Local anglers place in Mack Days

The 2023 Fall Mack Days Fishing Event on Flathead Lake sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is in the books. A total of 17,502 lake trout entries were received. It was the second largest event total since the 2019 Fall Event which had 18,214 entries. Of the 344 anglers registered, 135 turned in one or more lake trout entries.

Fishing all 60 event days was winner David Myers of Riverton, Wyoming, who had 1,399 lake trout entries for the Friday to Sunday competition days. His goal was to turn in an entry every day of the event and he did! Myers even had his wife out a couple days of the event. Myers turned in 1,423 for the Monday to Thursday fishing. His 18-day average was 61.61. Coming in 2 nd was Felix Gauci of Stevensville with 1,127 (59.61 average), 3rd place was Michael Benson of Lonepine with 1,135 (51.72), 4th place was Bob Stewart of Kalispell, 980 (46.67), 5th place was Jerry Benson of Plains, 771 (37.78), 6th was Larry Ashwell of Missoula, 726 (34.89), 7th place was Larry Karper of Florence, 624 (32.56), 8th place was Jack Kirkland of Lolo, 624 (32.56), 9th place was Richard Kreis of Huson, 543 (24.72) and 10th place was Scott

Bombard of Missoula, 450 (22.33).

Debby Sacchi of Thompson Falls was third in the women’s category with 143 lake trout entries, and her husband Sam Sacchi of Thompson Falls finished in 15th place overall with 215. Blaine Helvey of Thompson Falls won the 12 and under category, and Paisley Helvey finished in second. Both had 18 lake trout entries each. Mike Crosby of Thompson Falls was second in the 70 and over category with 132 lake trout.