Lonepine's Benson wins 2021 Fall Mack Days

Fall Mack Days 2021 is in the books and Lonepine’s Mike Benson claimed top angler honors.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which sponsors the event on Flathead Lake, released the final figures this week.

Benson was the top angler with a total of 1,068 lake trout. Benson had an 18-day average of 52.89. He fished 26 days of the 27 total weekend fishing days.

Benson, who began fishing Mack Days in 2006, won his eighth fall championship. He has placed second six times, too.

Overall, anglers boated 14,036 macks in the nine-week event. There were 455 anglers entered and 128 turned in fish.

The last weekend of the event was plagued by cold, wind, rough water and rain. Anglers caught 878 fish over the weekend. Friday’s total was 342, Saturday was 400 and Sunday’s count was 136 lake trout.

Second place went to Felix Gauci, of Stevensville, who caught 902 fish and had an 49.94 average on 19 fishing days. Larry Karper, of Florence, was third with 751 entries, a 37.56 average and 25 fishing days.

Fourth place went to Bigfork’s Sam Cusker with 600 entries and 32.5 average on 23 days. In fifth place was Jack Kirkland, of Missoula, with 631 entries and a 31.78 average over 24 fishing days. In sixth place was Terry Krogstad, of Kalispell, with 675 fish and a 31.61 average.

In seventh place was Kalispell’s Julie Perkins with 669 entries and a 30.94 average. Eighth place went to Missoula’s Scott Bombard with 640 entries and a 30.83 average. Missoula’s Larry Ashwell was ninth with 564 fish while Huson’s Richard Kreis was 10th with 557 entries.

In the ladies category, Laurie Kreis took home top honors with 352 lake trout. Helena’s Kim Mack was second with 102 and Gina Schiff of Whitefish was third with 76.

Missoula’s Nicole Peters was fourth with 55 fish, and Thompson Falls’ Debby Sacchi was fifth with 51 fish.

John Gauci, of Florence, won the 70-and-over Category with 524 lake trout. Paul Grove of Wyoming, Illinois, was second with 101 entries. Winning the two drawings in the category were Larry Ashwell and Bernie Olsen.

There was a tie in the 13-17 age category with nine lake trout for Kalispell’s Alison Putzler and Big Arm’s Blake Williams. Ashlin Peters, of Polson, is third with two fish.

Wyatt Best of Florence won the 12-and-under category with five macks and second is Brynn Blowers of Missoula with three.

Siberian Cooler winners were Kreis, Benson, and Kim Mack, of Helena. Weekend 9 winners were Perkins-$200, Sam Cusker (2), Nicole Peters, and Larry Karper, who were $100 winners.

Mark McMillin of Missoula won the Spirit of the Event Award.

A list of lottery winners is on the website at www.mackdays.com on the Stats page.

Click on the awards tab at the top of the page.

Spring Mack Days 2022 will begin next March.