MJL

Cheers guys and thanks again for all of your help. It's hard not to have an upbeat and positive attitude when I'm surrounded by people who I'd consider as close to family as I can get

The reports the last few weeks here on OFC and the PM's kept my mind off things. I still have a full bottle of Tylenol 3's waiting to go to the highest bidder (j/k)

On another note, thinking about it, I'd give my left nut to see the Leafs make the playoffs...Oh wait...

Fantastic! Very glad to see you're rebounding.

 

 

So what reels did you end up ordering?

A pair of AngSpecs...1 in a bigger, more ported version of the one I already have, and my dad got an AR model to play around with. My dad bought me a baby 4" offset a few years ago as a graduation present...I've got to pay for my own one this time

On the bright side, his fishing toys are also mostly mine too

Now I just need to build a new rod to match the reel...

Mike

She's working?! That's incredible. She's simply an amazing lady. If she's working at Ryerson, I might run into her when I visit a few of my old profs in the new year

The force is strong in Jen...Judging by the pic, her light saber is out and ready for action

Best wishes

...But OFC was the best medicine I could ask for

It’s been a month since my last fishing report. As many of you know, I’ve been dealing with some health issues and trucking through them the best I could - Obviously with the support of family, friends, OFC, CAG and the nurses that poked and prodded me at the hospital on a regular basis...It didn’t help that they pointed and giggled though .

I’m still going through various tests to see if the cancer spread to other areas (some of which sucked considering I hate needles). I nearly puked during my CT scan on Friday...I thought I was having hot-flashes when they injected the dye!

Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve wished me well, chatted with me to get my mind off things (mostly fishing related in Tuesday night chats) and kept my spirits up...Many of whom I have never met before, may never meet in person, or knew of prior, sent me PM’s of hope and support (a couple of whom dealt with TC) and for that I can’t thank you enough

The day after my surgery, good friends Victor and Anthony (Frozen Fire) and his girlfriend, Christine brought over a couple books on ice fishing/photography to read and DVDs for me to watch while I was mostly immobilized. It’s hard to ask for better friends. My friend’s dad also sent me an old school steelheading book from his library

Spiel also mailed me some amazing reading materials such as the ones below – some of which might be considered collectable dating back to 1978. I always was, and probably always will be a fishing nerd. For me I was blown away by Chris’ incredible generosity – It’s not the first time either

I’ve been healing up nicely since the surgery. 4.5 days after the surgery, I slowly limped into a job interview with my portfolio, a dry erase marker and a telescopic pointing stick. I managed to score a new job that should pay enough for a new spey rod and a steelhead trip to BC...Maybe only one way though . I gotta thank Hammercarp for his support with that

There’s not much I can say or do to fully thank OFC and its members for the help you’ve given me during this time. I’ll let you guys know how it goes and hopefully if I don’t need additional treatments/procedures, I can hook up with the members I promised I’d fish with before year end. OFC is simply an amazing community

Mike

And Yes, my dad and I finally spoiled ourselves by ordering a couple new custom centrepins due to arrive in March. As always, I had to get mine in black

Done!

Beautiful browns Johnny

Incredible pictures msp

Reports like these have been getting me through the last few weeks

Prayers and thoughts be with you and them Geoff. The power of positive thinking really does make a difference

Nice fish Daryl

I remember that day last fall. You caught a pretty little brownie from that same pool if I remember correctly. I actually haven't fished that river at all this year but I'm tempted to return when I can move a lot better.

I bet you haven't used C_ _ _ T _ _ _ S yet...A bait of mass destruction that I can't even spell it out in full for fear of piscatorial annihilation

Surgery was delayed by 4hrs but it went well from what I was told by the people doing it. No swelling with only some pain where the incision was made for now - They opted to use staples to zip me up. Pain isn't enough to really warrant use of pain killers...I actually put myself through a lot more while doing the Navy Seal fitness program for the months prior

Frozen Fire, his girlfriend and Victor stopped by last night and dropped off a couple fishing/photography books and DVDs

Thanks a lot guys. Really appreciate the support you've given me over the last couple weeks

Many thanks guys

All the best Mike! I have a friend who had the same deal as you an Rick. He is 100% today.

 

Two nuts in one place is never a good thing anyways.

In the situation that will shortly be presenting itself, I'd like to think about the package being half full...Not half empty

Cheers

Mike

Dude! What DSLR do you shoot?! I didn't know you could get UW cases for the big cams...I may pee a lil!

 

Stiches - they look cool and any med. prof. you know can pull em out.

I have a canon 40D. The UW case I plan to get is more like a glorified zip-lock baggie with a lens port (EWA Marine). For $260 It's way cheaper than the replacement cost should I dunk the camera...I tend to destroy cameras while steelheading...At least 1 or 2 per year

Alternatively, I could save up for a professional polycarbonate one with full controls...but I'd rather spend that kinda coin on some new fishing tackle

Very sweet fish Frankie

Hard to beat the feeling of a big chrome fish smashing hardware

Thanks guys...Can’t say it enough and won’t stop appreciating it all. Rick has been as close to a big brother I could ever ask for during this time, and has been guiding me through the processes (some of which will suck but that's the nature of it). I consider OFC and all of its members part of my lifestyle, my religion and my family

Moosy had similar (the same, only different) surgery just yesterday.

 

Here she is in recovery mode:

 

 

 

I hope you don't need the collar...

I promise I won't lick my stitches...

Or my genitals

Hope your "up" and running soon! Speedy recovery!

That would depend on the nurse

Hope all goes well MJL.

 

Remember, a now famous cyclist had it years ago. His name is Lance Armstrong. And he has won 7 Tour de France cycling races since.

Definitely!

One other athlete I do admire a lot is Lance Mackey (an esophageal cancer survivor and 4 time winner of the Iditarod...Along with a few Yukon Quest victories). I may never race 16 sled dogs across Alaska in 9 days, but his upbeat, positive and humble attitudes are what I admire the most and will probably get me through the times that really suck

Cheers & all smiles

First Chiquitta took over my favourite napping spot...

 

Now she has commandered my favourite chair so she can look out the window...

 

I swear...between kids and cats and dogs, ya can't have anything nice...

I may be only 26...But I learned long ago that females (of every species) are like that. When they actually open up their mouth and bark at you, they either want you to paint, move or do something

Cheers guys. After visiting various clinics for ultrasounds, blood work, X-rays, etc, I will be going in for surgery on Thursday. Doesn't sound fun by any means - especially after looking at various diagrams - but the only choice my urologist gave me were stitches or staples.LOL

On the bright side, I plan to spoil myself with a new underwater case for my DSLR and may order a slightly bigger version of the centrepin I already have but really do love - In stealth fighter black of course

Thanks again guys for your support. The last few days have been way better for me mentally Physically, the doctors and lab techs are impressed with my fitness levels and are optimistic about my recovery...Steelheading and bushwhacking trout streams will do that for you

If and when you're ready for some more chrome I have a special place that I think I need to show you.

I can't wait Mike!

Hat-trick through the five hole

WTG Ryan (thumbs up like the baby)

Super cool lures Jacques. After making each one by hand, I'd hate to lose one to a brush pile on the first cast

It's marginally better to lose one to a pike though.LOL

Sweet ride too...I'm jealous...My 94 Accord has no cup holders

Very nice Chris

Flies work awesome when the fishing is tough. Ironically, some of my hottest fly patterns for super clear, super pressured conditions happen to be BIG (tied on size 4-1/0 hooks...Sometimes articulated).

Like Dave mentioned, Size A will work for just about every freshwater application. Over 95% of the rods I've built was with Gudebrod size A thread in various colours.

Thanks again guys for the incredible support you’ve given me - I truly can't express my gratitude towards the whole OFC community. I spent the last couple hours replying to all the PM’s I could and will continue to do so for as long as they come – I’ve even been informed that one angling crush of mine (and many) has read this thread

I sneaked a few quick looks at the ultrasound pics but as someone who hadn’t taken biology beyond the twelfth grade, one fuzzy blob looked exactly like the next fuzzy blob. I’ll have to continue my wait for a diagnosis

ps - What's "Down & Dirty"?

It involves the careful and deliberate attempt to manipulate rod angles (while fighting strong, powerful, or out of control fish) so that hooked fish will mysteriously (and magically) swim right to the rod tip...So that you can pounce on them...Especially if it’s a fish worthy of a hero shot

Beautifully written poems in this thread from writers beyond their age.

Simply powerful

From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate all of your kind words posted on this forum as well as through PM. There isn’t much I can eloquently write without getting somewhat teary eyed. The good Lord blessed me with a pretty sick and terrible sense of humor and that seems to be getting me and my family through things. As I've told a few others, I first logged into OFC back in 2005 and can't think of another community I'd rather be a part of - I came for the tips but stayed for the people.

I'll let you guys know how it goes

Mike,

 

Excellent report and pictures. Your other news, not so wonderful. As many have said and will say, stay positive and do not hesitate to lean on family and friends when needed. You mentioned having never seen a large walleye up close, when you feel up to it, maybe we can do something about that. If not this year, then next Believe Mike and keep us posted.

Walleye have always been my arch nemesis...If you catch one, can I touch it?

Thanks Carole

hopefully they are wrong, but if not you can swing over and share a Chemo drip with Jennifer. Best wishes from all of us here.

Being the gentleman that I am, it would only be proper after the first or second date (j/k)

Thanks Wayne for the kind words and thoughts and hope all goes well with Jen.

 

We still have some carp to do battle with...

Absolutely...No question about it

Thanks again guys. I really appreciate all the support that you've given me.

Cheers & Smiles

Mike

I haven’t been fishing much this fall – Probably only 7 or so trips from the beginning of October. Despite the lower than normal water conditions, the fishing for the most part has been great with some nice fish coming out.

Been fishing a fair bit with Frozen Fire...He lives down the street from me and fishes daily anyway

After a year of pretty intensive research, and a lifetime of reading about it in books, I finally made the pilgrimage on the weekend to one special steelhead river I still had yet to fish – Frozen Fire would be my partner in crime for our maiden voyage. Large in both length and width (compared to most other rivers I regularly fish), I was pretty jazzed and blown away by the scenery. We treated it like a scouting trip and trekked through as much territory as we could humanly possible and drove the backroads, highways and concessions we could find to safely reach the river.

Didn’t start out so good though. The first hour was spent playing fetch with a lost German Shorthair Pointer who adopted us as playmates and followed us around – By fetch, she tried to retrieve our drifting floats as they went down river. High energy is an understatement. She just wouldn’t quit!

With so much prime looking water, it certainly was a little tougher river to read but insanely fun to fish – I can’t remember the last time I was as excited to go fishing. We didn’t get into any large fish but we did manage to pull out some hard fighting, wild, chrome fish from the various pools and logjams. They were still a bit of a handful even with the down & dirty technique

I have to give many special thanks to Buckster, Solopaddler, and Wallacio for their wonderful words of wisdom they gave me prior to the trip . They certainly boosted our confidence and we both managed to land some fish.

~

The below text may not be as easy for some to read compared to the above - Especially for my closer partners in crime on the water to whom I consider as much a part of my family...On a personal note, it wasn't as easy for me to write compared to the poetry and DIY washing machine manuals I've written in the past.

I may be hanging up the steelhead kit for the next little while. From the looks of it, I may be battling another adversary shortly where my knowledge of rivers, drifting floats, tossing spinners, steelhead, and the down & dirty technique may not come in as handy. After visiting a couple of doctors/specialists the last few days, and being poked & prodded a number of times in some uncomfortable places, there’s a more than probable chance that I will be battling testicular cancer (Not 100% sure yet). How aggressive or whether it has already spread in some way, shape or form, I don’t know yet either but it's pretty nerve racking thinking about it. The doctors seem to be quite concerned about the case. I go for an ultrasound tomorrow.

I promised a few people on the board that I’d hook up with them this fall for steelhead (to big, distant rivers as well as to a few smaller local ditches...possibly with the prospect of a burger afterwards) but that may have to wait for a bit depending on the results of the ultrasound tomorrow.

I'm currently finding solace in my loving family, close friends, listening to my Mozart MP3s and spinning a couple of my centrepin reels around in front of the computer while surfing OFC. I'm not usually one to ask for anything that I couldn't find or get myself first, but if you can spare a bit of Luck and Karma and send it my way, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Many thanks in advance

Mike

Sweet pictures as always Mark