2024 Spring Mack Days_Week 8 Results
Only one weekend left in the 2024 Spring Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead
Lake! The event began March 14 th and will end Saturday May 11 th . Mack Days
Fishing Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
and are sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The events are used
as a management tool to reduce the numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead
Lake. This event is one of the better events in Mack Days history when it comes
to numbers of lake trout entered. A total of 32,683 have been entered so far. The
2019 Spring Event holds the record fish count at 40,357. This past Fridays total
came to 1,478, Saturdays total was 922, and Sundays total was 532.
These hard-working anglers are what make these Mack Days events successful!
Many are out on the water before dawn and do not come in till dark. They endure
cold, hot, wet, wind-whatever kind of weather gets thrown at them. The weekend
came with it all-huge rough waves were reported by many anglers coming off the
water on Saturday and Sunday. The worst was the fish were lip locked. Sunday
morning was more of the same. Sunday afternoon the waters calmed but the
lake trout were still pretty tight lipped and were not biting and then cold rain
came! Nature definitely rules out on the water!
There is Up to $225,000 in Cash and Prizes sponsored by the Confederated
Salish and Kootenai Tribes that will be awarded at the conclusion of the event. It
is still not too late to enter and get your name in the drawings. Every fish gives
anglers a chance to win in the lottery drawings, catch a tagged lake trout, catch
the largest lake trout, or maybe the smallest lake trout.
Lady angler Julie Perkins of Kalispell is first in the Ladies Category with 291, 2 nd
Shirley Batz of Kalispell with 117, 3 rd Corrine McCubbins-Kalispell 79, 4 th Melissa
Triano-Bigfork 24, and Connie Jones-Kalispell 23.
Kolton Turner of Kalispell has already set a new record for lake trout entries and
is in 1 st place in the Top Twenty category. His total is currently at 2,193. Jason
Mahlen of Kalispell held the record of 2,134 set in 2019. The Top Ten anglers are
placed by their best 18-day average at the end of the event. Kolton has a 100
average. Bob Turner of Kalispell is in 2 nd with 2,005 entries and an average of
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
Natural Resources Department
Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation & Conservation
P.O. Box 278
Pablo, MT 59855
(406) 675-2700 extension 7241
96.94, 3 rd Jason Mahlen with 1,973 and 97.39, 4 th Clint Speer of Kalispell 1,257
and 60.61, 5 th Gene Corne of Kalispell 1,076 and 53.39, 6 th Ken Varga-Kalispell
1,005 and 52.61, 7 th Jerry Benson-Plains 975 51.83, 8 th Michael Benson-
Lonepine 939 49.83, 9 th Travis Banyai-Lakeside 890 49.11, and 10 th Tyler Varga-
Kalispell 866 47.61. The eleventh to twentieth places are set by totals. Bryan
Long of Kalispell is currently in 11 th 764, Larry Ashwell-Missoula 12 th 755, David
Kelch-Great Falls 13 th 744, 14 th David McDaniel-Polson 738, 15 th Larry Ludahl-
Kalispell 710, 16 th Nate Dieterich-Kalispell 661, 17 th Felix Gauci-Stevensville 610,
18 th Jack Kirkland of Lolo-593, 19 th Terry Krogstad of Kalispell-537, and 20 th Dan
Deutschman of Missoula 479.
Brodie Smith of Kalispell is in 1 st place in the 13-17 age group with 421, 2 nd
Kennedy Yang of Missoula-31, Matthew Mitts-Kalispell is third with 23, Lane
Brazda of Missoula-14, and Lucia Savoia of Missoula 1. Eli Yang of Missoula is
1 st in the 12 & under age group with 31, James Kuchera of Kalispell is 2 nd with 5,
Mason Cusker of Bigfork has 4, and Gage Spring of Alberton is 3 rd with 3.
Weekend winners were: $200-Terry Krogstad-$100 Jason Kellmer of Missoula,
Tyler Varga, Laurie Kreis of Huson, and Michael Stevenson of Kalispell.
There is still a $10,000 tagged lake trout out there along with three $5,000, six
$1,000 including one sponsored by Bretz RV and Marine of Missoula and there
are over 9,000 with values from $500-$100.
Jason Mahlen turned in a $200 tagged fish-Richard Kreis of Huson-$200-Tom
Kemppainen of Kalispell $100—Todd Wood of Ronan $100.
Michael Benson is leading in the 70 & Over with 939 entries. If you are a Top Ten
Angler you choose which category you want to place in. Larry Ashwell is 2 nd with
755, 3 rd Felix Gauci 610, 4 th Jack Kirkland 593, and 5 th Terry Krogstad 537.
Jack Kirkland is still holding the largest fish entry with a 42” 24.4 pound lake
trout. Smallest lake trout is a 164mm (6.5”) entry by Gene Corne. There is a
three way tie for 2 nd with 166mm fish turned in by Jason Mahlen, Gene Corne,
and Kolton Turner.
Third day of the Bucket of Fish was won by Cole Williams of Kalispell with a
bucket weight of 26.6 pounds for four fish in the bucket. Jeremy Williams of
Missoula was 2 nd with 23.35, 3 rd Matt and Collin Mitts of Kalispell 21.25, 4 th Rick
Skates of Big Arm 18.65, and 5 th Carey Hauser of Kalispell 18.2.
Saturday May 11 th is the last day of the event. All entries have to be turned in by
3:00 at Blue Bay—no fish pickups around the lake. There will be a small awards
ceremony at that time. The last day is a separate day with its own awards. All
other categories end on Friday. Lottery prizes and category placings will be
posted on Saturday.
Tight lines everyone and Thank you anglers-you make this
happen! CSKT—