Narragansett’s Charles J. Wolf, Featured on Discovery Channel Series Lobster Wars, Dies at 44
Thursday, July 20, 2023
We sadly said goodbye to Narragansett surfcaster and owner of Surf Ninja Customs, Charles J Wolf (Lepre). Born February 13, 1979, in Warwick, RI. Charlie passed due to complications from a heart condition, on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the age of 44. Charlie was surrounded by his family, at Hope Hospice Center in Providence, RI. He leaves behind his loving wife and lifelong friend, Dina Lindia, two children that were his world, his daughter, Ella Jo, his son, Benjamin Charles Lavoie and trusty sidekick Mr. Gibbs. Also survived by his mother, Dorothy (Watkins) Wolf, sister, Jonja (Wolf) Russo, brother-in-law, Vinny Russo, niece, Jolena Russo and nephew, Jonathon Charles Russo. Proceeded in death by his father, Joseph J Lepre, grandparents Thomas and Jeanette Lepre and maternal grandparents Charles J Watkins and Madeline Watkins. He also leaves loving aunts, uncles and cousins from both the Lepre and Watkins families.
Besides his wife and children, Charlie's other true love was Mother Ocean and especially striped bass. Known to some as Wendall Fauci and to others as the Wolf of Rhode Island, the one thing everyone knew Charlie as, was a devoted and passionate fisherman.
Growing up, Charlie lived in the Pettasquamscutt Lake Shore area, but he spent many mornings at the Narragansett Sea Wall and Monahan's Dock with his father Joe. During those times, his dad would spend time with the guys and was known to bring a fresh bag of doughnuts and Charlie would tag along to watch them fish. Joe was not a fisherman, but Charlie was eager to learn and master the skill. Eventually, he was taken under the wing of Narragansett Surfcasters Club founder, Nelson Valles and past yearlong champion Michael Dunphy. He didn’t know it then, but having mentors like that, he was quickly on his way to becoming a surf sharpie. He was so ambitious that although he was not able to afford lures like they had, he made his own version of a popper using the handle from a broom stick and some paint. It wasn't until decades later that this ingenuity would lead to Surf Ninja Customs, a hand-crafted wooden lure company.
As a senior at Narragansett High School, he joined the Pt Judith commercial fishing fleet. He worked on lobster boats, scallopers and everything else that fished our waters. That same year, he was offered the captain seat of the inshore Lobster Boat the Jeanie, owned and operated by Thomas Ditmar. Tom became a mentor to Charlie, teaching him the ins and outs of operating and maintaining a fishing vessel. During his career, he was featured on the Discovery Channel series Lobster Wars. At that time, he was a deckhand on The Dragon Lady, an offshore Lobster Boat out of Pt Judith. Charlie spent over 20 years in the commercial fishing industry earning a reputation as a skilled and worthy deckhand and shipmate, becoming a brother to many.
His father, Joe, passed away when Charlie was 21. He was married shortly after and had Ella in 2005 and Ben in 2007. As things go, at age 31, he became a single dad. Almost 2 years later, he asked Dina to meet for coffee and they quickly became inseparable. After suffering a severe heart attack at the age of 36, resulting in 3 open heart surgeries, he was no longer able to handle the rigors of commercial fishing. He spent 2 seasons working for a private yacht before answering an ad that led him to become the first mate aboard the charter boat REEL TO REEL, out of Point Judith. This job was where he truly felt at home, allowing him more time to fish for fun and spend with family. He stayed with the REEL to REEL until the end of the 2022 fishing season and would have done so for 2023 had health issues not begun to arise.
Charlie lived an epic life. The accomplishments, friendships and experiences that he had in his lifetime are unmeasurable. He was the winner of the Narragansett Surfcasters yearlong striped bass trophy in 2021 and 2022. He was always willing to share his fishing knowledge but stayed tight-lipped about his fishing spots. Whether trolling 60 pounders at Block, throwing wood to slot fish in the Gansett surf or schoolies in the river on New Year’s Day, if one was lucky enough to be there, they were witnessing surfcasting perfection. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. The next time you hook up at First rock, Black Point, the Lighthouse or simply set your eyes to the sea, remember Charlie has been there and will always be in our hearts.
A celebration of life for Charlie will be held Sunday, July 23, 2023 at 6:30 PM at Fisherman’s Memorial, Pt. Judith Rd. at Camp Cronin, right side before Pt. Judith Lighthouse, Narragansett.
