Great Montana Mac Attack - Mark Ward

Hockett has winning ways in the Great Montana Mack Attack
By Hookemharry

Posted: August 4, 2009

Tiger Woods, the golfer, doesn’t have anything on Cameron Hockett, the angler, when it comes to being a repeat winner. Hockett ended up in a familiar position as the 11th annual Great Montana Mac Attack concluded last Sunday on Flathead Lake.

Hockett caught the largest lake trout for the third time in the event’s history. Based out of Lakeside, Hockett fishes quite few days each year and he has a knack for catching big lakers when it counts most.

This year’s big lake trout was caught a half-hour after the tournament started Saturday. “I was pulling in one of my lines when I looked over and saw my steel line rod had a fish on it,” Hockett said. “When I picked up the rod I knew it was a big one.”

The big mack was 41.5 inches long and weighed an even 29 pounds. It held up for the rest of the two-day tournament to win the $1,000 prize for the largest fish over 36 inches.

Hockett was fishing on the bottom in 163 feet of water by the river delta on the north end of the lake.

Chuck Pisk caught the largest lake trout 29 inches-and-under at 9.50 pounds.

In the whitefish category, only a handfull of fish were turned in.

Jim Vashro, Montana Fish Wildlife Parks Region One fisheries manager, says he thinks it will be a tough whitefish year. “The perch that the whitefish normally key in on didn’t have a great spawn this spring so there are not very many perch so the whitefish are scattered around the lake,” Vashro said. Fritz Siefke caught the largest whitefish at 3.77 pounds.

Another high note came when Dennis O’Conner bought a large Rapala lure that was auctioned for the Hooked on Fishing program in Kalispell. O’Conner paid $475 to help the kids.

Log onto www.montanaoutdoor.com to view the large lake trout being caught on Flathead.

Boat captain Dean Rhyneer’s 18-year-old son Zane caught the winning fish at the Camp Mak-A-Dream Walleye Benefit at Canyon Ferry last weekend. The 31-inch fish edged Great Falls’ Eric Haumschild’s 30.5-incher for the top prize.

All entry fees for the Walleyes Forever and Montana PikeMasters’ event go to the camp at Gold Creek for youths and young adults with cancer.

The crew for the Montana Outdoor Radio Show continues on the tourney trail as Harry Ward and I will head to Fort Peck Reservoir for the Fall Walleye Classic this weekend. You can hear the show Saturday from 6-8 a.m. as we talk to local anglers and find out how the good the fishing is on Fort Peck.

In other outdoor news, the Missoula Trap and Skeet Club will hold its “Clay Target Sports for Women” class beginning this Saturday August 8th. The course is open to women 14 years of age or older. This four-session course is designed for the beginner and novice shotgunner, as well as experienced hunters who want to improve their skills. Call Steve Sautter to register or for more information at 543-7432 or e-mail guncoach@gmail.com.

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