Mack Days update - Week 6

2014 Spring Mack Days anglers have completed their sixth weekend of lake trout fishing with a total of 15,075 lake trout entries being turned in by 199 of the 760 registered lake trout anglers.

There are still three full weekends and 10 straight fishing days that end on May 18 left to fish. The best day of the event so far was on Saturday with 1,719 lake trout entered. Friday was one of the worst windy days with 166 entries and Easter Sunday there were 710 lake trout entries. Registration is free and entry forms continue to be taken until the last day of the event. Enter online at www.mackdays.com on the events tab or pickup registration forms at area sporting good vendors. You can also telephone 406-883-2888 ex. 7294.

One fish is all it takes to get entered in the lottery drawing for cash and prizes that start at $1,000. Mack Days fishing events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a management tool to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. The events are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Native bull trout and westslope cutthroat — the native fish in Flathead Lake — are important to the history of the tribes and the state of Montana and are the purpose for the events being used to reduce lake trout numbers.

Fourteen-year-old Danner Shima, of Kalispell, turned in a second large fish entry in the 2014 Spring Mack Days Fishing Event on Saturday April 19. It surpassed the weight of his first entry weighing in at 25.5 pounds and measuring 40.5 inches. Danner was fishing with his dad, Ryan, brother, Austin, and grandfather, Mike, when he hooked onto the large fish. Everyone was catching fish at the time — the lines were busy — and gave him a hard time about having to bring lines up just to go and get another fish weight taken. It was all in fun and everyone was guessing the weight of the large lake thinking it was larger than the first large fish entry Danner had entered the previous week. Mike and Austin caught some nice fish later in the day but they didn’t measure or weigh enough to pass Danner’s. Winner of the large fish category receives a $500 prize. Smallest lake entries are still held by a 191mm (7.5 inch) entry from Chris Demmons, of Missoula, and second place is a fish that measures 201mm (8 inches) entered by Bob Stewart, of Kalispell. Winners of the two smallest lake trout entries each receive $250.

Jason Mahlen, of Kalispell, widens his lead with 928 entries. Following Jason is Scott Bombard (Missoula) with 737, third is Mike Benson (Lonepine) 706, fourth is Kevin Burns (Kalispell) 604, fifth is Steven Benson (Four Lakes, Wash.) with 557, sixth is Terry Krogstad (Kalispell) 554, seventh is Jerry Benson (Plains) 516, eighth is Ryan Shima (Kalispell) 488, ninth is Robert Turner (Kalispell) 434 and 10th Danny Smith (Hot Springs) 432.

Danner Shima is leading the 13-17-year-old category with 358, second is Garett Vaughan (Charlo) 226, third is Roger Guillory (Kalispell) 189, fourth is Kobe Cox (Charlo) 139, fifth is Keaton Turner (Kalispell) 82. Matthew Guckenberg, Jr., of Kalispell, is leading in the 12 & under category with 89 followed by Abby Hodgson of Kalispell with 47.

Ladies category leader is Julie Vacca of Florence with 76, second is Abby Hodgson (Kalispell) 47, third is Leanne Guillory (Kalispell) 27, fourth is Kim McMillie (Ronan) 21 and Mellissa Gilleard (Charlo) 15.

Larry Karper, of Florence, has a large lead in the 70-and-over group with 303 followed by Conn Hodgson, of Kalispell, wih 183, Roger Smart, of Ronan, with 80 is third, Jens Gran, of Polson, is 4th with 24, Glenn Hoffman, of Missoula, is fifth with 13.

A $500 tagged fish was turned in by Matt Guckenberg of Kalispell. Turning in $100 tagged fish were Larry Karper, Mike Benson, Doug Hodgson, Scott Bombard and Leanne Guillory. Every angler would like to find the $10,000 tagged lake trout, one of the two $5,000 tagged lake trout, or one of the five $1,000 tagged fish. Those fish plus over 5,000 valued at $100-$500 are still out there.

Family, fun, and fishing-come out and join in. Fishing tips, maps, boat safety, weather, etc. can be found on the website along with lake trout fishing videos on trolling, jigging, and fishing from shore.