Mack Days week three results announced
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News from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
The third weekend of 2017 Fall Mack Days was a rock and roll weekend for the lake trout anglers on Flathead Lake. The boats were high in the air in some cases on Friday-Sunday with wind gusts blowing off and on all weekend. Winds brought on huge waves on Saturday keeping many boats out of the water. Seasoned anglers know what they themselves can handle and what their boat can handle. A few of the larger boats ventured out during slight lulls in the high wave action Saturday riding out hail, snow, rain, wind, and rough water. Total catch for Friday was 436; Saturday was 98; and Sunday totaled 488 lake trout entries. The weekend total is at 4,578 with the Tuesday-Thursday total at 1,032, bringing the number to 5,610 lake trout entered in the event so far. There are three hundred seventy-four anglers registered in the event.
Up to $150,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event, which is used as a management tool to reduce non-native lake trout on Flathead Lake. Native bull trout (threatened species) and cutthroat trout are species of “special concern” under the Endangered Species Act. Preserving the native fish is important to Montana and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for future generations. There are several ways to win prizes in the event. Go to: www.mackdays.com for more information.
The $10,000 tagged fish, three-$5,000, and five-$1,000 along with over 6,000 with values from $500-$100 are out there in the lake. Terry Krogstad had good fortune in the tagged fish category over the weekend. On Friday he turned in two $100 tagged fish, during the rough and wavy Saturday he was lucky enough to turn in a $200 tagged fish, and on Sunday his luck held out with two more $100 tagged lake trout - nice reward at the end of a long, hard weekend of fishing. The tagged lake trout are released all over the lake. There is no special area for them. It is pure luck and good fishing skills to catch and bring them in. Other $100 tags were turned in by Tim Mooney of Missoula, Laurie Kreis of Huson X 2, and Randy Hovet of Charlo had a $200 tagged fish. Fishing from shore Hovet had two entries with one of them being tagged.
Mike Benson of Lonepine is in the lead with nine days of weekend fishing over out of the eight weekend long event. Friday-Sunday Benson turned in 66, 44, and 80 entries bringing his total to 597. Second place Terry Krogstad of Kalispell had 28, 17, and 39 for a 433 total. Felix Gauci of Stevensville is in third place with 17 and 45 for a 406 total and in fourth place Sam Cusker of Whitefish had a total of 226. In fifth place Larry Karper of Florence had 218, in sixth place Larry Ashwell of Missoula had 207, in seventh place Scott Bombard of Missoula had 173, in eighth place Richard Kreis of Huson had 159, in ninth place Bob Christensen of Missoula had 106, and in 10th place Bob Hereford of Missoula had 106.
The ladies were out over the rough stormy weekend getting their lines in the water with Laurie Kreis of Huson in the lead with 101, Bobbi Hereford of Missoula has 50, Julie Woolley of Madesto, California, in third place with 35, in fourth place Gina Schiff of Whitefish has 29, and in fifth place Brandy Hilde of Whitefish with 17.
Larry Karper took back the lead in the popular 70 and over category turning in 37 entries on Friday and 26 on Sunday for 218. Larry Ashwell is in second place turning in 10 Friday and 20 on Sunday for 207, and in third place Bob Christensen has 106. Fourth place Dan Olsen of Helena has 32, and fifth place Jim Hoover of Whitefish has 21.
The first of the three days of the Bucket of Fish Competition on Friday (lake trout under 30”) was won with a full and over-flowing bucket of four lake trout totaling 34.15 pounds turned in by Richard and Laurie Kreis with $200 and 10 points. In second place was Terry Krogstad with 19.9 pounds for 8 points, third place Monte McPhearson of Silverdale, Washington, with 19.85 pounds for 6 points, fourth place Ken Lowe of Polson and Randy Hovet of Charlo with a 18.2 pound bucket for 4 points and Marty Herek of Polson was in fifth place with 18.2 pounds. The next bucket day is Saturday, Oct. 21, and the third day is Sunday, Nov. 5, the heaviest bucket each day wins $200. The highest total points at the end of the three days wins $250, second place wins $150, and third place wins $100.
Jim Flinchbaugh of Kalispell and Bob Christensen of Missoula were winners of the weekend drawing.
Tyler Varga is the leader in the 13-17-year-old category with 55 entries and Abby Hodgson of Kalispell is in second place with 5 entries.
There is still no entry in the largest lake trout category. The largest lake trout has to be 36 inches or more and weigh at least 24 pounds to qualify.
Mack Days continues until Nov. 12 and entries are taken at any time. There is no entry fee. Catch one lake trout to get a ticket in the lottery style drawing. Fish one day, two days, or every day; the choice is yours. Come out and join the fun on Flathead Lake. If you have questions or comments call 406-270-3386 or check out the website at: www.mackdays.com under the events tab for rules, entry, etc.
