Page 23 - Flathead Beacon // 5.27.2015

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MAY 27, 2015 | 23
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DUNNIGAN RETURNS TO THE STAGE IN WHITEFISH
John Dunnigan is back.
One of the Flathead Valley’s most recognizable local performers is set to return to local stages on May 28 at a ben- efit concert that will be spread across four venues in downtown Whitefish.
Dunniganfest will feature at least a dozen bands and solo acts and much of the proceeds will go toward covering Dunnigan’s medical bills after he was sidelined with pancreatitis earlier this year. The May 28 concert will feature Dunnigan’s first concert at home since January and kick off a series of perfor- mances this summer at the Great North- ern Bar, The Boat Club and the Craggy Range Bar and Grill.
“I can’t wait to be back,” Dunnigan said recently.
For $20, concertgoers will have ac- cess to all four downtown venues on the night of May 28, including the Great Northern, Craggy Range, Crush Lounge and Tupelo Grille. The lineup includes God Fearing Women, Smart Alex, The Bad Larrys, and Dunnigan’s son’s band, the Lil’ Smokies. Earlier this month, Dunnigan performed at a festival in Ya- kima, Washington with his son and he said it was great to be back on stage.
After the benefit concert, Dunnigan will also start playing at his old haunts again, including Tuesday nights at Crag- gy, Thursdays at the Great Northern and Saturday nights at The Boat Club. In mid-July, Dunnigan will also hit the road again playing at fairs across the Pa- cific Northwest.
Dunnigan said two months after he had a surgery to remove part of his pan- creas, doctors have given him a clean bill of health, although he is constantly keeping an eye on his diet.
“It’s like getting bitten by a snake,” he said. “You’re always going to be wor- ried it will happen again when you’re walking in the tall grass.”
MOUNTAIN EXPOSURE
KALISPELL MAN WINS MACK DAYS FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR
Even when the fishing’s good, the catching can still be bad.
That wasn’t a problem for Jason Mahlen, of Kalispell, who last weekend won the Spring Mack Days champion- ship on Flathead Lake for the third year in a row while edging out runner-up Ryan Shima, also of Kalispell, for the
second year in a row.
Mahlen turned in 1,519 lake trout
and averaged a record 74.6 fish a day over his 18 best days on the lake, which is how the top 10 finishers are determined.
In the process, he won $9,900, most- ly through bonus payouts for the total fish caught.
Mack Days are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The events are used as a management tool to reduce nonna- tive lake trout in Flathead Lake to help increase the native bull trout and west- slope cutthroat trout populations.
Once the dominant fish species in the lake, their populations have been decimated by the invasive lake trout.
The CSKT contributed $225,000 in awards and prizes, which were given out on May 17 at the Blue Bay Campground.
High winds and choppy waters hin- dered fishing in recent weeks, but the tournament mounted a total harvest of 34,179 lake trout, including a one-day best on the first day of the derby, when 1,825 fish were turned in.
Mahlen’s daily average was 60.7 fish, which is the best of the three years he has won. The 2014 event had him win- ning with a total of 1,805 entries over 33 days with a 70.4 18-day average and 54.6 a day for 33 days.
Ryan Shima came in second with 1,360 entries and a 66.5 18-day average, while his son, Danner, placed third with 1,227 and 62.2. Ryan’s father, Mike, of Polson, notched a fifth-place finish with 880 fish and a 46 average, while another family member, son Austin, caught 92 fish.
Bob Turner of Columbia Falls earned a top-5 finish while also catching the largest trout at 24.4 pounds.
Anglers spend up to 13 hours a day on the water during the events, and CSKT officials thanked them for their dedica- tion.
“It is their hard work and dedication that makes the events successful,” ac- cording to a press release. “Each and ev- ery one of them plays a huge role in help- ing to reach the total numbers needed to make a difference in the future of the fisheries of the lake.”
The best day for fish totals was the first day on March 20. There were 1,825 lake trout turned in, while the lowest day was April 11 with a total of 14 entries.
Entrants in the 2015 event totaled 795 up from the 2014 event of 726 but down from 868 in 2013 and 1010 in 2012.
Go to www.mackdays.com to see the complete list of the totals for each angler.
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