Benson leads Mack Days going into final week

 

November 7, 2019

Courtesy Photo

YOUNG ANGLERS Avery and Arley Grandchamp show off their lake trout entries. Avery turned in a $200 tagged fish.

One week remains in the 2019 Fall Mack Days fishing event. Mike Benson of Lonepine continues to lead the Top 10 anglers with 1,141 entries and a 68.27 daily average. Mack Days events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes with up to $150,000 in cash and prizes that will be awarded to anglers on Sunday, Nov. 10.

During the event, 480 anglers have participated, with 152 turning in one or more lake trout entries. During week seven, 2,043 fish brought the total for the competition to 16,298 entries. The record total for a fall event was in 2015, when 494 anglers competed and entered 19,540 lake trout. Mack Days is used to reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.

Avery and Arley Grandchamp of Polson tried their luck with Arley catching a laker on Saturday from shore. Sunday both young anglers each caught a lake trout from shore with Avery catching one with a clipped adipose fin that was worth $200. Also bringing in $200 tags over the seventh week were Ken Rickert of Thompson Falls and Sam Cusker of Bigfork. Tags with $100 values were caught by Richard Kreis of Huson, Larry Karper and John Gauci of Florence, Mark McMillin, Kenny Garrett, and Scott Bombard (two tagged fish) of Missoula and Terry Krogstad and Julie Perkins of Kalispell.

Top Ten anglers are placed by their best 15-day average on Saturday evening. Behind Benson is Felix Gauci of Stevensville (989 entries, 62.33 daily average), third is Bombard (958, 58.27), fourth Karper (721, 48.07), Cusker is fifth (699), Larry Ashwell of Missoula sits in sixth place (660, 38.8), Krogstad is seventh (596, 34.87), Perkins is in eighth place (574, 33.87), Jack Kirkland of Missoula is ninth (415, 27.67), and in tenth place is Bob Stewart (351).

Perkins leads the ladies competition with 574, second is Laurie Kreis of Huson with 119, Bobbi Hereford of Missoula is third with 81, Gina Schiff of Whitefish is fourth with 67 and fifth is Kim Mack of Helena with 48.

Larry Karper has 721 for first in the popular 70 and over category. There are years of fishing history and experience in this category. Second place is Larry Ashwell with 660, John Gauci is third with 345, fourth is Bob Christensen of Missoula with 158 and Thompson Falls angler Mike Crosby is fifth with 81.

Matt Kreis of Huson leads the age 13-17 category with 17, second is Matt Guckenberg of Kalispell with eight, Tayven Moua of Missoula is third with three, John Ross Jr. of Stevnsville is fourth with two and Mike Ross of Stevensville is fifth with one entry.

HD of Arlee has 14 in the 12 and under group with 14, Alison Putzler of Kalispell has 13 for second, third Darien Moua of Missoula with seven, fourth is Kieran Incashola of St. Ignatius with six, fifth is Arley Grandchamp of Polson with four and sixth is Avery Grandchamp of Polson with one.

The third and last Bucket Day was Sunday with Rick Skates of Polson coming in with the heaviest bucket of four lake trout under 30 inches totaling 31.95 pounds, second is Ted Petersen and Paul Gyles of Stevensville with 30.45 pounds, Benson was third with 28.45 pounds, fourth was Kreis with 20.5 pounds and fifth was Mack's 17.75 pounds.

Sunday is the last day of the event. All entries are turned in by 3 p.m. at the Blue Bay headquarters. The fish fry will begin at 3 p.m. with awards at 4 p.m.

Go to http://www.mackdays.com for information, or call (406) 270-3386.

 

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