Fall Mack Days week 6 results
Encanto photo
Frozen lake trout
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
New from CSKT
FLATHEAD LAKE — One hundred twenty-one lake trout anglers, out of three hundred twenty-nine registered, have turned in a total of 12,889 lake trout entries in the 2023 Fall Mack Days event. Friday’s catch was 555, Saturday there were 463 turned in, and on Sunday 364 were turned in. It was one of those rock and roll fishing days with many anglers coming in early. Total for the weekend was 1,382. The Monday to Thursday fishing total was 2,957. There are three weeks left in the event. All you need is one fish to be entered in the lottery drawings that begin at $2,000.
This annual event is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. There is up to $200,000 in cash and prizes possible that will be awarded to these lake trout anglers on Nov. 12, the last day of the event. Come out and help in this management effort to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout species. Entries will continue to be taken until the last day of the event and there is no entry fee.
The $10,000 tagged lake trout is still in Flathead Lake and hasn’t been enticed to the end of anyone’s line yet. There are also three $5,000 and six $1,000 tagged fish, including one $1,000 tagged fish sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine. There are as well over 9,000 additional tagged fish, with values from $100-$500. During past events, three of the $10,000 tagged lake trout in different events were caught and it is time for another. It could be you! Terry Krogstad of Kalispell landed his in the 2021 Fall Event, Matt Guckenberg of Kalispell in spring of 2020, and Felix Gauci of Stevensville in the 2014 Fall Event.
Turning in $100 tagged lake trout the sixth week were: Cole Williams of Kalispell, Larry Karper of Florence, and Mike Benson of Lonepine.
David Myers of Riverton, Wyoming regained the first-place position in the Top Twenty Angler Category on Sunday with his total of 962 lake trout entries. His entries on Friday were 38, on Saturday 32, and on Sunday 53. Including the Monday to Thursday fishing days, he has fished all 39 days of the event in this fall’s event with a total fish count for all days totaling 1,784. Monday to Thursday fishing totals are not included in the placing of the Top Twenty anglers, but the total fish count is used for the bonus amounts at the conclusion of the event. Some anglers choose not to fish during the week and some fish just a few days.
Felix Gauci of Stevensville is in second place with 953 total and 22 for Friday, 60 for Saturday, and 21 for Sunday and his Monday to Sunday total was 1,142.
In third place is Michael Benson of Lonepine, with 796 total and 53 for Friday, 48 for Saturday, and 36 for Sunday and his Monday-Sunday total was 1,082.
In fourth place is Bob Stewart of Kalispell with a total of 722 and 31 for Friday, 24 for Saturday, and 48 for Sunday and his Monday-Sunday total was 1,213.
In fifth place is Jerry Benson of Plains with 563 total and 17 for Friday, 12for Saturday, and 25 for Sunday and his Monday-Sunday total was 794.
In sixth place is Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 539 total and in 7th place is Jack Kirkland of Lolo with 488. In eighth place is Larry Karper of Florence with 440 and in ninth place is Richard Kreis of Huson with 383. In tenth place is Scott Bombard of Missoula with 349 and in eleventh place is Terry Krogstad of Kalispell with a total of 326. In twelfth place is Laurie Kreis of Huson with a total of 250 and in thirteenth place is Steve Mack of Helena with a total of 221. In fourteenth place is Claude Kaber of Whitefish with a total of 205 and in fifteenth place is Sam Sacchi of Thompson Falls with a total of 193. In sixteenth place is Jim Flinchbaugh of Kalispell with a total of 177 and in seventeenth place is Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls with a total of 133. In eighteenth place is Mike Cosby of Thompson Falls with a total of 132 and in nineteenth place is Paul Grove of Wyoming, Illinois, with a total of 116. In a tie for twentieth place is Julie Perkins and Bryan Long, both of Kalispell, with totals of 111 each. Check out the stats and other information online at: www.mackdays.com.
Laurie Kreis of Huson is first place in the Ladies Category with 221 fish and in second place is Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls with 133 fish. In third place is Julie Perkins-Kalispell with 111 fish and in fourth place is Kim Mack of Helena with 67 fish and in fifth place is Pamela Simonich of Missoula with 14 fish.
Paisley and Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls each have 18 fish in the 12 & Under Category. Zander Oliver of Missoula is at 5 fish, and Bear Yarrow, Holden Griffin, Ace Whimper of Clinton, Wesley Balavage-Fishtail, Mason Cusker-Bigfork, and Dawson Peterson of Columbia Falls all have one fish.
Lucia Savoia of Missoula has a total of 11 fish in the 13-17 Category.
Felix Gauci leads the 70 and Over category with 953. In second place is Michael Benson with 796 fish and in third place is Larry Ashwell with 539 fish. In fourth place is Jack Kirkland with 488 fish and in fifth place is Larry Karper with 440 fish.
Larry Karper turned in a small 149mm (6”) lake trout that is a contender in the Smallest Lake Trout Category. Paul Grove’s 141mm laker is the other contender.
There has not been a large lake trout entry. The largest Lake Trout has to be 36” or over and at least 20 pounds. Anglers have had some large lakers on but they are tough to land. Seeing one come up from the depths is exciting to see and disappointing when it jerks off the line as you bring it in to the boat.
Trolling and casting seem to be the most popular method of fishing at this time. Some anglers are jigging and getting good numbers of the smaller lake trout.
Unexpectedly hooking onto a lure or line in the water is a surprise or a hassle sometimes, but you may gain a lure for the tackle box if they are still in good shape. Jim Schreiber of Bigfork brought one up that he recognized as a lure he might have lost months ago. Sure enough he had painted on it with his wife’s nail polish and the polish was still on it. The lure went back into the tackle box along with a couple others he found. Ladies, if you have been missing polish you may want to check out the tackle box.
Weather is expected to turn colder soon. We remind everyone to keep informed of changing weather conditions, have the proper safety equipment on board, wear your PFD’s, and keep cell phones dry and charged.
Remember you can enter at any time during the event. Come out and try your luck-maybe one of the high-dollar tagged fish will be on the end of your line at the end of the day. Go to: www.mackdays.com for information, or contact Cindy Benson at 406-270-3386, email entries to cindy.benson@cskt.org.
Good luck and tight lines.
