The 2024 Spring Mack Days Event on Flathead Lake sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes ended Saturday May 11th. A total of 35,089 were entered during the nine-week long fishing event. Making a difference for the future of native fish in Flathead lake is the goal behind these fishing events that focus on reducing the non-native lake trout. Native bull trout and westslope cutthroat populations are just a fraction of what they once were. Anglers are part of the management plan tool box to reduce non-native fish numbers and the anglers put an enormous amount of time and effort on the lake doing the work to help in this effort. We send out a huge thank you to each and everyone who participates with one or thousands of lake trout entries each Mack Days event.
The leader in the Top Twenty category was Kolton Turner of Kalispell. He turned in a total of 2,283 lake trout entries and had an 18-day average of 100. He also set a new record in fish total for a Spring Event. Top Ten anglers are placed by their best 18-day average. Second place angler Jason Mahlen of Kalispell held the fish total record since the 2019 Spring Event with his entry total of 2,134. Jason’s total for 2024 Spring came to 2,073 and his average for 18 days was 98.67. Robert Turner of Kalispell came in 3rd with 2,094-97.11, 4th Clint Speer of Kalispell with 1,257-60.61, 5th Gene Corne of Kalispell 1,076 and 53.39, 6th Jerry Benson of Plains with 1,025-53.0, 7th Ken Varga of Kalispell 1,005-52.61, 8th Mike Benson of Lonepine-989-51.22, 9th Travis Banyai of Kalispell 934-50.83, 10th Tyler Varga of Kalispell 866 and 47.61, 11th Bryan Long of Kalispell 818, 12th Larry Ashwell of Missoula 805, 13th David McDaniel of Polson 775, 14th David Kelch of Great Falls 744, 15th Larry Ludahl of Kalispell 733, 16th Nate Dieterich of Kalispell 714, 17th Felix Gauci of Stevensville 673, 18th Jack Kirkland of Lolo 651, 19th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell 556, and 20th Dan Deutschman of Missoula 509 lake trout entries.
Ladies leader was Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 310. Shirley Batz of Kalispell came in 2nd with 129, 3rd Corrine McCubbins of Kalispell 79, Laurie Kreis of Huson 4th 49, and 5th Melissa Triano of Bigfork 24.
Winner of the 70 & Over was Larry Ashwell, 2nd Felix Gauci, and 3rd Jack Kirkland. If an angler is in the Top Ten they choose which category they want to be placed in.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell was 1st in the 13-17 Category with 442. Kennedy Yang of Missoula 2nd with 31, and Matthew Mitts of Kalispell 23.
Eli Yang of Missoula was 1st in the 12 & Under with 31, Mason Cusker of Bigfork 2nd with 4, and Gage Spring of Alberton 3rd with 3.
Jack Kirkland of Missoula won the Largest Lake Trout award sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine with a 42” 24.4 lb. lake trout entry. Smallest lake trout winner was Gene Corne with a 164mm-6.5” lake trout. Three-way tie for 2nd place with entries of 166mm were Gene Corne, Jason Mahlen, and Kolton Turner.
Spirit of the Event Awards went to Sou Thao of Missoula and Tyler Varga. They exemplify good anglers, are respectful to staff, and are good sportsmen.
Week 9 tagged fish winners were: $200-Marty Herak of Polson $100-Mike Benson, Larry Ashwell, Travis Banyai, and Terry Krogstad.
Jerry Benson won first in the lottery drawing, David Kelch of Great Falls-2nd, 3rd Jason Mahlen, 4th Felix Gauci, 5th Kolton Turner—there were 40 drawings—and many other categories with winners.
Again “Thank you anglers” have a great summer! 2024 Fall Mack Days will begin September 5th and end November 3rd.
Tight lines everyone!!
—CSKT—
