Sea Island Fly Fishers

Nemours Wildlife Federation Tour – December 3, 2024

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On December 3rd, 2024 the Nemours Wildlife Foundation welcomed the Sea Island Fly Fishers for a private group tour! 20 SIFF members joined Nemours Education & Outreach Coordinator, Heather Kraus for a guided, standalone wagon tour behind the property’s gates. The tour, lasted 1-1/2 hours and the group got a chance to view managed tidal impoundments, upland pine savannas, and other unique landscapes.

The Nemours Wildlife Foundation was formally established in 1995 and currently holds five merged plantations along with some smaller tracts, totaling approximately 9,860 acres along 10 miles of Combahee river frontage. Over the 30 years since its establishment, Nemours has served as a hub for scores of interns and graduate students learning the tools of the conservation trade. It has hosted educational opportunities for school groups, community members, and professionals, and has played a leading role in helping to craft policy facilitating the conservation of the historic rice field impoundments that make this landscape so unique. Today, Nemours is home to a tremendous diversity of wildlife and habitats and is considered a leader in research and conservation in the ACE Basin – a truly breathtaking landscape the Nature Conservancy once listed as one of the “Last Great Places on Earth.”

Through donations from the club’s Conservation Fund, SIFF supports the Nemours Foundation’s mission to facilitate conservation and human well-being in the ACE Basin and beyond through collaborative scientific research, leadership development, management demonstration, and experiential education. For more information and to donate, go to https://nemourswildlifefoundation.org/

On the Fly Quarterly Tournament – Fall 2024

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Congratulations go to Patten Bruce, winner of the Fall Quarter in Redfish category. Patten posted 6 Redfish catches during the quarter adding up to 141.25″ in total length!

In the Sea Trout category, it was John Mathews landing no fewer than 39 fish for a cumulative total of 525″! Way to go John!

The Winter Quarter started on January 1, 2024 and will run to March 31, 2024. There is no fee to register and the tournament is open to all active members. The format is designed to encourage participation with other members. Click Here for more information.

John Mathews Wade Report

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Long time Sea Island Fly Fishers (SIFF) member, John Mathews, creator of SIFF’s Marsh Sense Clinics, has made close to 500 wading trips into our local marshes and is well positioned to educate club members in the basics of successfully wading and fishing in the tidal marsh environment and, above all, doing it safely.

Now, John will be sharing his experiences and observations in a series of reports to help you improve your game!

On The Fly Quarterly Tournament – Summer 2023

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Congratulations to John Holbrook, winner of the Summer Quarter in the Redfish category. John, a seasoned fly fisher, posted 15 Redfish catches during the quarter adding up to 335.25″ in total length!

Click Here to view the reported catches!

There were no entries in the sea trout or flounder category.

For more information on the tournament, please Click Here

SIFF Donations to Local Conservation Programs

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Sea Island Fly Fishers, in line with its mission to promote conservation of our marine ecosystems, recently presented a $1000 donation to each of several local programs. These donations, made possible by membership support, will go toward the furtherance of conservation initiatives and protecting the natural environment. Being good stewards of our fishery, members of the Sea Island Fly Fishers recognize the importance of preserving natural resources for future generations and is committed to doing its part in supporting local conservation efforts. Sea Island Fly Fishers hopes that these donations will inspire others in the community to get involved and give their support as well.

Special Auction – Hobie Kayak – Closed

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High Bid Amount	Date	Time
$1002.38	04/27/2023	11:59 AM

This auction has been made possible by the donation of a fishing kayak by a very generous SIFF member. Up for auction is a Hobie Outback Mirage fishing kayak, complete with all accessories , ready to fish creeks and big water. The minimum bid for this item is $500.00. Bidding is now open and will close on April 27, 2023 at 12 noon (ET). All proceeds will benefit SIFF initiatives and conservation efforts. The highest bid will be posted on this page at the end of each day. The kayak is located in Bluffton, SC. Viewing by appointment. Local delivery only.

On The Fly Quarterly Tournament – Winter 2023

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Congratulations go to Margie Kaat, winner of the Winter Quarter in 2 categories, Redfish and Sea Trout! Margie, an avid fly fisher, posted 13 Redfish catches during the quarter adding up to 247.25″ in total length! Margie went on to post 11 Sea Trout catches, the cumulative total reaching 159.5″.

We would also like to thank Patten Bruce, Jim Burden, and Mike Mets who each posted admirable catches during the competition period! Click Here to view the reported catches!

Margie Kaat was the only competitor to post Sea Trout entries. There were no entries in the flounder category.

For more information on the tournament, please Click Here

SIFF Fly Tying Expo

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The Sea Island Fly Fishers held a free fly tying “Expo” at the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s classroom on Saturday, March 18th between 9:30 am and 12 noon.

The gathering was the “kickoff” event to restart SIFF’s fly tying program. It was open to everyone interested in flies, tying flies, the art of fly tying, fly fishing, and fishing the Lowcountry via wading or boating. Giving of their time and experience were noted and expert tiers from the SIFF membership as well as those from the Lowcountry fly fishing community. Tiers demonstrated and discussed tying their favorite fly patterns and shared their knowledge of fly fishing the Lowcountry with all those attending.

SIFF Litter Pick-Up Day

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In furtherance of our mission to be good stewards of our fisheries and waterways, Sea Island Fly Fishers, in partnership with Beaufort County’s Adopt a Highway program, held an inaugural litter pick up event on Saturday, February 25th at the Broad River fishing pier. Pickup tools and bags were provided by the county. Seven members of the Sea Island Fly Fishers came together that day and spent several hours scouring the road side leading to the fishing pier. In that time, a large pile of trash and debris was collected from the hillsides and dense growth that covers them. Several bags from the boat launch area were also picked up. Of note was the front end of a car, a water softener system, a car alternator, and a perfectly functional spinning reel.

The intrepid members of the clean up crew included Trent Bentzel, Tom Denny (not pictured), Bill Despo, Stodd McEwan, John Mathews, Tommy Sloan, and Tom Onisko.

This event was a great success and all involved agreed that the program should continue. Watch the events calendar for our next clean up day!

John Holbrook’s LowCountry Fly Patterns

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LC Shrimp | LC Fiddler | LC Ghost Strip

Every dedicated fly tier has a story. John Holbrook’s story is the best I’ve every heard, and by the way, if redfish are your passion, his insight into patterns and fishing for these bruisers is pretty damn impressive, too.