Hot Springs angler tops Mack Days

Fall Mack Days concluded Sunday with a total of 14,351 lake trout entries in the lottery drawing. 

Anglers turned in 2,683 entries for the last weekend, making it the second largest weekend of the event.

Fifty-fish days for the seventh weekend were turned in by Scot Bombard, Roger Dilts, David McDanielts, Michael Benson, Marty Noyd and Brandt Hammernick.  This brought the total of 50-fish days to 36 during the Fall Event.

The top angler in 2010 Fall Mack Days was Michael Benson of Hot Springs with 915 fish and a 48.75 12-day average. 

Cash prizes ranging from $200 to $700 were given to the top 10 anglers based on their best 12 days of the event.

Following Benson are Scott Bombard of Missoula, 658; Wes Shockley of Plains, 590; Roger Dilts of Polson, 561; David McDaniels of Polson, 522; Stephen Naethe of Pablo, 542; Brandt Hammernick of Missoula, 444; Phil Meredith of Kalispell, 473; Steven Benson of Columbia Falls, 360; and Max Martz of Hamilton, 368.

Women anglers were led by Nicole Peters of Missoula with 219, Susanne Albrecht of Polson, 142; Cindy Upwell of Kalispell, 102; Cindy L. Benson, 101; Debbie Martz of Hamilton, 91; and Deana Knipe of Polson, 76.

Youth 12 and under were led by Garett Vaughan of Charlo, 62; Benton Adams of Ravalli, 23; Landon Lynch of Ronan, 12.

The 13-17 group was led by Naethe with 542, Eric Sams of Polson, 196; Dalton Meredith of Kalispell, 106; and Carson Cook of Idaho with 21.

Lottery prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes ranged from $100 to $1,000. 

Roger Dilts of Polson was the winner of the top lottery prize.  

There were 59 tagged lake trout turned in. 

Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and are used as a tool to slowly reduce numbers of non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake. 

For more information about the Fall Event go to www.mackdays.com. Watch for information about the upcoming 2011 Spring Event.