The first weekend of this year’s Spring Mack Days fishing tournament ended with a total of 2,227 lake trout entered, according to event organizers with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
So far 510 anglers are entered in the event, which ends on May 19. Anglers can fish Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until May 10th and then for 10-straight days. Up to $150,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded.
There is one tagged lake trout worth $10,000l; five worth $5,000; 10 worth $1,000 and over 4,000 valued between $100-500, according to event organizers.
Top 10 anglers are placed by their best 18-day average of the event. Bonus amounts begin to accumulate after an angler has turned in 20 entries. Bonus amounts go up as anglers totals increase. Information can be found on the Mack Days website.
Jason Mahlen of Kalispell leads with 166 lake trout entries. His best day of the weekend was Friday with 88 entries. Scott Bombard of Missoula is in second with 97 entries. Third place is Craig Morigeau of Polson with 90 entries. Fourth place is Steven Benson of Four Lakes, Wash., with 85 entires. Michael Benson of Lonepine is fifth with 83 entries.
Among the youth anglers, Kobe Cox from Charlo leads his age group with 35. Connor Kowalski follows with 30 and Danner Shima of Kalispell is third with 17.
Tracy Powers of Missoula leads the ladies with 26 entries. Nicole Peters of Missoula is second with 23, followed by Susan Martin of Polson with 19 and Julie Vacca of Florence and Kimberly Biere of Butte with nine each.
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