Community

2025 Fly Casting Clinic

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The Sea Island Fly Fishers held the Annual Fly Casting Clinic on April 6th at the John Paul II Catholic School grounds.

We are pleased to report that the recent SIFF Fly Casting Clinic was a wonderful success, marked by a turnout of 20 enthusiastic members who gathered to improve their fly casting skills. The beautiful weather added to the success of the event which included instruction from expert fly casters, Shannon O’Quinn, Neil Neidhardt, and Greg Hamilton as well as a barbecue lunch, artfully prepared by John Mathews.

View Photos of the Event

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.

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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!

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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.

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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 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!

DICK WEHRENBERG

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BY ERIC BROWN, AKA: RIC

EVENTS LEADING TO TEN YEARS OF GREAT FISHING WITH “Dr. Dick”

To understand how I ended up spending so many enjoyable hours in a flats boat with Dick Werenberg, I came to understand his compassion for the wellbeing of his fellow man and realize his amazing depth of knowledge in so many areas. I need to start with an event which occurred before his arrival. The purchase of my first flats boat.

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