2012 Fall Mack Days Final Report
By angelamontana

Posted: November 12, 2012

We just received the final update from the 2012 Fall Mack Days fishing tournament at Flathead Lake!  See below:

2012 Fall Mack Days ended after a grueling last week of the events twenty eight days.  Frigid windy winter weather set in the last six days of the fall fishing event.  Ice freezing on the boats and equipment was a concern that all anglers had to deal with.  The few that continued the last few days were out in some of the coldest days on the water during any of the Mack Days Events.

Top ten anglers at the end of the event were:  Max Martz-Stevensville-1st with 1,111 lake trout entries and a 59.2 fifteen day average-$700.  Second place went to Mike Benson of Lonepine with 981 and 50.6-$650, 3rd-Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-699 and 46.6-$600, 4th-Scott Bombard-Missoula-959 and 46.4-$550, 5th-Craig Morigeau-Polson-622 and 33.9-$500, 6th-Don Beville-Lakeside-490 and 32.6-$450, 7th & 8th-Phil Meredith-Kalispell-645 and 32.4 and Steven Benson-Four Lakes, Wa.- 531 and 32.4-$325, 9th-Tim Mooney-Missoula-452 and 27.6-$250, and 10th-Nick Fister-Kalispell-488 and 25.3-$200.

Top lady angler went to Jeanee Mooney-Missoula with 167-$300, 2nd-Julie Vacca-Florence-100-$200, 3rd-Deana Knipe-Polson-72-$100, 4th-Kim McMillie-Ronan-71-$100, and 5th-Susanne Albrecht-Polson-63-$100.

Eric Sams-Polson won the 13 & over category with 36, Brett Hereford-Missoula 2nd with 23, Cody Asbury 3rd with 5 and Tom McDonald-Niarada  and Wyatt Jensen-Polson with 3 each.  Garett Vaughan-Charlo-won the 12 & under with 62, 2nd-Mark Herzog-Missoula-20, Christhten Huges –Missoula came in 3rd with 16.

Glen Hoffman-Missoula won the $200 Golden Angler Award and Mel Clendenin of Polson won 2nd and $100.

Two anglers were recognized with Spirit of the Event Awards.  Custom made fillet knives were given to Scott Bombard and Mike Benson for their support and dedication to the events.

Bryan Gregerson-Kalispell-with nineteen entries in the lottery drawing was a lucky winner of $1,000.  Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-$1,000 -was also a top draw. Jeanee Mooney-lady angler from Missoula-won $950.  Other winners of $950 were Richard Kreis-Huson and Steven Benson.  Tyson Cottet-Charlo-was a $900 winner along with Max Martz-Missoula angler.  There were fifty lottery drawings that went down to $200 with several different anglers winning prizes.

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

One hundred eleven anglers split $13,000 in tagged fish awards during the event.  There were no high dollar tags caught.  Top award for a tagged fish was $500.

 

Smallest lake trout awards of $250 went to Mike Benson-158mm lake trout and his brother Steve Benson for a 159mm lake trout.

No large lake trout over 36” and 24 lbs. was turned in during the Fall Event which has happened several times before.

Bucket of Fish winners were Meredith and Fister-Kalispell with a combined weight of 60#’s-$500, 2nd Tim and Jeanee Mooney with a combined weight of 40#9ozs-$400, 3rd place-Richard and Laurie Kreis-Huson-39#-$300.  Daily winner of $200 were: Roger Schiff and Kirby Adams-19#15ozs, Phil Meredith and Nick Fister-23#7ozs, Ted Peterson and Paul Gyles-25#4ozs.

Mack Day Events are made successful by the dedicated hard working lake trout anglers who participate.  We would like to thank each and every one of them.  We continually work on improving the events and would like any comments or suggestions sent to us.

The website www.mackdays.com will have the complete prize list and anglers totals.

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