Don Blanton writes

Mike was 61 years old and without warning suffered an apparent aneurysm of the brain. Mike was a gentle person, and a good friend to all of us. Michael was a Life member of the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) after receiving the FFF Arnold Gingrich Memorial Award in 1996. Mike, with Christine as photographer, was Editor of the FFF Flyfisher Magazine and made major significant improvements in magazine quality and content from 1977-1982. He also helped the Northern California Council FFF as time allowed in his busy schedule. Michael and Christine Fong both attended the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California, and Michael received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa. In 1967, they sold their first article to “Outdoor Life” and have since been published in nearly every national outdoor publication in the country. Michael and Christine received The Ross Allen Merigold Complete Angler Memorial Award from the Pasadena Casting Club. Mike was on the Editorial Staff of Angler Magazine and was a contributing editor to “Fly Fisherman Magazine” Mike and Chris have been featured speakers at the International Sportsmen’s Exposition since the show’s inception more than twenty years ago. For more than thirty-five years, Mike and Chris travelled and fly fished extensively throughout the contiguous United States, and in Baja California, Central America, South America, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Canada, Alaska and Norway. Mike was a fly fisher’s fly fisher. — Don Blanton writes – Mike Fong’s son-in-law called me at the house tonight to let me know that Mike Fong, one of my oldest and dearest friends had passed away. Apparently he and Chris were returning from a fishing trip (Friday night June 14th) and had some minor car trouble. Mike was checking it out when suddenly he had a massive stroke. Let me tell you without qualification that Mike Fong was one of the finest anglers I have ever known. If that is not enough he was a great guy to boot, full of humour, a guy that could laugh at himself. He and his wife, Chris, and I have fished many places. In the 70s we took our first sailfish on the fly together in Panama. I have fished with Mike on the Smith River (what a record steelhead bite we had there) on the Russian (he steered me onto a pool loaded with fish one time), and so many places I cannot even remember at this point. Cannot tell you the grief I feel. It is overwhelming. And I think of Christine and their daughter Coreene and the great loss they must be experiencing. Bob Nauheim – Mike is the kind of guy who will never die! He will be with us always. Please say a little prayer for him. God bless. Ralph Cutteer writes – I’m blown away. We met Mike, Christine and Don Rotsma at Lake Davis (on Friday 6/14) and Mike laughingly commented about the van (towing his Valco) making it back over the hill to the city. Half joking Lisa and I offered to shepherd him home. I guess someone a lot bigger than us did the shepherding and truly took him home. If it is any condolence – he had a great time on the lake, caught some fish, and was as happy and outwardly healthy as I’ve ever seen him. Adios compadre, I had a voicemail on my recorder this morning. It stated that the Golden Gate Casting Club dinner was cancelled (Mike was the scheduled guest speaker). That’s all I know at this point. With respect, Ken Hanley Mike was a gentle man, that you could not help but like, and a friend to all of us. I called the Inside Angler number and their home number and was doubly saddened to hear his voice for the last time on both answering machines. Mike, Go with God. Marty Seldon