The Silver Striper

Ipswich River Craft is now five years old, and I’ve just released a hot new piece with a great story to boot.

It’s called “The Silver Striper” — a hand-carved mahogany striped bass, finished in brilliant silver leaf. It’s shiny, bold, and full of character — a modern twist on a classic coastal symbol.
Move over, Golden Cod… there’s a new fish on the wall.

We all know the Golden Cod honors the historic importance of the cod fishery in the North East — a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and welcome. But these days, it’s the Striped Bass that stirs the hearts (and rods) of anglers up and down the coast. From spring in the Chesapeake Bay to late summer in Maine, the annual migration of stripers is something locals anticipate and celebrate — and here in Ipswich, they’re jumping from May through September.

That’s exactly how this idea was born. Many early mornings, just as the sun begins to rise, my husband jumps out of bed after hearing the action right in front of our house — stripers jumping in the Ipswich River. Now, he keeps a fishing rod by the door, always ready for that telltale splash when the fish return each summer.

Some days, he’s skunked — not a bite, not a ripple. But it’s the rush of the moment, the chance to land a keeper, that keeps him coming back. And when he does catch one, he always throws it back — honoring the fish, the river, and the season that inspired this piece.

Each Silver Striper is carved, silver-leafed, signed, and individually numbered. The finish is bright and striking, but do not expect the perfect gloss of chrome — it has slight variations that make every fish a true original. It’s a piece of coastal art that reflects the hand that made it — and the place it comes from.

Ipswich River Craft: Tent DO-10

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