Same fish, different
derby
Updated: Saturday, 14 Mar 2009, 12:27 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 13 Mar 2009, 9:34 PM CDT
OCONTO COUNTY - In Northeast Wisconsin, you generally don't have to look too far to find a fishing derby.
And about a month ago, 10-year-old Michaela Hensberger went to three derbies in one weekend.
"For me it's really hard to believe, my eyes can see it, it actually happened," said Michaela.
Michaela says her dad registered her in three fishing derbies. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says they went to one derby in Townsend, where they won $25 with a prized walleye, another in Shawano that same day, where they won $100, and the following day, they went back to Townsend, and won another $25.
The problem is the DNR says Michaela did not catch the winning fish in those tournaments, but her dad, Craig Hensberger, caught the 8 1/4-pound fish on Anderson Lake and entered it in three different fishing tournaments, taking home a total of $150.
"We're very concerned about the transport of live fish and water from our area waterways," said DNR warden Mark Schraufnagel.
The DNR investigated, and gave Craig Hensberger a ticket for $329 for transporting a live fish away from a waterway or surrounding shores. The DNR says transporting a live fish can spread invasive species or VHS, an infectious fish disease.
Though local sheriff's departments are not investigating the incident, Michaela Hensberger says she learned a valuable lesson.
"It felt wrong to lie to those people that I caught that fish," said Michaeala.
Lorraine Tipton, Michaela's mother, tells FOX 11, "That's the lesson I guess in the story is to tell the truth and she knows right from wrong, a 46-year-old man doesn't."
FOX 11 tried to reach Craig Hensberger, but we were unable to.
As for the $150 won in the fishing derbies, the clubs and the DNR say that money has not been returned. As for the walleye that won those derbies, Hensberger has taken it to the taxidermist to have it mounted.
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