from Flyshop.com

Mike Fong, renowned angler and publisher of Inside Angler, died very suddenly Friday evening June 14, 2002 while returning from a Lake Davis fishing trip with his wife Christine and friends. Mike was 63 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 major significant improvements in 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 traveled 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.

--Marty Seldon


Also see: Notes from Marty Seldon about the Michael Fong Memorial Gathering held in San Francisco July 14th.

Other Archives:

• Mike Fong's last interview in which he discusses California fly fishing and the future of the sport.

• Letters from the family at the time of Mike's passing