Final fall Mack Days results reported
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FLATHEAD LAKE — The 2020 Fall Mack Days Fishing event ended Nov. 15 with a total of 14,821 lake trout entries turned in by 138 anglers.
The 10-week long event was the longest Mack Days event ever.
The 2020 fall total entries were not the best or the worst of any previous events. The 2015 fall event brought in 19,540 entries in eight weeks making it the highest total event. The 2014 fall event total of 12,888 was the lowest in eight weeks.
The weather, during the course of the event, went from extremely hot to cold, snowy and windy. The anglers endured the best and the worst.
The end of the event came just in time. Twelve inches of snow fell during the last week making it impossible to get up the boat ramp without some assistance. The snow disappeared when the warmer winds blew. Rough raging waters were the norm during most of the event.
Congratulations to every angler who competed. If you caught one fish or many, you helped to make a difference for future generations of anglers by helping to decrease the numbers of the non-native lake trout and increase the populations of native fish in Flathead Lake.
Anglers in the top-10 category placed with their best 18-day average. If an angler places in the top-10 category, they give up their placing in all other categories.
Mike Benson, of Lonepine, completed his 13th event by winning the top angler place with a total of 1,036 lake trout entries and an 18-day average of 49.06. Sam Cusker, of Bigfork, came in second with 712 entries and a 39.56 average. Third place went to Larry Ashwell, of Missoula, with 642 entries and a 32.61 average.
Laurie Kreis, of Huson, took the lead in the women’s category with a total of 350 entries. Second place went to Gina Schiff, of Whitefish, with 89 entries. Third place was Kimberly Mack, of Helena, with 66 entries.
Jack Kirkland, of Missoula, won the 70-and-over category with 298 entries. Second place went to Marty Herak, of Polson, with 128 entries. Third place went to Mike Cosby, of Thompson Falls, with 75 entries.
Youth angler winners included Tripp Bick, of Arlee, with first place in the 12-and-under category for 13 entries. Kaden Blowers, of Missoula, took second with six entries. Gage Spring Alberton placed third with four entries. Jeff Devlin, of Polson, won the 13-17 age category with 14 entries. Second place went to Makenna Garrett, of Missoula, with eight entries. Third place went to Kadin Kammerer, of Missoula, with seven entries.
Weekend winners were David McDaniel, Richard Kreis and Sam Cusker. The $10,000 lake trout eluded anglers and is still out there. No angler turned in any of the tagged fish with $1,000 values or more. Gilbert R. Michel, of Charlo, and Bill Swaney, of New Town, North Dakota, turned in $100 tagged lake trout, and Mike Benson turned in a $200 trout.
Kolton Turner, of Kalispell, was first draw in the lottery drawing followed by Terry Krogstad. Krogstad also drew the second draw. Anglers are limited to two draws in the lottery drawing and in the cash merchandise drawings. Visit the website www.mackdays.com for a list of the winners.
Thank you to the very hardworking anglers who make Mack Days the success it is. You are unrelenting anglers who love to fish and are successful at bringing in lake trout. It takes time and hard work to become a successful angler on Flat-head Lake.
In 2006, Mike Benson started fishing the event. His nickname became “one fish” because that was all he could catch. He finally decided either he was going to figure it out or he was done. It took time and perseverance but he figured out what worked for him. There are tips on the website for everyone if they are shore anglers, trollers or like to jig. The Mack Days staff encourages anglers to write their own story and learn what works best for them and to remember that they may have to change it up when the fish tell them to. The same thing may not work all of the time.
The 2021 Spring Mack Days will begin March 19 and end May 16.
