Missoula angler Ashwell leads Mack Days
Larry Ashwell of Missoula continues to lead the 2022 Fall Mack Days, besting anglers on Flathead Lake with a total of 509 lake trout entries. His biggest day of fishing was the first day with 93 lake trout. His third weekend totals were 59 on Friday, 35 on Saturday and 48 on Sunday, Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Ashwell also leads the Over 70 crowd with 509 entries.
Felix Gauci of Stevensville boasted a huge catch on Friday with a perfect 100-day total by late afternoon. His Saturday entries were 58 and he added 82 on Sunday. Gauci has a total of 482 lake trout entries for second place; he also sits in second among Over 70 anglers.
Mike Benson of Lonepine is in third place with 390 entries; Scott Bombard of Missoula holds fourth with 321 entries; and Terry Krogstad of Kalispell is in fifth place with 313 entries.
Women anglers are reeling in lake trout too. Julie Perkins of Kalispell is in first place in the Ladies Category with 242 entries; Laurie Kreis of Huson holds second with 150 entries; Kim Mack of Helena is third with 91 entries; Janet Myers of Riverton, Wyo., holds fourth with 43 entries; and Debby Sacci of Thompson Falls sits in fifth place with 28.
Among young fishermen, Marcus Lucas of Polson still tops the 13-17 group and William Grob of Missoula leads the 12 and Under group with six.
Weekend drawing winners are Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls for $200, and Jack Kirkland of Lolo, Mark McMillin of Missoula, Marty Herak of Polson, and Paul Groves of Wyoming, Ill., who each claimed $100.
Mark McMillin turned in a 155mm (6.2”) fish to take the lead in the Smallest Lake Trout category. Sam Cusker, whose 158mm laker earned him second place, noted that his catch made up for a “not so good day” for entries on Saturday.
The first Buckets Day was Friday, and Jens Gran of Polson and took the lead with 30.45 pounds, followed by Rick Skates of Polson with 29.1 pounds. Tagged lake trout were reeled in by Kim Mack of Helena ($200), Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls ($100), and Terry Krogstad of Kalispell ($100 times two).
According to Stephanie Gillin, who oversees the Information and Education Program for the Tribes, “the $10,000 tagged lake trout ‘Bella’ is still out there and she could be on your line.”
Up to $200,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the nine-week fishing event on Flathead Lake, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. The fishing derby serves as a tool to reduce the non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.
“We remind everyone you don’t have to have a lot of entries to be in winner,” Gillin says. “One fish is all it takes.”
Every lake trout entry gives anglers a chance to win in the lottery drawings at the end of the event, which begin at $100 and go up to $2,000. Bonus dollar amounts go up as the angler’s totals go up.
Gilling expects the weather to hold “at least for the next week” and encourages anglers to “come out and participate to help increase the native fish populations in Flathead Lake.”
For more information, visit www.mackdays.com or call 406-675-2700 ext. 7294 or 406- 270-3386. The website offers rules, fishing tips with videos, along with fish ID, a map, and weather and safety information.