Benson takes early Mack Days lead

The 2019 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event began last weekend on Flathead Lake. The first weekend total of 2,577 fish entries was 842 higher than the first weekend of the 2018 Fall event.

Six tagged fish were turned in over the weekend. The tagged fish were caught in the Delta area on the north end of the lake, around Wildhorse Island, Mid Lake, Rocky Point, and Northwest Finley Point. They are found in all areas of the lake. Catching $100 tagged lake trout were Roger Brewer and Sam Cusker of Kalispell, Don McDonough of Washington, Utah, Monte McPhearson of Silverdale, Washington, Peter Dayton of Missoula (two entries, Jack Kirkland of Missoula and Mike Benson of Lonepine.

Benson leads the Top 10 Angler category with 280 entries. Felix Gauci of Stevensville is second with 193, Scott Bombard of Missoula is third with 130, Sam Cusker of Bigfork fourth with 160, fifth place is Terry Krogstad of Kalispell with 154, sixth is Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 142, Larry Karper of Florence is seventh with 132, Jack Kirkland of Missoula is eighth with 129, ninth is Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 127 and Bob Steward of Kalispell rounds out the Top 10 with 93 entries.

Perkins also leads the ladies category with her 142 entries, Gina Schiff of Whitefish is second with 26, third is Laurie Kreis of Huson with 18, Kim McMillie of Polson has 18 for fourth place and Lisa Cloo of Missoula is fifth with nine fish.

Matt Guckenberg, Jr., of Kalispell turned in eight on Sunday to put him on the board in the age 13-17 category. Guckenberg lost a lure and fly set up last spring while fishing in Spring Mack Days. Fishing in the same spot on Sunday he hooked onto something that he knew wasn’t a fish. At the end of his line he found the lost lure with the hand-made fly attached, a nice surprise.

The 70 and over category leader is Karper with 132, Ashwell is second with 127, third is John Gauci of Florence with 38, Mike Crosby of Thompson Falls is fourth with 24 and fifth is Bob Christensen of Missoula with 16.

Weekend $100 winners were Scott Bombard, Julie Perkins, Richard Kreis, Mike Crosby and Mike Benson. Tickets are drawn by fillet staff on Sunday evening each weekend after the last fish are turned in.

For more information on the fall event, go to http://www.mackdays.com or call (406) 270-3386.