Guide Recommendation - Hilton Head, SC

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Ryan D

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Mar 2, 2016, 8:07:11 AM3/2/16
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Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.

Trent Jones

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Mar 6, 2016, 10:46:58 AM3/6/16
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Ryan,

I am sure that someone has PM you already. But I would have to throw Captain Tuck Scott in as a solid recommendation. He operates out of Bay Street Outfitters in Beaufort, SC. I have been out with him in the past and have several customers that use him and he guided one of their 12 year old sons to his first Fly caught fish last year, a 9lbs Red.

If you make it up to Beaufort make sure you get dinner at the Old Bull Tavern, its right behind the outfitters and the food is beyond awesome. If you talk with Tuck make sure to say hello and ask him if he has a reliable source for Peach Pie yet.

Good luck, and let us know how you do.

-Trent


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:

Ernie

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Mar 6, 2016, 6:02:02 PM3/6/16
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Capt. Scott Wagner- savan...@msn.com

I will be going out h him on April 8.

Ernie

Ryan DiAndrea

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Mar 7, 2016, 8:45:00 AM3/7/16
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Thanks for the info guys. I was beginning to think no one had ever fished there haha.  I'll definitely check them out.

Cheers

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Landon

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Mar 7, 2016, 3:40:47 PM3/7/16
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Ryan,

Last summer I went with Off the Hook Fishing Charters. ( http://offthehookcharters.com/ ) They do everything......inshore, light tackle, fly fishing......The owner of the Company predominantly fly fishes himself.  Great guy, great gear and definitely knows his water.  If you have any other questions just let me know.  


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:

Ryan DiAndrea

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Mar 7, 2016, 5:12:26 PM3/7/16
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Awesome. Thanks man. I'll check him out too. Much appreciated

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DaveSurfs

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Mar 7, 2016, 11:54:24 PM3/7/16
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On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.


Ryan, take a look at www.charlestonfishing,com. They have a forum section dedicated to fishingbthe Low Country, inshore, offshore on the fly, whatever you like. I lived at Parris Island (Beaufort) for 3 years, loved the fishing, and really learned a ton from the forum and community.

Be prepared for the sand fleas (no seeums) and have appropriate clothing from ankle to wrist, a buff, and hat. Avon skin so soft helps w/ the bugs, but dont get it on your hands or flies.

Tight Lines,
Dave

Bestof luck!

Ryan DiAndrea

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Mar 8, 2016, 8:18:02 AM3/8/16
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Thanks brother. I'll definitely check it out. I've got till October so I'll have plenty of time to read up.  Are we talking shoes too?

I'm kind of a rookie caster. Is there anything I should be practicing before I head down there?  Would this be a good time to work on adding distance to my cast, for example?

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Yambag Nelson

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Mar 8, 2016, 9:46:36 AM3/8/16
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I have never fished around Hilton head, but have spent a decent amount of time in the salt.  The first thing I learned was that the skills I had developed as a trout fisherman left me horribly unprepared for the salt.  Unlike trout fishing where you typically have as much time as you need to figure out the rise patterns, current, location ect, you need to be able to deliver a fly quickly, accurately, and often times at some distance to what is usually a moving target.  Throw in wind, a rocking boat, and what can be a high pressure situation as the odds are pretty high you will mess up.  I can't tell you how many times I have had perfect shots to fish well within my range only to completely shit the bed and throw the fly nowhere near where I wanted it to go. 

So yes, you definitely want to work on adding some distance to your cast.  You don't need to be able to cast 90 feet, but I would work on being able to deliver 60 feet of line and a weighted fly quickly and accurately in somewhat windy conditions.  Hopefully if you can do that you will feel more comfortable with the 45 foot shots when you are actually out there.  One or two false casts is all.  Being able to double hall is a must. 

On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 8:18:02 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Thanks brother. I'll definitely check it out. I've got till October so I'll have plenty of time to read up.  Are we talking shoes too?

I'm kind of a rookie caster. Is there anything I should be practicing before I head down there?  Would this be a good time to work on adding distance to my cast, for example?
On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 11:54 PM, DaveSurfs <dave.di...@gmail.com> wrote:


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.


Ryan, take a look at www.charlestonfishing,com. They have a forum section dedicated to fishingbthe Low Country, inshore, offshore on the fly, whatever you like. I lived at Parris Island (Beaufort) for 3 years, loved the fishing, and really learned a ton from the forum and community.

Be prepared for the sand fleas (no seeums) and have appropriate clothing from ankle to wrist, a buff, and hat. Avon skin so soft helps w/ the bugs, but dont get it on your hands or flies.

Tight Lines,
Dave

Bestof luck!

--
http://www.tpfr.org
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Jeffrey Silvan

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Mar 8, 2016, 9:57:24 AM3/8/16
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Yambag got it right. If you're sight fishing the flats for reds, you HAVE to be quick and relatively accurate. You must learn to double haul. But, more importantly, forget EVERYTHING you know about setting the hook on a trout. Do NOT raise the rod tip to set the hook. With nearly all saltwater fish, you need to learn to strip-set which is exactly what it sounds like - a long, hard strip. If you set the hook like a trout, it's very unlikely it will stick.

On Tue, Mar 8, 2016 at 9:46 AM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:
I have never fished around Hilton head, but have spent a decent amount of time in the salt.  The first thing I learned was that the skills I had developed as a trout fisherman left me horribly unprepared for the salt.  Unlike trout fishing where you typically have as much time as you need to figure out the rise patterns, current, location ect, you need to be able to deliver a fly quickly, accurately, and often times at some distance to what is usually a moving target.  Throw in wind, a rocking boat, and what can be a high pressure situation as the odds are pretty high you will mess up.  I can't tell you how many times I have had perfect shots to fish well within my range only to completely shit the bed and throw the fly nowhere near where I wanted it to go. 

So yes, you definitely want to work on adding some distance to your cast.  You don't need to be able to cast 90 feet, but I would work on being able to deliver 60 feet of line and a weighted fly quickly and accurately in somewhat windy conditions.  Hopefully if you can do that you will feel more comfortable with the 45 foot shots when you are actually out there.  One or two false casts is all.  Being able to double hall is a must. 

On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 8:18:02 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Thanks brother. I'll definitely check it out. I've got till October so I'll have plenty of time to read up.  Are we talking shoes too?

I'm kind of a rookie caster. Is there anything I should be practicing before I head down there?  Would this be a good time to work on adding distance to my cast, for example?
On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 11:54 PM, DaveSurfs <dave.di...@gmail.com> wrote:


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.


Ryan, take a look at www.charlestonfishing,com. They have a forum section dedicated to fishingbthe Low Country, inshore, offshore on the fly, whatever you like. I lived at Parris Island (Beaufort) for 3 years, loved the fishing, and really learned a ton from the forum and community.

Be prepared for the sand fleas (no seeums) and have appropriate clothing from ankle to wrist, a buff, and hat. Avon skin so soft helps w/ the bugs, but dont get it on your hands or flies.

Tight Lines,
Dave

Bestof luck!

--
http://www.tpfr.org
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DaveSurfs

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Mar 8, 2016, 10:44:51 AM3/8/16
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Yes. absolutely, protect your feet. 1) if the bugs are in the attack, they will get any exposed skin, so add fingerless gloves as well. 2) the more significant reason you need to protect your feet is the best fishing is often over structure formed by oyster beds. The oysters are razor sharp and will cut you to ribbons if not careful. I had a buddy trip and put his un-gloved hand out to catch his fall and he ended up with a nasty cut, stitches, and IV antibiotics.

That all having been said, I don't want to come off all doom and gloom, as the area is both beautiful and bountiful. I just offer a couple suggestions to mitigate risks you can easily address.


We used it pretty religiously to get oriented on the area and it proved quite valuable helping us narrow location options. Tides regularly swing 7-8 feet, so tracking tides and targeting specific areas are important.

Hope this helps,

Dave



On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 8:18:02 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Thanks brother. I'll definitely check it out. I've got till October so I'll have plenty of time to read up.  Are we talking shoes too?

I'm kind of a rookie caster. Is there anything I should be practicing before I head down there?  Would this be a good time to work on adding distance to my cast, for example?
On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 11:54 PM, DaveSurfs <dave.di...@gmail.com> wrote:


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.


Ryan, take a look at www.charlestonfishing,com. They have a forum section dedicated to fishingbthe Low Country, inshore, offshore on the fly, whatever you like. I lived at Parris Island (Beaufort) for 3 years, loved the fishing, and really learned a ton from the forum and community.

Be prepared for the sand fleas (no seeums) and have appropriate clothing from ankle to wrist, a buff, and hat. Avon skin so soft helps w/ the bugs, but dont get it on your hands or flies.

Tight Lines,
Dave

Bestof luck!

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
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Ryan DiAndrea

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Mar 8, 2016, 12:29:06 PM3/8/16
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Well It looks like i better get casting in the back yard.  This is starting to sound like it's a bit out of my skill set haha, but I don't know when the next time I'm going to get an opportunity to fish reds down in SC.

I really appreciate all the input.

On Tue, Mar 8, 2016 at 10:44 AM, DaveSurfs <dave.di...@gmail.com> wrote:
Yes. absolutely, protect your feet. 1) if the bugs are in the attack, they will get any exposed skin, so add fingerless gloves as well. 2) the more significant reason you need to protect your feet is the best fishing is often over structure formed by oyster beds. The oysters are razor sharp and will cut you to ribbons if not careful. I had a buddy trip and put his un-gloved hand out to catch his fall and he ended up with a nasty cut, stitches, and IV antibiotics.

That all having been said, I don't want to come off all doom and gloom, as the area is both beautiful and bountiful. I just offer a couple suggestions to mitigate risks you can easily address.


We used it pretty religiously to get oriented on the area and it proved quite valuable helping us narrow location options. Tides regularly swing 7-8 feet, so tracking tides and targeting specific areas are important.

Hope this helps,

Dave



On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 8:18:02 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Thanks brother. I'll definitely check it out. I've got till October so I'll have plenty of time to read up.  Are we talking shoes too?

I'm kind of a rookie caster. Is there anything I should be practicing before I head down there?  Would this be a good time to work on adding distance to my cast, for example?
On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 11:54 PM, DaveSurfs <dave.di...@gmail.com> wrote:


On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:
Gentlemen - In October I'm going to Hilton Head for a week. I'd like to hire a guide for the day and was wondering if anyone knew of someone they would recommend? I found one or two on a quick google search but I thought I'd ask the group.


Ryan, take a look at www.charlestonfishing,com. They have a forum section dedicated to fishingbthe Low Country, inshore, offshore on the fly, whatever you like. I lived at Parris Island (Beaufort) for 3 years, loved the fishing, and really learned a ton from the forum and community.

Be prepared for the sand fleas (no seeums) and have appropriate clothing from ankle to wrist, a buff, and hat. Avon skin so soft helps w/ the bugs, but dont get it on your hands or flies.

Tight Lines,
Dave

Bestof luck!

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
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Jeffrey Silvan

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Mar 8, 2016, 1:26:25 PM3/8/16
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Even if you can cast well, it will take you a couple trips in the salt before you REALLY start seeing the fish and get comfortable on the bow. but, you'll always be a rookie until you do it a few times, so just go in knowing you're out to have fun and learn. 

Nick F - Gaucho Fly

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Mar 9, 2016, 10:16:15 PM3/9/16
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I second the recommendation for off the hook charters. Capt Brian Vaughn is knowledgeable, professional and also takes professional quality pictures… To me that is a nice bonus, when the stars align and the big one decides to bite.  I vacationed there with the family last summer and there are lots of good options from small no name ponds and the Palmetto Dunes Lagoon with baby tarpon in them to DIY redfish flats that you can hit assuming you can figure out a good tailing tide.  The key is being there are at the right time and the right spot, cause a flat may be good for only an hour or two as it floods, before it becomes too deep to fish.  In October it may be late for the tailing fish (not sure), but prime time for bigger fish offshore…  There is also a good fly shop on the way into Hilton Head that can point you in the right direction and give you appropriate wading locations for when you are there… Called Southern Drawl Outfitters.  
 

On Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:07:11 AM UTC-5, Ryan D wrote:

Ryan DiAndrea

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Mar 10, 2016, 12:29:47 PM3/10/16
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To be honest I can't decide who to go with.  Is there any benefit to using an Orvis endorsed guide?

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Jeffrey Silvan

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Mar 10, 2016, 1:55:04 PM3/10/16
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Orvis does a pretty good job vetting the guides (they have an Orvis rep fish with the guides to see how they do), so you know you'll generally get a quality guide. However, there are tons of outstanding guides that are not Orvis endorsed.

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