Mack Day's continues record-breaking pace in sixth week

Spring Mack Days anglers continue a record breaking pace on Flathead Lake. A total of 19,051 lake trout have been entered during the event’s first eighteen days. The total after eighteen days in the 2010 Spring Event, which has the highest event total, was 17,327.

Friday’s windy day total was the lowest for the weekend with 765. Saturday made up for it with a daily event record of 1,889 entries. Sunday was another great day with 1,257 lake trout turned in bringing the weekend total to 3,911.

So far, 890 anglers are registered in the event.

Kalispell angler Matt Guckenberg has turned in 119 lake trout so far. Guckenberg seems to have the right touch or technique for catching tagged lake trout and he is having some very good luck. His total so far is three for $500.

Still eluding the anglers are the tagged fish with values from $1,000-$10,000 even though there were 33 tagged fish turned in the sixth weekend.

The higher valued tagged lake trout were tagged and released throughout the lake the week before the event began. Information about the tagged fish turned in can be seen on the website at www.mackdays.com.

Turning in a $500 tag was Russ Hadley of Kalispell. Vickie Castor of Polson turned in a lake trout for $200.

Don Beville of Lakeside turned in three $100 tagged fish. Brian Long of Columbia Falls, Brandt Hammernick of Missoula and Craig Morigeau of Polson each turned in two $100 tagged fish.

Other anglers who turned in $100 tagged fish were Steve Benson of Four Lakes, Wash., Danny Smith of Hot Springs, Marty Noyd of Missoula, Dean Vaughan of Charlo, Kathleen Bell of Polson, Garett Beville of Lakeside, Brando Limpo, Willie Murry of Columbia Falls, Travis Banyai of Lakeside, Conn Hodgson of Kalispell, Larry Ashwell of Missoula, Nicole Peters of Missoula, Felix Gauci of Stevensville, Darren Borgen of Columbia Falls, Joe Schrader of Kalispell, Darwin Zempel of Ravalli, Paul Lebert of Kalispell, Josh Angert of Florence, Roger Dilts of Polson, and Don Peters of Missoula.

Don Beville of Lakeside took the lead with 706 fish, followed by Mike Benson of Lonepine with 675, and Craig Morigeau of Polson in third with 595.

Steven Benson of Four Lakes, Wash. is fourth with 558, Danny Smith of Hot Springs is fifth with 557 and a daily high for the weekend of 88. Scott Bombard of Missoula is sixth with 530, Jason Mahlen-Kalispell is seventh with 517, Jerry Benson of Plains is eighth with 486, David McDaniel of Polson is ninth with 441, and Larry Schmill of Missoula is 10th with 394.

Top ten anglers will be placed on their best 18-day average at the end of the event. That means they have to beat their lowest day total to gain on their average or to be able to add tickets to the drawing. Bonuses continue to go up as their total goes up.

Tracy Powers of Missoula has a total of 204 to lead the ladies. Susan Martin of Polson is second with 158 and Deana Knipe of Polson is third with 66. Nicole Peters of Missoula is fourth with 62, and Terry Biere of Butte is fifth with 37.

New leader in the youth 13-17 is Tanner Murry of Columbia Falls with 169, followed by Connor Kowalski of Florence with 148, and Garrett Beville of Lakeside is third with 98. Kobe Cox of Charlo is fourth with 58, Roger Guillory of Kalispell is fifth with 44.

Youth 12-and-under leader is Garett Vaughan of Charlo with 123, followed by Dylan Hodgson of Kalispell with 37, and Danner Shima of Kalispell is third with 34. Carson McDaniel of Polson is fourth with 23, and Autumn Powers of Missoula is fifth with18.

Lake trout entries can be donated to be processed and distributed to food banks throughout the area from Whitefish to Missoula.

Entries are taken until the last day of the event and there is no entry fee. Check the website for information or telephone 883-2888 ex. 7294.

Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a tool to slowly reduce the number of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.

Up to $150,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event on May 20.