2012 Fall Mack Days Update – Week 5
By angelamontana

Posted: October 22, 2012

Here is the 2012 Fall Mack Days Fishing Tournament update from Cynthia Bras:

Blustery fall weather caught up to Flathead Lake anglers during the 5th weekend of the 2012 Fall Fishing Event.  Friday winds were rolling the waves and rocking the boats all across the lake.  Howling wind on Saturday kept most anglers off the water with wind advisories from 40-50 MPH predicted all day.  Total entries during the weekend were 533-Friday, 147-Saturday, and 686-Sunday bringing the total for the event up to 6,974.  The totals for the weekends are 1,302-1st, 1,461-2nd, 1,494-3rd, 1,351-4th, and 1,366 for the 5th weekend.

Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.  The fishing events are used as a tool to slowly reduce numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.

Up to $125,000 in Cash and Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event on November 11th.  Fish on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until November 2nd and then it is 10 straight days of fishing until the end of the event.  The last day is a separate day with separate awards.  Top ten angler awards are based on the 15 highest days the angler has during the event.  Top angler tickets are limited to their best 15 days.  All it takes is one ticket to win in the lottery style drawing that begins at $1,000 and goes to $100.  Prizes are given for several different categories including weekend, captains, etc.  Go to www.mackdays.com or telephone 406-883-2888 ex. 7294 for more information.  There are tagged fish with values from $10,000-1, $5,000-5, $1,000-10 and over 4,000 from $100-$500.  The pit tags are not visible.  The adipose fin on the tagged lake trout has been clipped.  Information is used from the tagged fish such as growth, movement, and population estimates. The lake trout are scanned when they are brought in to be entered and anglers anxiously await the results of the scan and then the results of the award associated with that number.

Max Martz-Corvallis continues to hold on to the lead with a total of 574.  Max caught 53-Friday and 71-Sunday. Seventy one is the highest daily catch of the event so far.  Mike Benson-Lonepine-24-Friday and 67-Sunday and Scott Bombard-Missoula-44-Friday and 52-Sunday are tied for second and third with 531 each.  Craig Morigeau-Polson comes in fourth with 362-Friday 39 and Sunday 55.  Fifth place is held by Phil Meredith-Kalispell with 336-Friday-32, Saturday-21, and Sunday-24-Don Beville-Lakeside-6th-255, Chad Cottet-Polson-7th-244, Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-8th -239, Nick Fister-Kalispell-9th-233, and Tyson Cottet-Charlo-10th with 222.

Sharon Beville-Lakeside is leader of the ladies category with 44, Julie Vacca-Stevensville is second with 42, Deana Knipe-Polson is third with 35, 4th-Kim McMillie-Ronan-34, and Jeanee Mooney-Missoula-5th with 31.

Youth 13-17 is led by Eric Sams-Polson-36 and the 12 and Under category leader is Mark Herzog-Missoula with 6.

Tagged fish worth $100 were turned in by Bill Swany/Tony Incashola-St. Ignatius, Jeff Mountgomery-Hamilton, Keith Wock-Polson, Tom King-Waddell, Arizona, Debbie Martz-Stevensvillle, Debbie Martz-Corvallis, Scott Bombard-Missoula, Ben Knipe-Polson, Leonard Lewis-Plains, Craig Morigeau-Polson, Terry Krogstad-Kalispell, and Max Martz-Corvallis.  Two hundred dollar tagged fish were turned in by Ben Knipe and Terry Krogstad.

There is still no large lake trout entry in this event-several Fall Events have had no large lake trout entry.  Smallest lake trout entries are held by Tyson Cottet -179mm(7”) and Mike Benson with a lake trout entry of 164mm(6 ½”).

Anglers report the bite is improving as the weather cools and the fish are coming into the shallower waters.  Shore anglers were also having better luck over the past weekend.

Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event. There are currently 504 anglers entered in the Fall Event.  Entry forms with the rules are available at area sporting goods stores or enter online from the website.

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