ANGLER'S TONIC - A SWEET FLY FISHING ARTICLE AND INFORMATION WEBSITE!

Greg Thomas has been my fly fishing buddy for over 18 years now. We first met in the Keys when I was working in the Faro Blanco Fly shop in Marathon. We have fished together in the Keys and all over the Rockies for huge trout. Greg has writen 5 fly fishing books and is the publisher for the above web site called Angler's Tonic. Last and not least Greg is also the editor for Fly Rod and Reel magazine. Check out this cool site! It makes you want to go fishing right now!

http://www.anglerstonic.com/dev/

BASIC TIPS ON TAKING GOOD FISHING PHOTOS!

Taking even ok fishing photos on you next trip out on the water can be challenging to say the least. But just knowing a couple of small tactics about basic photography, and hot to hold a fish for a photo can make a ok shot a great one.Here are a number of pointers that I think make a big difference.
- Try to hold the camera so the lens is at the same height as the eye of the fish. This gives a clear focusing point for the camera since having the fishes eye in the picture in focus is a well know photography rule
- Fill the frame! Today's cameras allow you to actually see the photo you are going to take on a LCD screen on the back of the digital camera. This will allow you to fill in all the free space (or open air) that no one wants in the photo. The photo is about you and the fish, or just the fish its self. So try to keep the the subject very close to the sides of the frame. This way you don't get one of those photos with the subject so small in the middle of the photo you cant even see it.
- Try not to stand to far away from the subject for many points and shoot cameras made today have a very wide angle lens on it allows you to get very close to help get that close up cover shot look. This makes for great hero shots with fish.
- The rule of thirds is also pretty important. Try not to place the eye of the fish directly in the center of the photo. Keep it off centered both up and down and side to side.
- If you think you close - get closer. 99% of all fish shots I see taken from my customers and friends are shot to far away. Fill, that frame and you can get some killer photos to hang on your wall!
More photo tips will come soon! Thanks for following!

CAPTPERMIT@AOL.COM - WWW.BRUCECHARD.COM

BLACK DRUM OR SEMI TRUCK?

A 9wt Ross World Wide Essence Rod, with a Chardy 9wt Floating Permit Taper fly line, and a chardy custom tied crab fly presented right on top of the head of this beautiful Black Drum - It doesn't get any better then this! A beautiful sunny day made it difficult for this 25 pound drum to hide. It didn't help him much that he had his huge tail in the air and a large mud slick everywhere he decided to dig up some grub from the muddy bottom. These fish are common this size and much larger believe it or not on the flats south of New Orleans. These drums have little whiskers that they use to sense food buried in the muddy bottoms, much like cat fish! I love catching these fish but you have to have a well presented fly to get one to even see your fly. But they are excited to eat your fly if they see it! NICE!!

www.brucechard.com - captpermit@aol.com

THE ULTIMATE BONFISH SCHOOL

SOUTH ANDROS - BAHAMAS

If you need more reasons then this photo to be convinced that Capt Bruce Chards Fly Fishing for Bonefish School is a great idea then you have had one to many Kaliks. But having one to many Kaliks is not a bad problem to have compared to the problem you can have when casting in the wind if your loops are not tight. Tight loops are one of the main focuses of Bruce's first class casting instruction during the bonefish school held on the beach at Andros South Lodge. Being one of the few with a FFF Master fly casting instructors licence Bruce focuses on both basic and advanced saltwater casting techniques that dramatically help anglers of all levels become much better anglers. Loops size, loop control, and line speed are just a few of the many casting topics that are covered in depth at the Bonefish school. Learning first class casting techniques in a great atmosphere while digging your toes in the beautiful white sand beach is pretty hard to beat. After a great day of learning about fly fishing for bonefish you can then take the rest of the week and apply what you have learned while stalking the flats for the elusive grey ghost of the flats!

Dates for this years schools are November 14th-21st with 3 rods open, and January 9th-16th with 2 rods open. For more info check out Capt Bruce Chards web page - http://www.brucechard.com/flyfishingschools/theultimatebonefishschool.html

captpermit@aol.com - www.brucechard.com

GIANT SHEEPSHEAD ON FLY! WOW!

Ever seen a giant sheepshead like this? If so you probably fished where I did. Deep into the oyster bed loaded flats of Southern New Orleans! There was a ton of sheepshead this size mixed in with HUGE 15-50 pound Black Drum, and equal sized redfish all tailing by the way! These fish all feed on the plentiful fiddler crabs, and shellfish that live in the mud. Sight fishing for these pigs was a hoot! More pics from this trip to come so stay tuned! NICE!!!!!

captpermit@aol.com - www.brucechard.com