Anglers bring in 18,475 lake trout by Spring Mack Days week 7
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News from the Confederation Salish and Kootenai Tribes
FLATHEAD LAKE — Mack Days anglers have completed the seventh weekend of the 34- day Spring Fishing Event. A total of 18,475 lake trout have been entered by 215 anglers, compared to 17,890 in the first seven weeks of Spring 2013. The record year, 2012, saw 21,963 fish by week seven.
The total for Friday, April 25 was 1,542; Saturday’s rainy weather didn’t hamper anglers with 965 entries, and Sunday’s weather was predicted to be windy with 30 mph gusts, but anglers reported the water remained pretty calm with 883 lake trout entered. The weekend total to 3,390 with 778 anglers registered for Mack Days.
Jason Mahlen turned in a small fish entry of 193mm, just over 7.5 inches to be placed in second in that category. Chris Demmons of Missoula is leading with a 191-7.5 lake trout entry. Largest lake trout entry is Danner Shima’s 40.5-inch, 25.5 laker.
Anglers who caught $100-tagged fish include Matt Guckenberg x 2, Mark Lang, Kevin Burns, Conn Hodgson, Doug Hodgson x 2, Terry Krogstad, Robert Turner-Kalispell, Danny Smith-Hot Springs x 2, Walter Wells and Justin Colston of Salmon, Idaho, and Chad Cottet-Polson. Connie Jones of Kalispell had a $200 tagged fish in her catch of lake trout. There is one $10,000 tagged lake trout, two $5,000, five $1,000 and more than 5,000 with values from $100 to $500 that are still out there in Flathead Lake.
Entry is free and continues to stay open until the last day of the event.
2014 Spring Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a fisheries management tool to reduce non-native lake trout numbers in Flathead Lake. Fisheries research done on the lake and river system indicate that the increase in the lake trout numbers in Flathead Lake is main reason the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat numbers have declined over the years. Reducing the lake trout numbers is one of the actions that the Flathead Lake Co-Management Plan set. Restoring a balance to the fishery will help the longterm viability of the reduced numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout that are now in the system. It is important that all anglers know how to properly ID bull trout from lake trout. The smaller fish are harder to ID and you have to look closely at them — if you are in doubt, put it back in the lake. Go to www.mackdays.com for information, pictures, fishing tips, bull trout ID or telephone (406) 883-2888, ext. 7294.
Results:
Jason Mahlen, Kalispell –1,058 lake trout; 58.2, 18-day average
Mike Benson, Lonepine – 844; 45.5 average
Scott Bombard, Missoula – 810; 42.7
Kevin Burns, Kalispell – 712; 38.1
Steven Benson, Four Lakes, Wash. – 654; 34.1
Ryan Shima – 638; no 18 day average yet
Terry Krogstad, Kalispell – 616; no average
Jerry Benson, Plains – 612; 31.9
Danny Smith, Hot Springs – 590; 32.4
Robert Turner, Kalispell – 584; 34.2
Top anglers are placed by their best 18 days out of 33. The last day is a separate day. Top anglers are also limited in tickets after reaching 18 days. They have to bet their lowest day to receive tickets. Lowest days are dropped once they are used.
13-17 age group
Danner Shima, Kalispell – 502 (also 11th in adult category, and could be a contender for the top-10)
Garett Vaughan, Charlo – 283
Roger Guillory, Kalispell – 212
Kobe Cox, Charlo – 185
Austin Shima – 126
12 and under
Matt Guckenberg, Kalispell – 150
Abby Hodgson, Kalispell – 57
Aaron Lang, Kalispell – 29.
Women
Julie Vacca, Florence leading – 92
Abby Hodgson, Kalispell – 57
Connie Jones, Kalispell – N/A
70 and over
Larry Karper, Florence – 335
Conn Hodgson, Kalispell – 226
Roger Smart, Ronan – 80
Jens Gran, Polson – 33
Ralph Johnson, Columbia Falls – 18
