Anglers reel in over 3,000 lake trout in derby opening days
Anglers in the 2015 Spring Mack Days fishing tournament turned in 3,774 lake trout in the first weekend of competition last Saturday and Sunday.
Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. “The weather was great on Friday and the anglers, many who had not fished all winter, were anxious to get on the water,” tribal spokesperson Cindy Benson said. Friday’s opening-day total was one of the best over the years, with 1,825 lake trout caught. Anglers-Steve Benson and Ryan Shima turned in limits of 100 each. Saturday’s weather was rougher, with 731 lake trout caught, and Sunday was another good day with 1,218, Benson said. Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the anglers in the Spring Mack Days, which has 51 fishing days.
“There are many ways to win,” Benson said. “Top anglers, tagged fish, bonuses, women’s categories, youth categories, weekend prizes, over-70 age group, plus the lottery cash and merchandise prizes where all you need is one ticket to win.”
New to this event is fishing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. No lottery or prize tickets are awarded for those days but they do count for bonus dollars and tagged fish. A $10,000 tagged fish, three $5,000 fish and fiver $1,000 fish have been tagged and released. There also $5,000 in taggerd fish, with values from $100 to $500 are another way to win. Debbie Pike of Polson was the winner of a $500 tagged fish on Sunday. She turned in seven fish with one of them being a tagged fish..
FIRST WEEK RESULTS
Leading the event is Four Lakes, Wash., angler Steven Benson, with 219 entries. Second place is held by Gauci, 198; Third, Ryan Shima, Kalispell, 188; fourth, Jason Mahlen, Kalispell, 160; fifth, Scott Bombard, Missoula,142; sixth, Danny Smith, Hot Springs, 135; seventh, Larry Karper, Florence,131, eighth, Terry Krogstad, Kalispell,124; ninth, Mike Benson, Lonepine, 121; 10th, Greg Karlson, Hot Springs,115.
Women’s leader is Julie Vacca, Florence, with 41, Debbie Pike, Polson, 34, Jane Ramey, Florence, 21, Susanne Albrecht, Polson, 16, and Nicole Peters, Missoula-15.
Danner Shima of Kalispell was the top angler on Sunday, with 84 entries, putting his total at 114 and first in the age 13 to 17 division. Kobe Cox of Charlo is second with 58, and Dylan Hodgson of Kalispell follows with 18. Youth 12 and Under leaders are Tripp Bick-Arlee with 16, Abby Hodgson of Kalispell with 15, Kieran Incashola of St. Ignatius with nine, Karson Cox of Charlo, eight, Matt Guckenberg, Kalispell, four, and Jacob Yorgason, Missoula-4.
Larry Karper is leading in the 70 and Older group with 131, Jim Miller, Missoula, 41, Larry Ashwell, Missoula, 28, Jim Hoover, Whitefish, 25, and Jens Gran, Polson, 20.