Spring Mack Days: Totals rise with temperature
As the temperatures are rising so does the 2023 Spring Mack Days lake trout fishing total. Of the 591 registered anglers, 196 have turned in a whooping total of 28,176 lake trout entries with two weeks left in the event.
Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks as a conservation effort to reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.
The event offers $225,000 in cash and prizes that will be awarded May 13. Entries continue to be taken until the last day. Check out the different categories and prizes on the rules page under the events tab on the website at www.mackdays.com.
“Howdy” the $10,000 elusive tagged lake trout is still eluding anglers; also difficult to catch are three worth $5,000, six worth $1,000, and over 9,000 tagged lake trout with values from $100-$500. So far, 19 tagged lake trout have been turned in with values from $100 to $500.
A total of 4,245 lake trout were entered over the weekend: 1,473 on Friday, 1,627 on Saturday, and 1,145 on Sunday. Anglers are reporting that the bite is on in the delta area on the north end of the lake. Many boats with good fish numbers are coming in from that area, although good numbers have been tallied from the south area also.
Kolton Turner of Kalispell, who has grown up fishing Mack Days, is leading the pack with 1,836 entries including 100 Friday, 71 Saturday and 73 Sunday. He has 11 100-fish days and an 18-day average of 93.5.
Second place in numbers is Bob Turner of Kalispell with 1,500 entries and five 100-fish days, followed by Jason Mahlen of Kalispell with 1,388 total and eight 100-fish days. Top 10 anglers are placed by their best 18-day average on the last day.
Leah Banyai of Lakeside, who also has grown up fishing the event, is leading the Ladies category with 298 entries. Second is Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 176, and third is Connie Jones of Kalispell with 85.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell has reeled in 230 and sits in first place in the 13-17 age group. Wyatt Best of Florence is first in the 12 & Under with 14.
The 70 & Over category leaders are Mike Benson with 951, Terry Krogstad with 699, and Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 535.
Jack Kirkland won $200 during the weekend prize drawings, after commenting “Hey, draw my name in the drawing will ya.” His win surprised the staff as well as him. Other prize winners were Larry Ashwell, Travis Banyai, Ken Varga of Kalispell, and Scott Hale of Lolo, who each earned $100.
The last day of the Heaviest Bucket of Fish is Sunday, May 7. Anglers put their four heaviest lake trout under 30 inches in a bucket and weight it; the winner receives $200.
The competition part of the event continues until Friday, May 12, when lottery prizes and placings end. Saturday, May 13, is a separate day with different prizes that don’t count towards the anglers’ totals and bonus amounts. All fish are to be turned in by 3 p.m. and angler awards will be announced.