# how did you start?



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

steelhead fishing? i got very early lessons in bottom bouncing from my father (5-8 yrs old) never had much luck. my dad got out of steelheading his last few yrs and passed away when i was 12. i didnt pick it up again until i was 14-15, and couldnt buy a fish for a couple yrs with any method but flipping spinners. i always waited until march and april and did ok. then graduated hs, no sports, so i got the serious bug, went to gvsu and actually got really hooked on steelheading. learned a lot of new methods and still addicted. 
i know its the time of yr a lot of newbies are giving it a shot and started wondering how everyone else got the addiction/affliction? to me it has become a drug 7-8 months out of the yr.
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## bowhunter42 (Aug 22, 2012)

Drugs and steelheading? You must be fishin the west side of the damn!

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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

It all started with my father also. The man is a walleye trolling freak, hes calmed down alot now but if i told you some of the numbers them guys used to boat its insane. So being the good walleye fisherman he was wed always hit the river before it closed and troll for eyes and caught the occasional steelhead which got me wondering what those were all about and the rest is basically history.


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

My dad isnt a really big fisherman. 

I grew up on the east side of the state chasing Bass, bluegill, walleye, etc. 

Moved to Marquette to attend NMU and did some trout fishing and what not up there. 

Moved to the best side after hurricane Katrina destroyed my life down in New Orleans (10 years ago?). 

Picked up small stream trout fishing, but also hooked into Steelhead on my spinners when they were in the tribs. 

My Dad's friend is an avid Steelheader, and taught me the ways from there.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I started with my Dad in the 90's, but didn't get to go a lot. He fished the mouth of the Au Sable 95% of the time and almost always got fish. He got out of steelheading due to the crowds and really got into smallies. I had a few years in the very early 2000's where I didn't hardly go. I didn't know much at this point, due to lack of time on the river.

I finally got a reliable car and started hitting the Au Sable on my own twice a week in 2003. By 2004, I was getting fish almost all the time. I parked my car and would walk that river for MILES in a day. Along the way, I saw people fishing certain runs and people hooked up in certain runs.

I was a bottom-bouncer only at first, until I saw some guys fighting a fish with a bobber on their line in a particular hole. So I went back to that hole, rigged up a bobber(had no idea) and caught a nice male on my second drift. From that point on, I branched out into the alright steelheader I am today. Still prefer the BEST side over the West side to this day:lol:.


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## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

I can't remember how old I was (12-14), but Dad and I went to the PM in August to fish for trout. Dad was down river from me and tieing on a new spinner and pointed into the hole between us. On my first cast I had a fish slam it and then started to put a whoopin on me. Thankfully I held on with the 5' UL and 6lb line to land my first Skam. It was a blast and I remember just shaking after I landed it. Ever since I really enjoy steelhead fishing even though I am not the best at it yet:lol:. Being self taught and learning the rivers on your own can take awhile to get it figured out.


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## Steelee (Aug 26, 2003)

Grew up 3 blocks from Lake Erie in a W. suburb of Cleveland 50 years ago. Lake was so polluted, all the beautiful beaches were closed. Had a pier and caught sheephead, catfish, carp, and sometimes a smelt or perch. Loved it.

Never lived in trout territory till work brought me to GR in the mid 1980's. Guy from work took me salmon and steelhead fishing wading in the PM. Loved it. Fished flies from the start with a noodle rod. Migrated to fly rod and reel, tying flies, and fishing for trout in the early 90's. With kids and college expenses, fished with a 7 weight for everything for at least 5 years.

I was able to retire 4 years ago. I have a home in Newaygo, with the Mighty Mo 50 feet from my back door with a low bank. Bought a small 14 foot boat and small jet. I have realized my dream, and I can go fishing any time I want to. That is a gift.

I watched "A River Runs Through It" last night. Amazing

Regards, Steelee


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## RobW (Dec 6, 2012)

I had to learn it all on my own. My absent father wasn't much for passing anything along. I read an article about the St. Mary's, and went up and made lots of mistakes. I read everything I could get my hands on, and talked to anyone willing to give a little advice. I catch a few now and then, always looking for another learning opportunity.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

I grew up fishing for gills and the such and then around 8 yrs old I had a neighbor who would take me along big lake trolling and sometimes up to Tippy/Hespo/Croton. I don't remember much about then except catching some whopper steels and puking out of his big lake boat. Fast forward to adulthood.... Everything I did revolved around BMX.... Didn't have time to become engrossed in anything else.. Got out of that due to a bad injury and then started fishing again. I never really stopped fishing but it was something I rarely did anymore. Ended up hooking up with an old friend, went trout fishing and then steelhead fishing.... I tried floating store bought spawn under a bobber with a circle hook.... and I actually hooked up. The fish I hooked jumped 4 ft out of the water about 10 times in about 30 seconds.... Needless to say it got off but ever since then I have been an absolute freak. I have 2 boats and I spend A LOT of time on the water learning things for myself and trying to master my craft.


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

I was born with a silver wrapped Lamiglas in my hand.
My dad was an avid Salmon/Steelhead fisherman here in Michigan.
My Grandfather, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins were avid in Washington State.
Cannot think of a time early on in life where steelhead and salmon fishing did not play an active role in family life.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Family history steeped in fishing. I have been a fisherman since age 2. I had read of Steelhead as a kid, in 1975 my Dad took me to Manistee trolling for Kings, then a lot of river fishing around the East side. Steelhead were always part of the mix when throwing spoons, they then became the target of choice!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

if we want to talk salmon i remember being about 5. sleeping in the pickup bed on the lower betsie. taking the morning float to dads favorite holes. 10 lb test split shot, number 4 gold hooks and big bags and the smell of anise oil. i take the same float every yr w dads best friend and listen to the tales of yrs gone by.
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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

I am not sure what exact age I became proficient at steelhead drift fishing. I want to say 10-12 is when I started. I was fishing the creeks mouths for skams before that, but that was sit fishing. Took my father a while to trust me enough to handle drift fishing in a crowd from shore. Learned from him and countless other older local legends. Was not long after I was the one out fishing them all day after day during the spring run. Would go almost literally every day after school during that time of year. Had allot of good times with some very good drift fisherman, not the flossers that common "the run" at Berrien Springs Dam. Since then I have branched out of drift fishing, and lost my touch for it significantly. But got back into it a bit this Feb. and hooked fish every trip (not many landed) but it was enough to feel content.


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

I live to far from the steel to be addicted but I started when a friend took me to the "sawdust" hole on spring break to go stealhead fishing.
At the time I didn't even know what a stealhead was but had been a fisherman since 4 years old. That year I caught a skipper and a 11 lb crome male on my last cast after fishing all week long, probably put 80 hours in at that one hole.  I hope to fish for them a lot more and learn the bobber technique. I just need to find some SE rivers that hold decent numbers, and get some skein, guess I'll have to toss flies till I get one. That could take awhile. :lol:
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## Beer Baron (Dec 29, 2009)

H


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## 2manyfish (Feb 17, 2003)

I read about steelhead fishing in Woods n Water... Said they started running is late Feb. early march... Armed with a box full of orange spinners I drove from Lansing to the Dow (sorry guys).. Hiked about a mile down river and within my first 30 minutes on the river got caught in the current and took water over my waders... Back to the truck, cold/wet on on my way home... Those are the trips that keep you coming back. Never gave up-- Took me almost a year to land my first fish. Met a guy on the banks of the Paw Paw (sorry again) delete if necessary, who showed me how to fish with bobber/spawn. Let me fight one of his fish... Well, 12 years and 20k later I love every bit of time I get to spend on the river.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

Started out chasing them in the late 70's on a Kazoo trib with spinners in high school. What a rush to hook into that much power on a small brush filled stream. Lost more than we landed. Went in with three buddies and bought 20 acres just outside Dublin in the mid 80's. Built a cabin, and started fishing below Tippy, Suicide, Tunk, Sawdust, etc, bouncing spawn until we sold the property about 2006. Now I still am silly enough to get up at 3:00AM, drive 2.5 hours at $4.00 a gallon to get a hole on the Betsie or PM before light....fish all day...sleep in the truck...and do it again the next day...all for fish I don't even keep. Currently fish mostly with a fly rod drifting eggs and stones, but purchased a pin and anxious to start becoming proficient fishing bobbers.


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## chris_kreiner (Sep 6, 2006)

An old buddy of mine about 6 years ago took me out for the first time. We were casting spinners and I had my little 5' ultra light bluegill rod....I was lucky and caught three my first time out. I have since learned many new techniques and learn many more every time out!! It is a diehard passion that I truly enjoy!!


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## jpmarko (Feb 26, 2010)

Well I grew up thinking fishing was LAME. I had an uncle who took me once when I was a kid and all I remember was being bored out of my mind. When I was about 23 or so, a friend of mine who just got out of the military started bothering me about going fishing. I finally went with him just to shut him up. Well, all it took was one slimy 12 lbd sheepshead to hook me for life and soon I was begging him to take me again. One day we decided to hit up the dam. It was the middle of the summer and the parking lot was PACKED. We walked down to the river and all I remember was stringers everywhere with bright, long silver fish... That's right, skamania. I looked at one and remember thinking it looked so beautiful lol. Still can't get over them.


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## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

I came home from college to visit my parents in Cadillac. Went to Fisherman's Headquarters in Wellston, they suggested Tippy Dam for summer runs. I went there during the middle of the day, fished into the night. Just before dusk, a guy hooks up, the beast jumps out of the water and his reel screams. He lost that fish but hooked this young fisherman. Been steelie fishing ever since.


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## newaygogeorge (Aug 16, 2006)

My wife and i bought our little piece of heaven in newaygo county 18yrs ago only river fished for salmon a few times prior on the east side of the state. when my son turned 9 i decided to book a father & son steelhead trip on the mighty mo. We caught so many steelhead by the end of the day my son's shoulder was too sore to cast anymore and now we are hooked lol. thanks Chad!
This year will be our 15th father & son march steelhead fishing event, we look so much forward to it every year especically knowing turkey and morel huinting is just around the corner.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

Pops took me steelhead fishing for the first time when I was about 13. We fished at Elk Dam. By watching others and trying to learn we kinda figured it out. I then discovered some nearby creeks that had chrome and its been game on every since.
I didn't really start going after them till I could drive. My cousin told me about tippy dam. Id never seen or heard of such a large dam. It sounded awesome. As I had been only fishing the small tribs around tc. My first trip to tippy and I was hooked I loved that place and still do. I learned alot very quickly by spending alot of time there. Some good some bad. I evolved from bouncing spawn to lining with flies to discovering the ferocious bites the magical wobble glo could produce. Eventually I got sick of snagging fish and leaving a ton of lead on the bottom and retying all the time. I started bobber fishing and refining my bottom bouncing technique.
These days you'll usually find me with a pin rod in my hand working over potential holding water with a precision presentation. If I'm near dams or any other locations with a clean drift I'll grab the drift rod and bounce some bags through the runs before moving the boat.
I still love feeling that thump.
Here fishy fishy..


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## clackercraft (Feb 19, 2009)

I started steel fishing in the mid 80's I was 7 or 8. My dad used to fish the PM all the time. He would sit on the bank and I would climb on his sholders, he would wade acrosss and drop me off on the other bank. I had an old pair of his hip boots. Dad would stuff the end of em with newspaper so they fit a little better. We always bottom bounced with spawn. I dont think my dad ever got to land a fish. He would always give me the rod. I cought a lot more fish when I was 7 or 8 than I do now. I have so many great memorys of fish cought and great times with my Dad.


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

I got my start when i was around 16. I started fishing for Kings when i was 12 and i couldnt get enough of it. But the king season seemed so short and i really enjoyed being on the river. My uncles Father in law was a big steelhead guy and i used to drive up north and stay with him during the spring and fall. He showed me everything, all his spots, techniques and so forth. Just recently my uncles father inlaw got diagnosed with alstimers so now im the one doing the teaching. Its unbelievable how when i was just a kid he took me in like i was his own and now the tables have kinda turned. im not sure how long he will be able to fish still but i am defiantly going to do anything i can to return the favor. He has instilled a passion in me that will last forever.


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

I started fishing salmon and steelhead back in 70-71, much of it due to reading about the coho mania that was taking place back in the last half of the 60's. Though my Dad was a fisherman and was the man responsible for getting me into it, he was not a trout/salmon guy, for him, walleye was king. So, with my enthusiasm to try this new, exciting fishery we learned about it together. I, however, was into a number of other things during that time period, so I would categorize my participation as occasional.

I really getting bit by the bug hard in about 80-81 though, and that's where the obsession began. At that time, I started learning I didn't need to drive 4 hours to catch a steelhead or salmon. I scoured over every bit of information on this I could. Print material by Swan, Bedford, Modrynski, Darwin, Davis etc was read repeatedly and kept for reference almost like professional journals. Then, soon afterwards, preoccupation with that silver glitter critter fueled other stuff like rod building, spinner making, fly tying, and onwards.


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## SALMOTRUTTA (Nov 10, 2010)

First started on the pier about 11 years ago for kings and caught the occasional "steelheaded Salmon" as I thought they were a salmon. All I did then was cast spoons with a 7ft ugly stick and 30lb braid. For the first two years i never touched a fish, but then.......it happened. I was tossing a lil Cleo that was silver and blue with orange spots and on my first cast of the whole season, I hooked into the biggest fish I had ever seen in my life at the time, fought it for damn near 15 minutes and landed a BRIGHT chrome king that weighed every bit of 25 pounds on the manistee pier. Being so incredibly pumped about this fish, I wanted to get another and without thinking I casted ten foot off the pier (I was still learning the ins and outs) let my spoon sink two seconds before I hooked up again. This time it was a "steelheaded" salmon, a skam, actually. Jumping and flying out of the water. I was amazed by this feat of acrobatic skill and it piqued my interest in steelhead. I got the bug so bad I actually picked up my stuff and moved up here from downstate after I got a job offer while talking to a guy on the same pier I landed my first steelhead from and have been here ever since.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

SteelieArm14 said:


> I got my start when i was around 16. I started fishing for Kings when i was 12 and i couldnt get enough of it. But the king season seemed so short and i really enjoyed being on the river. My uncles Father in law was a big steelhead guy and i used to drive up north and stay with him during the spring and fall. He showed me everything, all his spots, techniques and so forth. Just recently my uncles father inlaw got diagnosed with alstimers so now im the one doing the teaching. Its unbelievable how when i was just a kid he took me in like i was his own and now the tables have kinda turned. im not sure how long he will be able to fish still but i am defiantly going to do anything i can to return the favor. He has instilled a passion in me that will last forever.


it is really sad to see gary slip. whag a great guy. im one of his regular customers for a lot of my gear. he definately loves fishing, sad to see this happen to such a great guy. hopefully he will have his camper up next year. one of the nicest people and families i know. 
one yr on the betsie i ran out of skein, all i had to do is walk over to his camper and he handed me 2 bags which got me through the weekend. 
i havent seen him since sept, how is he? i should stop over soon.
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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

I'll jump in the(Way Back Machine) cault my frist fish in Merry Waters Park,(it's gone now) in 1949 (age 4) it was a carp, it weight over a 1000 lb. n was bigger then me.(got scared,gave the pole to my ma) From age 4 to 8 i did alot of fishing with my grandpa (mostly bullheads) on Reeds Lake, where he kept a boat. At age 9 i got a bike :yikes:. For you local guy I fished every body of water with in 10 miles of my house ( Houseman Field area) (cault brook, 100 yards from the corner of michigan n fuller) When i was 16 got a job.( as a caddie) saved my money got a car :yikes: Cault my frist steelhead on the little man (at the tubes) when i was 16 (1961) I don't think they were even planting back then. Got my frist limit(5) of steelhead in 1964 on the grand (east corner) Now many years n many 1000's of steelhead later. I'm still after them, n still injoying each n every fish i hook. ps. i feel sad for those that got a late start,but they say it's never to late. go git um


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

pops and cousin took me fishing on the AuSable when I was about 10 years old. Being a little kid I didn't really fear anything or was shy towards anyone. I would just walk up to random guys and ask them a million questions on how they were fishing. Guys would let me reel in fish and show me what to use and how to rig up a line. I owe a lot of credit to my pops and those old timers on the river back then. I still see a lot of them now when I head up there. They probably don't recognize me, but I remember them. It's funny how when you are a kid guys are more than willing to help you out and show you stuff, but when you get older people are more and more reluctant to help.

I was on the AuSable last weekend and some guy came walking down the trail, I could tell he had no clue what he was doing. He started talking to me about how it was his third time out and he'd never landed one before. I showed him how to rig up a line and let him cast in the hole I had been fishing for about 30 minutes. His third cast he nailed a beautiful hen. I'd never seen someone so happy. I think I was more satisfied watching him catch his first steelhead than when I landed one. Regardless of age, it's always nice to help a fellow sportsman out. Afterall, we all started as a novice right?


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

My dad worked lots to take care of the family, so I only fished a handful of times till I was 20 years old. I always wanted too, and ended up bass fish with a co-worker, I caught a 5 and 6# bass that year. It was two years later he asked me to go up north salmon fishing, at this point I never seen one and have no clue what too expect.

We ended up at tippy 3 in the morning on a Friday the first week of October. Woww that was a eye opener!! He told me these fish don't bite tho so
We snag them, I never ended hooking anything and went for a swim in the big man, not fun but enough to get back the next year.

The next year did a little research for the next trip, and came up with bottom bouncing yarn with a single hook. Lost two fish that year. After that I found local water that has some opportunity for steelhead, that was good for learning with other fisherman to watch and ask questions. The Internet has been a good tool also.

Now I'm hooked for life!! Mostly centerpin now, but like casting cranks when time is right, and bottom bounce a little bit. I've turned my buddy around on the snagging and showed him these fish will take.

The first three years were very hard, going up north and not even touch a fish in days of fishing. I think I caught more fish last month then what I did the first three.

Since I started it has grown in to a daily habit, it's hard to keep me off the water. I now own a 18' flat bottom, 8 or so rods, reels, waders and all types of fishing related gear. There's so much I enjoy, my recent favorite is spinning bobbers.


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## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

I have been fishing inland lakes and warm water since I was five. 

Three years ago during September I was absolutely clueless on salmon & steel head fishing but I was targeting smallies on the Grand with small rapalas and I tied into a couple of Kings..they all snapped me off after a hard fight but I was shocked by the power they had and I have been addicted ever since...I didn't even know what they were when I had them on lol...I just knew they were big fish lol.

I started steelhead fishing last year and love how it extends my fishing season year around.


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

Isn't it funny how when you talk to non-fishing folks about fishing during the winter how they automatically assume you're out ice fishing?


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## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

I hate ice fishing...I love winter steelhead fishing!


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

REG said:


> Isn't it funny how when you talk to non-fishing folks about fishing during the winter how they automatically assume you're out ice fishing?


Or you tell them your out steelhead fishing and they say " they are in the rivers right now?"


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

First Skam story: Father's Day 2008: my wife went down to visit her family for the week. I had the whole week to myself to fish n drink. 

After a late night of drinking by myself (quite common) I woke up early to head out to to the st joe pier to toss spoons. 

About an hour after being there, on the north pier, I had to crap something fierce. It came on faster than I thought so I ran down the pier towards shore. I knew I couldn't make it so I just jumped in, pulled down my pants and let loose the monster clawing its way out. That monster was straight up liquid. I found that you actually have to swim while you are poopin as to avoid just sitting in your filth. I swam back to the beach and then made my way back to my rod still sitting on the pier. About 30 minutes later I hooked into a Skam and had taken my shower for the day taboot.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

LMFAO.. 

Best story as of yet.. :lol:


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## llpof (Mar 31, 2012)

tannhd said:


> First Skam story: Father's Day 2008: my wife went down to visit her family for the week. I had the whole week to myself to fish n drink.
> 
> After a late night of drinking by myself (quite common) I woke up early to head out to to the st joe pier to toss spoons.
> 
> About an hour after being there, on the north pier, I had to crap something fierce. It came on faster than I thought so I ran down the pier towards shore. I knew I couldn't make it so I just jumped in, pulled down my pants and let loose the monster clawing its way out. That monster was straight up liquid. I found that you actually have to swim while you are poopin as to avoid just sitting in your filth. I swam back to the beach and then made my way back to my rod still sitting on the pier. About 30 minutes later I hooked into a Skam and had taken my shower for the day taboot.


Pardon the expression; but holy crap! That was you?


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Well if you were there then yes, that was actually me. I thought I did it all sneaky like and no one knew what had actually happened. 


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## jerrob (Aug 6, 2011)

LMAO! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
Did ya use that Skam to wipe?


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

No. The crisp, refreshing waters of Lake Michigan licked my butthole clean.


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