Anglers reel in 26,477 lake trout

Spring Mack Days concluded with great fishing weather for the final three days of the event, with Chuck Forgey of Arlee finishing as the top angler.

Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the event is aimed at slowly reduce non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake.

A total of 26,477 lake trout were entered during the 11-week Spring Mack Days.

Forgey finished with 1,053 lake trout entries. He was followed by Mike Benson of Lonepine with 835 entries; Scott Bombard of Missoula with 875 entries; Wes Shockley of Plains with 624 entries; Jerry Benson of Plains with 802 and Joe Schrader of Kalispell with 601.

Women anglers were led by Nicole Peters of Missoula with 352 entries; Kathryn Cox of Rollins with 257; Debbie Pike of Kalispell with 189; Deana Knipe of Polson with 171; and Debbie O’Hara of St. Ignatius with 85.

Connor Kowalski of Florence was first in the 13-to-17 age category with 248 followed by Tanner Murry of Columbia Falls with 245.

Top winners in the lottery placings for $1,000 were Wes Shockley and Dewey Kruse of Polson and $950-to Dean Vaughan, Jeff Cox, and Terry Krogstad of Kalispell.

Winner of $500 for the largest lake trout entered was Jim Bilodeau of Kalispell with a lake trout that weighed in at 25.8 pounds. Smallest lake trout winners were Keith Wock of Polson with a 173mm lake trout and Jared Miller of Charlo with a 174mm lake trout.

Heaviest fish under 30 inches on the last day went to Dick Zimmer of Pablo with a 9.3-pound fish with second place going to Jason Mahlen of Kalispell with a 7.39-pound lake trout.

For more information, go to www.mackdays.com.