Brothers united to keep streams flowing freely

So really, my first message is, thank you. Thanks for your patience. I took a break from writing Fish Wrap to attend to a few older life health details and honestly, to enjoy some family time. Fish Wrap has thrived in this space for ten years this March and every single moment has been wonderful and rewarding.

Classic Ralph Craft of Crafty One Customs

For ten years, in addition to the many years I wrote for other people in other places, on paper and on the interweb, I have undoubtably been blessed to meet the finest people and absolutely the craziest characters all over New England and even overseas. I enjoyed writing every column, even the ones delivered a whisker shy of deadline.

Rosie and her dad, Hugh, holding a clinic on fly tying

From my heart, thanks for your patience. Thank you to all who have asked why I’m not in your papers or on your screens. Your inquisitions mean the world to me.

The happiest father and son team ever!

Last week, I was splitting wood, and of course, listening to Jerry Garcia on my headphones. All of a sudden, a man was standing a few feet in front of me. Full disclosure, he scared the hell out of me.

“Damn! Whoa! Who are you and what can I do for you?”
“My name’s Craig. Are you the guy who wrote the piece about Mike Doyle?

“I am.”

“I just wanted to say thank you. It meant a lot to me. Thanks.”

RIP Mike “Uncle” Doyle

Those moments remind me just how lucky I have been to push this pen for so many years.

vets day with the ever-generous Narragansett Surfcasters. Justyn Charon photo

These day’s, I’m busy trying to finish a total rewrite of my first young adult book, “Time and Tide Are Running Out For The Brewer Brothers.” If you missed the free download, I’m hoping to have in available in print soon. That book is based on the amazing Simpson Brothers, to whom I remain eternally grateful for our meeting, even though a few summer’s later they insisted I wear a blindfold on the way to their secret spot. Can you imagine, a man of my stature…Please stay tuned for the book release. I’m hopeful it’s the start of many featuring those two characters.

Simpson Salt Pond Pirates. Love those guys!

I’ve been happily working with the Fish Nerds podcast which is a real hoot with real people who love fish, fishing, and cooking fish. Please check them out and please subscribe to the podcast. It’s pretty clever…

As such, I’ll be back on the laptop shortly, perhaps in a different space, perhaps not. I have some opportunities and all of them will include those wonderful characters I love to write about and the places I love to fish. Thank you all you all. Maybe you have no idea what it’s like to have someone stop you on the street and ask if everything is ok, because they haven’t seen Fish Wrap in a while. It’s powerful and I am grateful.

Now it’s time to fire up the grill and get back to writing.

Thank you and stay tuned…

sometimes, kissing a fish is the best way to say thank you