Sam Cusker, Mike Benson, Kolton Turner, and Bob Turner-2021 Spring Mack Days
The 2021 Spring Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake concluded with a total of 27,547 lake trout entries. Nine weeks of lake trout fishing with a total of eight hundred anglers entered. Two hundred twenty-eight anglers turned in one or more lake trout entries and qualified for the prize drawings.
Annual Mack Days Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. There was Up to $225,000 in Cash and Prizes available during the 2021 Spring Mack Days event, that the anglers were competing for. The lake trout became very tight lipped by the end of the last weekend. The total for the last weekend was 1,597 with Friday’s count at 732, Saturday count at 563, and Sunday’s count at 302 lake trout entries. Anglers reported seeing fish on their fish finders but they weren’t looking to bite just any lure!
After nine weeks of lake trout fishing Kalispell angler Kolton Turner was the Top Angler with a total of 1,856 lake trout and he had an eighteen-day average of 87.67. Second place went to Jason Mahlen of Kalispell with 1,701 and 83.11 average, 3rd Bob Turner-Kalispell-1,447-70.67, 4th Sam Cusker of Bigfork-780-42.67, 5th Mike Benson of Lonepine-902-41.83, 6th Steve Benson-Spokane Valley-848-41.22, 7th Larry Karper-Florence-767-39.5, 8th Ken Varga-Kalispell-753-38.3, 9th Travis Banyai-Kalispell-710-37.06, 10th Scott Bombard-Missoula-730-35.72. The 11th to 20th places go to Tyler Varga-Kalispell-11th with 723, 12th and 13th Jack Kirkland of Missoula-557-29.39 and Matt Guckenberg Sr. Kalispell-564-29.39, 14th Felix Gauci of Stevensville-528, 15th Sou Thao of Florence 437, 16th Hank McLeod-Kalispell-434, 17th Jerry Benson-Plains-438, 18th Terry Krogstad-Kalispell-427, 19th Larry Ashwell-Missoula-416, and 20th Clint Speer-Kalispell-411.
Kolton Turner winner of 2021 Spring Mack Days turning in his entries as Bob Turner looks on
Julie Perkins of Kalispell won the Ladies Category with 302 lake trout entries, Connie Jones of Kalispell 2nd with 74, Nicole Peters of Missoula came in 3rd with 51, Lisa Cloo of Clinton 4th with 39, and Laurie Kreis of Huson was 5th with 36.
Jack Kirkland wins the 70 and Over Category with 557 lake trout entries and Larry Ashwell of Missoula is 2nd with 416. Winning the two drawings in the category were Jack Kirkland and Marty Herak.
Matt Guckenberg Jr of Kalispell was first in the 13-17 Category with 269 lake trout entries, 2nd Josey McIlhargey Jr of Kalispell with 36, Abby Hodgson of Kalispell was 3rd with 26, Colton Spacht of Culbertson was 4th with 13, and Bryce Harvey of Kalispell was 5th with 10 entries.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell wins the 12 and Under with 211 entries, Wyatt Best of Florence is 2nd with 7, Tripp Bick of Arlee, Henry Phan from Kalispell, and Bridgett Reed of Kalispell tied with 5 entries each for 3rd.
Siberian Cooler winner was Tyler Varga.
Weekend nine winners were: Richard Truzzolino-Lakeside, Sou Thao, Jason Piccoli-Kalispell, Sam Cusker, and Dewey Kruse of Polson.
The Spirit of the Event Award goes to Jason and Scott Mahlen. The Mahlen family lost Scott during the event due to illness. His pole was in the boat with Jason the next day. There were 100 fish and a $200 tagged fish brought in at the end of that day of fishing. Fish On….
Thank you to everyone who helps to make the events a success.
Tight lines all summer anglers, see you in the fall! Fall Mack Days on Flathead Lake will be September 17th to November 14th. For more information please visit www.mackdays.com.
-CSKT-
(Cover photo: Bridgett Reed of Kalispell-up and coming Lady Angler)
