HOUGHTON LAKE – Mike Haisma of Marne was fishing in Houghton Lake when he landed a tagged rock bass in the 2016-17 Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau’ Catch Us If You Can fishing contest.
Though legally blind, Haisma with the help of his fishing buddies staying at the Lagoon Resort on Houghton Lake, discovered the 9-inch fish he caught had a yellow tag.
His catch was verified at contest sponsor Lyman’ on the Lake where he received a $50 gas card for bringing the fish in. Kurt Beachnau, owner of Lyman’, quoted Haisma as saying ‘even a blind man can catch a tagged fish on Houghton Lake.’
There are more than 200 tagged fish in Michigan’ Other Great Lakes (Higgins Lake, Lake St. Helen, and Houghton Lake). His was the fourth caught tagged fish of this season’ contest, the first landed by a seven-year-old girl from Bridgeport.
He is entered in the April 2017 grand prize drawing at Spicer’ Boat City in Houghton Lake. The grand prize is $100,000 and Lund boat from Spicer’. There is a guaranteed major prize of $500 cash and $500 in prizes.
The second place prize is a Mark Martin Ice Fishing School valued at $500.
Anglers can bring their tagged fish in for verification at Lyman’ and H&H Fireworks in Houghton Lake, as well as Korbinski’ Marine in Prudenville, West Higgins Lake Hardware, and Trail’ End Motel in St. Helen.
For more information on the contest, please contact the HLATB office at 1-989-422-2002, 1-800-676-5330 or email info@visithoughtonlake.com. Contest rules are found on www.visithoughtonlake.com.
PHOTO
Mike Haisma displays his tagged fish caught in the 11th annual HLATB Catch Us If You Can contest.
