martywencek

Marty Wencek

Saltwater fishing and fishing lure historian
Vintage fishing lure collector
Avid surfcaster and all around angler in Rhode Island for 50 years
Record holder for RI rainbow trout for a 30 year period (1991-2021; 11 lbs., 28”)
Member Narragansett Pier Sportfishing Association and Narragansett Surfcasters fishing club

Marty Wencek has been fishing for most of his life with 50 years’ experience in Rhode Island. As a teenager living in Connecticut, he was a competitive tournament freshwater bass angler fishing the waters of New England and New York. Although he was able to occasionally fish in saltwater with family members, opportunities to do so were limited while living in Connecticut. It wasn’t until he went to college at the University of Rhode Island majoring in Natural Resources that fishing in saltwater became extremely accessible and kindled a new passion; surfcasting.

Fishing took a back seat when Marty married and began to raise a family. It was at this time that he began to appreciate vintage fishing lures since having time to get out and fish became limited. His collecting interest in fishing lures is broad, but one of his specialties is Rhode Island made saltwater lures; especially those made in Narragansett and surrounding towns.

Local saltwater fishing lure production, which began and flourished in the 1940’s and 50’s was a true cottage industry which was fueled when veterans returned home after World War II. Surfcasting became a great pastime and the demand for over-sized fishing lures to catch striped bass steadily grew through the mid 1940’s through the early 1960’s. This period of time is referred to as the Golden Age of Surfcasting here in the northeast. These locally made fishing lures were some of the best available and are responsible for some phenomenal catches of striped bass. Rhode Island and Massachusetts became key locations for surfcasting with local fisherman and tackle shop owners gaining national notoriety for their fish-catching prowess and lure making capabilities.

The New England surf fishery and the men and lures that made Rhode Island and Massachusetts surfcasting national hot spots shall be explored. Marty will also furnish antidotes as well as tips on surfcasting to help increase your surfcasting success and appreciation of this shore-based fishery.

(below: Marty with a Block Island striper - late 1980’s)