Fishing Hidden Waters
By Sapna Maheshwari, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
May 28–DEEP RIVER — Christopher Arelt and Sebastian O’Kelly have been avid fishermen since they were children. But don’t look for them at the popular fishing locations.
You’re far more likely to catch the Brown Water Boys at a pond next to a Taco Bell or under a highway bypass.
In their book, “The Offbeat Angler,” the pair describe their adventures fishing in “brown water” locations throughout the country. Since its release in January by Flat Hammock Press, the collection of unorthodox fishing stories has caused a splash in the world of fishing literature.
Arelt, an architect, has lived in Deep River for the past 13 years, while O’Kelly, a law firm consultant and lobbyist, lives in Bethesda, Md. The two have been fishing together since they met at Duke University, where they were roommates.
The places they fish tend to have one thing in common: They are unusual places to cast a line.
“They’re not always particularly mainstream destinations,” Arelt said. “Once we became aware of that, we set out to find others.”
About three years ago, the two decided to combine this passion with their shared interest in creative writing.
“[Sebastian] was trying to write these political thrillers during his spare time, sort of like John Grisham or Tom Clancy stories and always feeling frustrated that no one gave him the time of day,” Arelt said.
“He was bemoaning this to me one time on the phone and I said, ‘Why don’t you write about something closer to home, like all these wacky fishing adventures we’ve had over the years?’ The more I described it to him, the more I realized it was not a bad idea at all, so I thought we could do it together.”
From there, the men began putting together short stories about their unique and often humorous fishing experiences.
“We do fishing in a lot of places where you don’t expect to see fishermen,” O’Kelly said, which leads to entertaining escapades and encounters with curious onlookers.
Ponds next to nuclear power plants and Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal aren’t the fishing spots most featured on the Sportsman Channel.
But that’s what makes the book what it is, and what gives them the name the Brown Water Boys.
“They wrote a book pretty much around the concept of the pure form of fishing but doing it wherever they could and whenever they could,” Bob McKenna, editor of Flat Hammock Press, said.
Many fishing books are very scientific, weighty or philosophical, says Arelt. “The Offbeat Angler” is none of the above.
“We do have some advice but it is offbeat and hence the title,” O’Kelly said.
“Our book doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a, you know, very lighthearted kind of thing, ” Arelt said. “There’s really a consistent theme of people saying that you don’t have to be a fisherman to like it.”
The book peaked at No. 1 on Amazon.com’s top sellers in the fishing category and McKenna said it has been featured on fishing shows.
As Flat Hammock Press prepares a second printing of the book, the Brown Water Boys are considering writing another one.
Any title ideas?
Said Arelt: “I was thinking, ‘How to Fish Golf Course Ponds in the Dark.’”
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
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