If you knew Mike for just a few minutes, you either heard a story or you got started making one.  I was lucky enough to know him for the past 25 years so it is impossible to remember all the good times and the stories that were born (and grew over the years...).    One of my favorites though was just a year or two ago when Mike told me he had a friends "kaboat" (read as long, narrow, inflatable boat that really shouldn't have two guys our size in it...) and we should take it out.  So off we went, as fast as a 3 horsepower outboard could push and me laying down on the bow to help with aerodynamics!  We left the dock with 2 rods, each with one lure, no tackle box, no other tools, just 2 guys, 2 rods and 3 horsepower.  After a few test runs, we cruised down the river, stopped a one of Mike's patented "can't miss" points, and started casting.  Not sure who caught the first 24 in striper (remember the size grows a couple inches each year...)  but we each got fish in the boat and managed to NOT turn it over!  After a few more in the boat, my line broke and we headed back (at top speed of course).  Mike always had a knack for getting us on a fish.  For all my trips with him, I don't think we were ever skunked.  The picture of Mike with the fish from the Kaboat is my contact picture for Mike in my phone and now means more than ever.   

In the picture of Mike here, what you don't see is me and my youngest standing on each side of him, each of us holding large speckled trout in both hands.  Truth be told, there was one small one that Mike didn't catch we made him hold the small one anyway!  Always a great sport...

I love you like a brother Mike and will miss you immensely.