Turner repeats as Spring Mack Days champ
Kalispell angler Kolton Turner is the 2022 Spring Mack Days winner after turning in an 18-day average of 71.61 lake trout entries during the annual fishing event on Flathead Lake, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It’s the second consecutive Spring Mack Days title for Turner, who had a total of 1,582 weekend entries.
Placing second for the second year in a row was Jason Mahlen of Kalispell, who turned in 1,315 weekend entries and had an 18-day average of 62.06 entries.
The nine-week event wrapped up May 15 with a total of 21,013 lake trout entries being turned in by 200 anglers out of the 624 entered.
“The Captain” a lake trout valued at $10,000, did not come in at the end of any angler’s line. He is still roaming the lake along with the other high dollar tagged lake trout. Their tag numbers will be revalued, and a new high-dollar lake trout will be tagged right before the fall event. Anglers turning in tagged lake trout the last week included Kathleen Bell of St. Ignatius $100 (twice) and one at $200; Bryan Long, $100; Jack Kirkland, $100; and Todd Morigeau of Polson, $100.
Weekend drawing winners were: Brodie Smith, $200; Matt Guckenberg Sr. of Kalispell, Larry Karper, Bob Turner and Jake North of Denton each won $100.
Leaderboard
Top 20: Kolton Turner, Kalispell, 1,582 weekend entries; Jason Mahlen, Kalispell, 1,315; Bob Turner, 1,268; Sam Cusker, Bigfork, 668; Steven Benson, Spokane Valley, Wash., 640; Clint Speer, Kalispell, 640; Mike Benson, Lonepine, 592; Larry Karper, Florence, 528; Jerry Benson, Plains, 576; Travis Banyai, Lakeside, 508; Andy Reed, Kalispell, 435; Tom Kemppainen, Columbia Falls, 426; Scott Bombard, Missoula, 456; Hank McLeod, Kalispell, 408; Larry Ashwell, Missoula, 425; Jack Kirkland, Lolo, 385; Gene Corne, Kalispell, 378; Larry Ludahl, Kalispell, 346; Bryan Long, Kalispell, 309; and Julie Perkins, Kalispell, 300.
12 and Under: Wyatt Best of Missoula won with 11 entries. Gage Spring of Alberton, Tsimmeej Yang of Missoula, and Elsa Airhart of Kalispell each had four entries. Martin Phan of Kalispell turned in three.
13-17: Matt Guckenberg Jr. of Kalispell won with 79, followed by Brodie Smith of Kalispell (69), Thomas Airhart of Kalispell (11), Karson Cox of Charlo (6) and Otto Anderson of Columbia Falls (5).
Ladies: Julie Perkins of Kalispell was first with 300, followed by Connie Jones of Kalispell (78), Rebecca Spring of Alberton (18), Kathleen Bell of St. Ignatius (17) and Ia Thao of Missoula (11).
70 and Over: Larry Ashwell took first with 425 entries, followed by Jack Kirkland (385), Marty Herak of Polson (88), John Gauci of Florence (44) and Paul Grove of Wyoming, Ill. (38).
Spirit of the Event Awards — custom-made bait knives by Bob Crowder of Thompson Falls — went to Clint Speers and Paul Groves.
Mack Days events are used as a management tool to help increase the populations of native bull trout and westslope trout in Flathead Lake by decreasing the non-native lake trout numbers. The 2022 Fall Mack Days event begins Sept. 15. Visit www.mackdays.com for more information.