2022 Spring Mack Days first week results
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LAKE COUNTY — 2022 Spring Mack Days began on Thursday, March 17 with a total of 669 lake trout turned in. Friday’s fish total was 1,077, Saturday’s total was 888, and 528 fish were turned in on a cold and blustery Sunday. The first weekend’s total, including Thursday, comes to 3,162 lake trout entries. 92 anglers out of 430 entered turned in one or more lake trout.
The 40th Mack Days Event is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Mack Days began in 2002 and are used as a tool to reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake to increase numbers of the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat. We read every day about native species in the world struggling to survive. The same struggles are happening in our water’s, the decline of the native species when introduced species like the lake trout are added into a system. Flathead Lake was historically a bull trout and westslope trout fishery. Now those fish populations are a small portion of where they once were. It is important to help increase the populations now for future generations.
There is up to $225,000 in cash and prizes that will be awarded at the conclusion of 2022 Spring Mack Days. There are many ways to win, including weekend drawings.
This first weekend $200 was won by angler Sam Cusker of Bigfork. The $100 winners were Bob Turner, Kolton Turner, Hank McLeod, and Jason Mahlen, all of Kalispell. There will be lottery drawings at the end of the event with prizes from $50 to $2,000, drawn from the entries all anglers have. All it takes is one entry to win.
Possible prizes for tagged lake trout include one $10,000 prize, three $5,000 prizes, five $1,000 prizes plus one $1,000 sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine of Missoula.
Winning $200 with tagged lake trout so far are Missoula anglers Scott Bombard and Chris Demmons, Kalispell anglers Jimmy Jones and Jason Mahlen, Kobe Cox from Charlo, and Justin Spring of Alberton. Jim Bilodeau of Kalispell turned in a $100 tagged lake trout.
All the prizes that are available are listed on the website www.mackdays.com. Click on the events tab at the top of the page and go to the rules page. The prizes help anglers with the expenses of coming out to be involved in the event. All anglers who enter eleven or more lake trout begin to accumulate bonus dollars as well, the chart for which is also listed on the rules page. Amounts increase for every 25 fish an angler enters.
Seven-time Spring Mack Days winner Jason Mahlen of Kalispell turned in two perfect 100 fish days Friday and Saturday, and another 40 fish entries on Sunday, to lead in the event with a total of 240.
Kolton Turner of Kalispell, who won the 2021 Spring Event, is in second with 210 entries. Kolton turned in 70 on Friday, 65 on Saturday, and 75 on Sunday. He had a 100 fish day on Thursday, but Monday through Thursday’s count does not get included in the weekend tallies for top anglers.
Bob Turner is in third with 178 fish. Fourth is Mike Benson of Lonepine with 160 fish. Fifth is Sam Cusker with 125 fish. Sixth is Larry Karper of Florence with 107 fish. Seventh is Larry Ludahl of Kalispell with 83 fish. Eighth is Travis Banyai of Kalispell with 74 fish. Ninth is Tom Kemppainen of Columbia Falls with 66 fish. Tenth is Steven Benson of Spokane Valley, WA with 64 lake trout entries.
Julie Perkins of Kalispell leads the Ladies with 12 lake trout entries. Second is Connie Jones of Kalispell with 9 fish. Third and fourth are Rebecca Spring of Alberton and Liev Smith of Charlo with two fish, and Angela Tennison of Kalispell with one lake trout entry.
Ages 12 and under leaders are Wyatt Best of Florence with five entries, and Gage Spring of Alberton with one lake trout entry.
The leader of ages 13 through 17 is Matt Guckenberg Jr. of Kalispell with 12 fish. Second is Karson Cox of Charlo with three lake trout entries.
The over 70 category leader is Mike Benson with 160 lake trout entries. Second is Larry Karper with 107 fish. Third is Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 60 fish. Fourth is Jack Kirkland of Missoula with 45 fish. Florence angler John Gauci is fifth with 28 lake trout.
A large lake trout entry was brought in by Tristin Persico of Missoula. Tristan’s lake trout measured 38.25 inches and weighed in at 23 pounds. The smallest lake trout entries so far are from Kolton Turner with a 169mm (6.5”) entry, and Mike Benson with a 208mm (8”) entry.
Entries will be taken until the last day. Come out and enjoy Flathead Lake angling. Y\For more information, visit www.mackdays.com or call Cindy Benson at 406- 270-3386.
