2023 Fall Mack Days continues with four weeks left in the nine-week long event which ends on November 12th. It is not too late to become involved. Up to $200,000 in Cash and Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of Fall Mack Days. There are several different ways to win. All you need to do to qualify for the lottery drawings that begin at $2,000 is enter one lake trout. Every fish entered gives anglers a chance to win a drawing or maybe have a tagged lake trout on the line. The events are used as a management tool to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat numbers.
Total count in the event is 11,099 with 2,549 of them being from the Monday to Thursday fishing. Fridays total was 541, Saturday 618, and Sunday 538 for a weekend total of 1,697. The 2022 total at this time was 10,374 and 2021 came to 9,291. One hundred two anglers out of three hundred eight entered have turned in one or more lake trout.
The $10,000 tagged lake trout Ghost is still silently gliding through the waters of Flathead Lake as the lake trout anglers are hoping to bring him up at the end of a line. He could be anywhere in Flathead Lake. There are also 3-$5,000, 6-$1,000 including one sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine and over 9,000 with values from $100-$500. Winners of $200 tagged lake trout over the fifth week were: Eric Peterson of Kalispell, Tim Mooney-Missoula, and Michael Benson-Lonepine and $100 tags were turned in by: Darrin Farrelly-Kalispell, Julie Perkins-Kalispell, Mike Khoudary-Stevensville, Jerry Benson-Plains, Cole Williams-Kalispell, and Michael Benson.
There is a new leader in the Top Twenty Category of the event. Felix Gauci of Stevensville is leading the Top Twenty anglers with 849 lake trout entries. His totals for the weekend were 37-Friday, 51-Saturday, and 54-Sunday. David Myers of Riverton, WY is in 2nd with 839-43, 51, & 33, 3rd Michael Benson 659-37, 28, & 24, 4th Bob Stewart of Kalispell 619-19, 34, & 25, 5th Jerry Benson of Plains 509-24, 26, & 34, 6th Jack Kirkland-Lolo 442, 7th Larry Ashwell-Missoula 429, 8th Larry Karper-Florence 376, 9th Scott Bombard-Missoula 319, 10th Richard Kreis-Huson 315, 11th Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-311, 12th Steve Mack-Helena 221, 13th Laurie Kreis-Huson-196, 14th Sam Sacchi-Thompson Falls 193, 15th Jim Flinchbaugh-Kalispell 142, 16th Debby Sacchi-Thompson Falls 133, 17th Claude Kaber-Kalispell 122, 18th Paul Grove-Wyoming, IL-116, 19th Monte McPherson-Silverdale, WA-104, 20th Julie Perkins-98.
Totals and placing can change fast. Anglers are limited to 100 lake trout per day and the top ten are placed by their best 18 day average at the conclusion of the event. Laurie Kries is leading the Ladies with 196, 2nd Debby Sacchi-133, 3rd Julie Perkins-98, 4th Kim Mack of Helena-67, and 5th Pamela Simonich of Missoula-14.
Paisley and Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls are 1st and 2nd in the 12 & Under with 14 each. Zander Oliver of Missoula has 5, and with 1 entry each is Bear Yarrow, Holden Griffin, Ace Whimper of Clinton, Wesley Balavage-Fishtail, Mason Cusker-Bigfork, and Dawson Peterson of Kalispell.
The second day of the Heaviest Bucket of Fish was won by Richard and Laurie Kreis with a bucket weight of 34.65 lbs., 2nd Rick Skates of Big Arm 28.0, 3rd Terry Krogstad and Julie Perkins with 22.6, 4th Monte McPherson 21.35, and 5th Sam Cusker of Bigfork 20.5 lbs. Third day of the Buckets will be Sunday November 7th.
There is still no Largest Lake Trout entry. Bretz RV and Marine of Missoula sponsors a $500 prize for the largest lake trout entry. The lake trout has to be over 36” and 20#’s. Anglers have reported having really large ones on the line but they just have not landed them in the boat.
The 5th Weekend Drawings were won by: Julie Perkins-$200 and with $100 drawings-Scott Bombard, Richard Kreis, Claude Kaber of Whitefish, and Jim Flinchbaugh of Kalispell.
Go to the website www.mackdays.com for more information on categories, fishing tips, results, etc. Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event and there is no entry fee, contact Cindy Benson at (406) 270-3386, email entries to cindy.benson@cskt.org.
Good luck and tight lines everyone!
—CSKT—
