2010 Spring Mack Days week eight update

2010 Spring Mack Days week eight update

Anglers continue to bring success to Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. A total of 24,337 lake trout have been turned in during the event. Friday totals were 1,362 with eleven anglers: Shawn Madsen, of Polson, Danny Smith and Ryan Reed, of Hot Springs, Stephen Naethe, of Pablo, Dan Long, of Columbia Falls, Wes and Justin Shockley, of Plains, Chuck Forgey, of Plains, Roger Dilts, of Polson, Tyson Atkinson, of Charlo, and Steven Benson, of Columbia Falls, turning in 50 fish limits. Saturday's total was 1,317 with six 50 fish limits: Naethe, Benson, Smith, Reed, David McDaniels, of Polson, and Shockley. A windy Sunday brought the total down to 825 lake trout turned in with a high of 40 lake trout turned in by Craig Morigeau, of Polson. Several anglers would have reached their 50 fish limit if wind had not forced them off the lake in mid afternoon.

Youth angler Stephen Naethe reached a new high of 1,031 lake trout entries and hoped to limit on Sunday to bring his 15 day average to a perfect 50. The winds put a hold on that for another day and he will continue to best his average next weekend perhaps reaching that coveted 50 on Friday.

Leading after Stephens 1,031fish is: Benson with 899, Michael Benson, of Lonepine, with 737, David McDaniels, of Polson, with 706, Charles Forgey, of Arlee, with 668, Jerry Benson, of Plains, with 553, Craig Morigeau, of Polson, with 537, Roger Smart, of Ronan, with 495, Danny Smith, of Hot Springs, with 460, Tyson Atkinson, of Charlo, with 454, Jason Furhmann, of Charlo, with 435, Dan Long, of Columbia Falls, with 418, Sid Bitney, of Kalispell, with 409, Bob Turner, of Columbia Falls, with 405, Ryan Reed, of Hot Springs, with 402. The top ten angler prizes worth from $750-$200 are determined by the best 15 day totals the anglers have. As they accumulate more than 15 days the lower number days are dropped from their average. Bonus points continue to climb until the last day of the event-lottery tickets are also limited to the best 15 days.

Tagged fish worth $100 were turned in by Scot Bombard, of Missoula, Roger Smart/Craig Morigeau, Debbie O'Hara, of St. Ignatius, Blaine Cox, of Charlo, Brandon Guilleard, of Charlo, Tim Folck, of Polson, Darwin Zempel, of Ravalli, and Randy Hovet, of Charlo. There are still over 2,000 tagged lake trout with values from $100-$5,000.

Ladies are lead by Nicole Peters, of Missoula, with 228, Laurie Randall, of St. Ignatius, with 137,Debbie O'Hara, of St. Ignatius, with 135,Deana Knipe, of Polson, with 85, Teena Zempel, of Ravalli, with 73, Charlotte Benson, of Plains, with 72, Michelle Zempel, of Polson, with 55, Terry Biere, of Butte, with 52, Amber Wock-Sturgis, of Missoula, with 51, and Julie Duncan, of Polson, with 33.

Youth leaders leading after Stephen are Brady Weible, of Charlo, with 111, Connor Kowalski, of Florence, with 53, Terry Biere, of Butte, with 52, Keegan Noyd, of Missoula, with nine, Eric Sams, of Polson, with nine, Jake Shaffer, of Somers, with eight. The 12 and under group are lead by Garett Vaughan, of Charlo, with 145, Tanner Murry, of Columbia Falls, with 102, Daniel Hunt, of St. Ignatius, with 74, Kobe Cox, of Charlo, with 67 and Roger Guillory, of Kalispell, with 64.

Mack Days are used as a tool by fisheries managers to slowly reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and increase the numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout as called for in the Flathead Lake Co-Management Plan.

The event continues on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until May 23rd with the last day awards and fish fry for participants and families beginning at 4 p.m. at Blue Bay. Entries are taken until the last day. All it takes is one fish to win in the lottery style drawing!! Go to www.mackdays for information about the event or call 406-883-2888 ex. 7294.

-Courtesy of Cynthia Bras