Mack Days on pace to break record

This year’s Mack Days tournament is on pace to beat the previous record of 34,350 fish caught in the spring 2010 competition. In the fourth week of this year’s competition, 233 anglers have turned in 12,143 fish. At this point in 2010, 315 anglers had turned in 11,845.

Currently leading in numbers is Mike Benson of Lonepine with 478, followed by Don Beville of Lakeside with 413. Steven Benson of Four Lakes, Wash. is in third with 394, fourth is Craig Morigeau of Polson with 381, and fifth is Scott Bombard of Missoula with 370. Jason Mahlen of Kalispell is in sixth with 349, seventh is Danny Smith of Hot Springs with 324.

There is a tie for eighth place between David McDaniel of Polson and Chuck Forgey of Arlee with 321, and tenth is Jerry Benson of Plains with 300.

The top ten anglers are placed by their best 18-day average at the end of the event. Anglers are also limited in tickets by their best 18 days, but the bonus amounts continue to go up according to numbers of entries.

Craig Morigeau had the high number on April 6 with 72 entries. He was followed by Mike Benson with 69 and Don Beville with 64. On April 7 it was Morigeau again with a high of 53 followed by Beville with 40 and Tyson Atkinson of Charlo with 38.

April 8 was a beautiful day, but several boats reported 4-foot rollers out on the water. Steve Benson turned in the high of 35 followed by Mike Benson with 33 and Jason North of Stevensville with 30.

Ladies are lead by Susan Martin of Polson with 96, followed by Tracy Powers of Missoula with 79. Terry Biere of Butte is in third with 37, Kathryn Cox of Rollins is fourth with 36, and Deana Knipe of Polson is fifth with 36.

Connor Kowalski of Florence continues to lead the 13-17 group with 148, followed by Tanner Murry of Columbia Falls with 102. Brady Wieble of Charlo is third with 24, fourth is Kobe Cox of Charlo with 23, and Roger Guillory of Kalispell is fifth with 19.

The 12-and-under category is lead by Garett Vaughan of Charlo with 88, followed by Dylan Hodgson of Kalispell with 21. Autumn Powers of Missoula is third with 18. Tied for fourth place are Carson McDaniel of Polson, Kailey Schrader, and Adam Schrader of Kalispell.

Tagged lake trout were turned in by Steve Thompson of Columbia Falls and Roger Dilts of Polson for $200. Mike Benson and Keith Wock of Polson, Travis Banyai of Lakeside, and Jason North of Stevensville all turned in $100 tagged fish.

Participants need to keep their fish on ice if they are going to donate them to the food banks. Fish can’t be accepted for donation if they are not on ice. The use of a live-well does not keep the temperature low enough on its own, ice needs to be added to it.

Entries are taken until the last day of the event. There is no charge to enter this event.

Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The fishing events are used to slowly reduce numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.

Up to $150,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to anglers at the end of the event.

Prizes are awarded in a lottery style drawing, so all it takes is one ticket to win one of the 50 cash prizes from $100 to $1,000.

There are over 4,000 tagged fish with values up to $10,000.

Ladies, youth, over-70, Captains Prizes, and Top Ten Angler prizes are just some of the categories. Anglers also receive bonus amounts depending on the total number of lake trout entries over 20 that they have.

For more information go to www.mackdays.com or call 883-2888 ex.7294.