Familiar names vying for Spring Mack Days lead

Montana’s spring weather has finally made it. Anglers were relieved to have some calmer sunny days for fishing on Flathead Lake during the sixth weekend of 2022 Spring Mack Days. All three days of the weekend fishing were warmer and the water was more settled.

There’s a neck-and-neck race of experienced anglers vying for the overall event lead. The top two anglers have each been in first place before and each have won the event. Current leader Kolton Turner won in 2021, with Jason Mahlen in second. Kolton was second in 2019 and third in 2020. Jason, currently in second, is a seven-time first place winner in Spring Mack Days Events. He has also been in second place twice and has finished fourth.

There are three weeks left in the event, which ends May 15. Entries will be taken until the last day and there is no entry fee.

A total of 14,671 lake trout entries have been received so far this spring. Friday’s total was 786 entries. There were 769 entries Saturday and 726 Sunday.

“The Captain,” a tagged fish worth $10,000, is still out there somewhere in Flathead Lake. Any lake trout angler would like to have him on their line. There also are three tagged fish worth $5,000 and five worth $1,000, plus a $1,000 tagged fish sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine. There are also more than 9,000 fish with values from $100 to $500. Catching $200 tagged lake trout the past week were Jake North of Denton and Scott Bombard of Missoula.

The last of three Bucket Day contests will be held Sunday, May 1. Anglers put their four largest lake trout under 30 inches in a bucket, and the heaviest bucket wins a $200 award.

Leaderboard

Overall: Kolton Turner of Kalispell, 975 entries; Jason Mahlen of Kalispell, 970; Bob Turner of Kalispell, 773; Steven Benson of Spokane Valley, Wash., 509 entries; Clint Speer of Kalispell, 461; Jerry Benson of Plains, 442 entries; Sam Cusker of Bigfork, 425; Mike Benson of Lonepine, 408; Travis Banyai of Kalispell, 362.

Ladies: Julie Perkins of Kalispell, 164 entries; Connie Jones of Kalispell, 69; Rebecca Spring of Alberton, 18; Ia Thao of Missoula, 11; Amanda Hoback of Arlee, five.

70 and over: Larry Karper of Florence, 426 entries; Mike Benson of Lonepine, 408; Larry Ashwell of Missoula, 334; Jack Kirkland of Missoula, 248; John Gauci of Florence, 44.

Age 13-17: Brodie Smith of Kalispell, 37 entries; Matt Guckenberg Jr. of Kalispell, 12; Karson Cox of Charlo, six; Michael Palmer of Kalispell, two.

12 and Under: Wyatt Best of Florence, six entries; Gage Spring of Alberton, four. Tripp Bick of Arlee, Martin Phan of Kalispell, and Allydia Yang and Ava Yang of Missoula all have two entries.

Smallest lake trout: Sam Cusker (5 inches); Bob Turner (6.25 inches).

Largest lake trout: Jade Smith (41 inches, 25.25 pounds). The award for the largest lake trout is $500 and is sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine of Missoula.

There are a lot of ways to win in the event. Visit www.mackdays.com for more information. Entries continue to be taken until the last day of the event. Every fish counts and is entered in the lottery drawings. You can fish as many times as you like, Monday through Sunday.

The 40th Mack Days Event is sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Mack Days began in 2002 and are used as a tool to reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake to increase numbers of the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat. Flathead Lake was historically a bull trout and westslope trout fishery. Now those fish populations are a small portion of where they once were.