The Fish Wrap Writer Blog
For more than 20 years, we have been learning from and writing about outdoorsmen and women who fish, hunt, hike, pause, and sometimes just look around. Fish Wrap has been published over 480 times. Here you will find articles, interviews, reports, laughs, a few stretched truths (that’s true), and an unfortunate number of obituaries from good folks we have lost.
Please search, enjoy, and let me know if you know someone who we should meet.
Thank You Steve Medeiros
This piece ran in Fish Wrap in 2021, just after the passing of Steve Medeiros on September 13. Steve left an indelible mark on the Rhode Island fishing community, some will never know how much he did for anglers and shoreline access. We pay tribute to him again....
Russ Mack’s Hammerhead Shark Surprise
Russ Mack's Hammerhead Shark Surprise “It was weird, it was cool, because we had been getting brown sharks and then we hooked into that…” said Russ Mack, a twenty-year-old fisherman with the knowledge and confidence earned by anglers twice his age. He fishes South...
Trout Unlimited R.I. Photo Contest
Now's the time. Now's the time to gather your photographs of Rhode Island waters, landscapes and people, then enter Trout Unlimited's Rhode Island chapter photo contest. Maybe a photo about water, like Jamestown. RIP Lew Kitts. Maybe something scenic, like Wood...
Author Michael Tougias, Sharks and Survival
Author Michael Tougias, continuing a long run of fast paced, true-life stories, has written In Deep Water, A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage. It is gripping for its account of three almost lost souls and remarkable for how they survived.
Salt Pond News, Gossip, Warnings and Whispers
Sliding my kayak into the pond, a moderately early arrival earned me first crack at a new day’s news. The pond was alight with news, gossip, warnings and whispers. A three mile per hour breeze carried news from an oyster catcher that my arrival near a small point with shallow water was the cause of some concern. She raised wings of alarm and moved along, although only to a salty maple branch some fifty feet north. Good soldiers keep steady eyes on visitors.
The Guide To Urban Fly Fishing
Marc Fryt's new book, The Guide To Urban Fly Fishing, is a balanced offering of advice, suggestions, gear tips and encouragements for readers to find some down-city fish. He emphasizes conservation of all waters while helping readers expand their ideas of where fish may be found, caught and released. From big cities to small town public parks, creeks to rivermouths, he introduces acres of new fly fishing possibilities and moments of hope in this busy world. Pack this book with a subway pass and fly box to start creating your new urban fish stories.
Gerry Engel’s Beautiful Fly Tying Tools
Gerry Engel, finally left the Alaskan woods to build the finest wood fly tying accessories for anglers and fly tyers. All from salvaged Pacific northwest native trees, his caddies, bobbin holder and cabinets are world class additions to any tying desk. In this piece, we meet Gerry and discover his art and how his Bench Buddys became so popular.
2026 Surfcasters Surf Day
Surf Day New and Used Tackle Sale is arguably the most important fishing event of the winter. This year, the Narragansett Surfcasters promise more, more tackle, more tables, more rods, gear and accessries. With more room at the W.Warwick Civic Center, it's centrally located so please don't miss the fun.
Thirsty For Pulaski’s Salmon River
Thirsty For Pulaski's Salmon River, we were driven, by a Royale Coach no less, in pursuit of chinook salmon and chasing steelhead. Bob Littlefield drove all the roads where fish might be as I managed his vegan diet and lack of catching any fish. But we travelled in style through upstate New York, meeting people but not fish and savoring some farm cuisine we came so close to catching. It's a journey, this Pulaski fishing thing.
Pulaski Salmon, For Some
Pulaski Salmon, For Some means there are fish in a pretty river and those in the know will catch some and some will write about the opposite. This was a great trip, casting in God's country for steelhead and salmon but sometimes, you just don't catch the fish, even after you found the fish.
Striper Fishing Through Fall’s Twilight
I have fished for decades yet still burst with excitement at even a hint of a swirl or splash near me. Striper fishing through fall's twilight is a magic reminder of how special this season is for fishers and hunters. This week, read how to stalk and catch big bass in shallow water, armed with shooting stars and dark waters.
Cora’s First Amazing Trout
On a pretty late spring day, Cora waited a long time, watching a bobber, hoping for that first amazing trout. The Surfcasters made it happen. The Narragansett Surfcasters, lead by Bruce Bain, held another Take A Kid Fishing Day and this time, one sweet young woman left with a memories and maye a new perspective on life.
Trout Fishing the Deerfield River
With midges and an ace guide, we fished Massachusett's Deerfield River for rainbow, brook and pretty, elusive wild browns. Joe Benson was our guide; he led us easily and wisely, we caught, released and missed a few along the Charlemont stretch of America's hardest working river. It was the best day eva.
2025 Spring Gear Guide for Rhode Island Fishermen
Click to browse our 2025 spring gear guide for all those Rhode Island and southern New England anglers who love quality gear. Click to view.
Brackish Outfitters Builds Lifetime Rods
Brackish Outfitters builds lifetime rods for anglers who appreciate silent streams, city canals and big surf beaches. Owner Geoff Klane ties flies, builds rods and guides clients through deep wooded stretches in search of wild brook trout and long runs of Cape Cod beaches where stripers lurk. Each build is art.
Testing Titan’s Pro55Q Cooler
Titan Pro's 55Q cooler may be one of your best longlife gear purchases. It proved to be tough, very well designed in every way and performed with a common sense approach to adventure food and drink storage. The designers did not miss a thing. This gets the very first Fish Wrap Seal of Approval.
Spring’s Secret Striper Cove
Each new spring offers opportunity and peaceful adventures for salt pond anglers. I return to a favorite secret striper cove, partially undiscovered, silently sublimely obvious, teeming with chances for whatever we call fishing success. Spring revives us, she unlatches her gate to a warm summer, so in this piece, we begin a new fishing year with hope tucked away in plain sight.
RITU’s Annual Fundraiser Banquet
RITU's Annual Fundraiser Banquet is not to be missed by anyone who appreciates cold water conservation, a fine dinner and cool gear auctions both live and silent. With George Daniel at the podium after dinner, you will stock up on gear and advise on how to cast and fish more effectively. This is a wonderful afternoon that supports Trout Unlimited in Rhode Island.
Peace With Snowplow Drivers
We offer 5 tips to preserve the peace between snowplow drivers and your ever-cleaned driveway. It's snow and it's not that hard to get along. You want a clean driveway at all hours and we want clear roads for everyone. A little cooperation and understanding of the bigger picture will get us there.
Trout Unlimited Resurrects Christmas Trees
The annual Trees for Trout collection saved 400 trees from landfills, affording them new lives in a much-loved Wood River next summer. Trout Unlimited and RIDEM joined forces again to save then reestablish Christmas trees to create revetments which will provide shade and shelter to fresh water fishes, like trout. Trout Unlimited beats with a heart of volunteerism and this year was another strong success.