2015 Fall Mack Days Update – Week 2
By angelamontana

Posted: October 5, 2015

The $10,000 tagged lake trout is still lurking in the deep water of Flathead Lake while every lake trout angler in the 2015 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event is hoping they are the one who will bring it up on the end of their fishing line. Along with the $10,000 tagged fish there are three $5,000, and five $1,000 plus over 6,000 with values from $100-$500. Twenty nine tagged fish have been turned in during the first nine days of the event with values from $100-$500.

Up to $150,000 in Cash and Prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be awarded to anglers of all ages during the event and on the last day during the awards ceremony. All it takes is one fish for an angler to be entered. Fall Mack Days ends November 15th. Anglers can fish Tuesday through Sunday until the last day. Lake trout spawn in the fall so they come in close to shore. Fall is a good time to fish from the shore as well as from a boat. Trollers are doing well trolling in sixty to eighty feet of water. Anglers who are jigging are having good luck in two hundred ten to one hundred and sixty feet of water. Windy weather hampered anglers on Saturday with gusts predicted to be 40mph and swirling winds over the lake. Sunday some of the winds were still causing rough water. Anglers turned in 791 lake trout on Friday, 142 on Saturday, and 560 on Sunday bringing the total to 3,888.

Mike Benson of Lonepine continues to lead the anglers with Terry Krogstad of Kalispell in second place moving closer over the weekend. Benson had another perfect day on Friday with one hundred, Saturday no fishing, and Sunday sixty four for a total of 457 entries. Krogstad was so close on Friday with ninety seven, six on a very rough and windy Saturday, and seventy seven on Sunday for a total of 380. Third place is held by Felix Gauci of Stevensville with 239, Bob Stewart of Kalispell is 4th with 195, Phil Meredith of Kalispell-5th with 193, John Gauci of Florence-6th 164, Larry Karper-Florence-7th with 130, Scott Bombard-Missoula 8th with 122, Richard Kreis-Huson 9th with 117, and GW Schneider of Kalispell 10th with 110.

Laurie Kreis leads the ladies after turning in forty five fish over Saturday and Sunday with a total of 82, Kim McMille of Ronan is second with 31, Julie Vacca of Florence is 3rd with 30, Gwen McRae of Polson is 4th with 14, and Nicole Garrett of Missoula is 5th with 13.

Ayden Tripp of Missoula has 9 to put him in first of the 13-17 category. Tyler Varga is second with 6, and Myles Tripp is third with 2. Ellyana Tripp is first in the 12 and under category with 19, Tyler Throop-Missoula is second with 2, Makenna Garrett of Missoula has 1, and Tripp Bick of Arlee-1.

Larry Karper of Florence is leading the 70 and Over group with 130, Jim Hoover-Kalispell is second with 83, Glenn Hoffman of Missoula-73, Richard Hembd of Columbia Falls 48, and Leonard Lewis of Missoula-43.

Larry Ashwell turned in the smallest lake trout entry so far with a 144mm fish-6 ¼ inches. Julie Vacca has a 194mm for second-7 ¾ inches. No large lake trout entry.

Winning the second weekend drawing for $300 was Larry Karper and $200 goes to Terry Krogstad. The first weekend of $300 and $200 were both won by Mike Benson. Anglers are limited to two of the weekend drawings so Benson does not qualify for other weekend drawings and Karper and Krogstad are limited to one more each. Weekend drawings are done using the anglers turned in tickets for each separate weekend. Two prizes per weekend are drawn for $300 and $200.

Friday October 9th is the first of three days for the Heaviest Bucket of Fish contest. Anglers put their four heaviest fish in a bucket and a weight is taken. Heaviest bucket of fish wins $200. Other bucket days are Saturday October 24th and Sunday November 8th.

Be safe, know what the weather predictions are,  and always have a plan for any emergency.

Go to www.mackdays.com to see the stats, rules, entry form, fish ID, etc. or telephone 406-270-3386 for more information. Mack Days are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

(Report via Cynthia Bras)

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