days were Krogstad and Perkins with 20 points. Second and third places were tied with 10 points. Second place, with a total weight of 48.4 pounds for three buckets, goes to Travis Banyai and Hank McLeod, of Kalispell. Third place went to Bob Turner and Kolton Turner, of Kalispell, with a weight of 35.95 pounds for two buckets.
Weekend winners of $100 were Marty Herak, of Polson; Jason Mahlen, of Kalispell; Ken Varga, of Kalispell; Andy Reed, of Kalispell; and Bob Turner.
Perkins leads the ladies with 252, Connie Jones, of Kalispell, is second with 60, and Nicole Peters, of Missoula, is third.
Kolton Turner is leading in the top-10 angler category with 1,477 and an 18-day average of 80.5. Second goes to Jason Mahlen with 1,435 and 77.94. Third is Bob Turner with 1,175 and 64.33 pounds.
Larry Karper is first in the golden oldies category, even though he ended the weekend fishing with just one rod. Fishing rods can vanish without a sound, and many anglers know the feeling when that happens. Karper could not believe it when he turned to one of his poles and it had disappeared. The only place it could have gone was in the water. Maybe it will end up on his line next weekend. His total fish count was 641. Jack Kirkland, of Missoula, is second with 523. Larry Ashwell, of Missoula, is third with 361.
Kalispell angler Matt Guckenberg Jr. is first in the 13-17 category with 269. Second place goes to Josey McIlhargey Jr., of Kalispell, with 36. Third place goes Abby Hodgson, of Kalispell, with 26.
Brodie Smith leads the 12 and under category with 207. Second and third place goes to Tripp Bick, of Arlee, and Henry Phan, of Missoula, with five.
Come out and enjoy the beauty of Flathead Lake. Help to restore a balance to the native fishery of the lake. We remind everyone to be safe, have a plan and let someone know when you will return and be weather wise. Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event and there is no entry fee. For more information please visit www.mackdays.com.
