Bruce Chard is a guide, instructor and designer of fly lines (and probably more).  He was featured in the fly fishing movie “Rise” and is a fixture of the Florida bonefishing and saltwater scene.

Bruce, doing what Bruce does.

I saw you on “Rise” and thought it was a great film.  Do you have any up coming film projects?

At this time I am in the middle of my busy season guiding full time every day for Giant tarpon, permit and bonefish in the Florida Keys.  This will continue till August every day.  I will be working on many new projects but don’t have any time frame as to when they will actually be done.  Stay tuned to my blog and Website for updates on the many small videos and informational posts that will be on my blog for upcoming DVDs and Books. On bonefishing.  I am currently booking spots for my hosted fly fishing bonefishing school trip to the famous Andros South Bonefish Lodge on South Andros Bahamas.  These trips are tons of fun and offer learning experiences all week long with me.  Something you can’t get by going on your own.  For dates check out my web site at WWW.BRUCECHARD.COM

You have a series of saltwater fishing schools, including one for bonefish.  Is there one aspect of bonefishing that you find most beginners really struggle with?

Beginners usually struggle the most with the fly casting and getting used to actually seeing the fish.  Both are obviously extremely important for the success of catching bonefish.  All there is needed to fix both is experience and a good instructor and good patient guide.  These aspects also extend well past the beginners but the dedication to the sport from the individual will change these issues promptly.  The more you put into it ( time practicing and time fishing) the more you will get out of it ( like actually catching more fish).

I fished your bonefish line on my last trip (Grand Bahama) and really liked it.  It did get me wondering… how does someone get their own bonefishing line?  What was it you wanted your line to do that other lines on the market weren’t doing?

I was given the opportunity to design my own lines from Jim Teeny himself.  I have known Jimmy since I first started guiding in the Keys over 18 years ago now.  We have fished together for years and he saw how dedicated to the sport of fly fishing I was and to the actual fly fishing industry.  The angle of having some new upcoming young salt water fly fishing talent in his lineup of professional series fly lines something that was needed and wanted in his company.  So he asked me to design the Chard Series of lines.

What went into the thought of designing the lines are the fact that most casters have a hard time forming tight loops consistently.  Then there is always a lack of power in the casting system making it difficult for whatever power that was there to make it all the way to the leader and fly to roll out straight (which is very important in salt water fly presentation).  The reasons it was tuff for the power had a hard time getting that far was most of the fly lines on the market for salt at that time had a very long front taper taking power away from the system gradually.  Then when the power got to the leader there was not much left to roll out the leader and fly straight.  Using longer leaders combined with heavier flies made this issue even more prevalent.  Loaded with this information I then chopped off the front taper making it only 18 inches (most where 6-8ft at the time).  This unloaded mega power straight from the belly of the line right into the longer leaders that we use and into the heavier flies and the then rolled over more consistently even into stronger winds.  A little over sizing on the Head of the line, lengthening the rear taper and thinning the running line where also major changes in the line from others that where on the market at the time that allowed the line to perform superior to all other salt lines to this day still.  You can order Chard Lines from me personally if you like.  Check out my website for more information on them and email me for any order requests of questions.

Mr. Bonefish, chillax'n

The bonefish angler these days has so many options… the Bahamas, Hawaii, Belize, Venezuela, Christmas Island… what is it about the Florida Keys that makes it a special?

The main asset of the Florida Keys bone fishery is the pure average size of our Bones.  Nowhere else can you find a larger average size bonefish.  Our fish average 7-9 pounds with many 10 pounders caught all the time.  The reason for so many large bonefish calling the Keys home is plentiful amount of large shrimp and crabs that can fatten these big pigs up.  We have an unreal variety of thick turtle grass flats, hard coral flats, huge sweeping mud bottom grass flats, and endless deep water access to all these luscious. Super strong current helps keep the flats alive with nutrients.  All these reason add up to some of the best largest bone fishing in the world!

Florida bones have a reputation for being educated.  Do you have a tip or two for going after those educated fish?

Our Florida Bones are not hard to catch.  They are harder to catch than anywhere else but not hard to catch.  The biggest reason that bones are not caught in Florida is that the presentation is not good enough, and you don’t get as many opportunities so you have to make the shots you get count.  Not to many anglers are good enough to put the fly in the right spot consistently enough.   Everywhere else in the world there are usually many more opportunities to have shots at bones and then if you screw up and hit them in the head 9 times out of 10 they turn over upside down and eat the fly anyway.  Not in Florida.  It’s the NFL for bone fisherman.  But if you can cast and present the fly where it needs to be you can catch many bonefish in Florida no problem.

A favorite question of mine… when you are on the water a lot, you see things… odd things, unusual things, funny things… is there something you’ve seen out there on the water that was particularly interesting or memorable?

Well one night I was night tarpon fishing with Jim Teeny.  We had jumped 28 tarpon in 5 hours and we were just about to head in for the night.  I said to Jimmy make one more cast buddy and we will head back to the dock.  Jimmy then said no problem there Bruce just let me catch this permit on this next cast and we can head in no problem (giggling).  Jimmy makes a cast and then hooks up right away. Mind you I have never ever ever ever seen a permit caught on fly at night.  My first thought was here we go another big tarpon so I crank up the engine and get prepared to chase him down.  Well this fish didn’t run like a tarpon.  This fish didn’t jump either.  This fish ended up being a 12 pound permit!  Unreal!  I have never seen anyone call a permit on a blind cast either.  Pretty sweet fishing story!

What’s your favorite bonefishing rig (rod/reel)?

My favorite bonefishing set up is a 7wt Ross World Wide FW 9ft fly rod with a Ross Arius #4 reel, lined with a Bruce Chard Professional Series 8wt bonefish line, and a 12ft hard mono tapered leader from 27LB to 13LB mono then a smaller diameter Seaguar Grand Max 18Lb Flouro Tippit.

What’s your sense of the health of Florida bonefishing stocks?

I think the Florida bonefish stocks are looking great for the Keys.  We are learning how much these bones actually travel.  Our fish will travel great distances in a short amount of time. Weather changes seem to move the fish more than any other reason.  Cold fronts in the winter make these fish move quick and far for some reason.  Also there has been some proof that Florida Bones are in this are for the mixture of fresh water from the everglades and nutrient loaded waters from the gulfstream.  These water mixtures apparently make supreme breeding water conditions.

Thanks Bruce.  Keep up the good work.

Great little video about the 2010 winter kill in Florida put out by the Snook Foundation (found on Hell’s Bay facebook page).

I understand that FWC is recommending some further protections for bonefish in Florida.  Florida Fly Fishing Magazine recently covered  the issue.

Right now, you can’t harvest bonefish in Florida due to the cold snap, the damage that cold snap caused and the temporary protections that were enacted afterwards.  If you’d like to see such regulations extended/expanded, check out the Florida Fly Fishing Magazine site for who to contact.

As you might expect, you are encouraged to support the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

There has been a lot out there about the cold temps and Florida… here’s a round up:

• Here’s what the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust has to say.
• The issue was even covered by the Trout Underground.
• Salty Shores shares some video of some cold snook and bones.
• Guilttrip25 sees things dropping back to normal.
• Captian Raul Montoro sees Miami bones recovering.

There was a great Op-Ed in Field and Stream about upcoming (and very important) meetings in Florida that will further detail what protections are and are not given to bonefish and permit.

The news isn’t so great.  It appears that the good folks in the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission think that “catch and release” means you can’t touch the fish, despite C&R being on the books in lots and lots of states and countries.

From the article…

At the FWC Bonefish Workshops in October 2009, FWC staff stated that the FWC interpretation was that “catch and release” was equivalent to “prohibited species”. Based on FWC’s interpretation, this means that even touching the fish (e.g., holding a bonefish to take a photo, remove a hook, or to measure) constitutes ‘”possession” and a fine/ticket if witnessed by an FWC enforcement officer. This interpretation is counter to responsible fisheries conservation.

Catch and release is used as a fisheries management tool throughout the United States and in many places in the world. In these locations, catch and release is interpreted as releasing the fish alive soon after capture. Responsibly photographing, measuring, and weighing of the fish are permitted in these states.

They also appear set to roll back protections for permit that would include opening the species to spear fishing in federal waters and eliminating spawning season closures.

The comments to Field and Stream bit speak with one voice in opposition to the thrust of the article.  In fact, they use very similar wording and recite the same points.  Kind of reminds one of the Bush team hitting the political talk shows all reading from the same playbook.  Democrats aren’t organized enough to do that.  It all smells very organized and that smell stinks.

Midcurrent.com had an op-ed directed at the permit issue.s

You can read the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s press release about the issue here.  Once again, BTT is the leader on this issue.

Support BTT if you enjoy the tug of a bone, permit or tarpon.

This is Fly is a great e-mag focused two things… fly fishing and not being all stuffy.  They do a great job on both fronts.

While checking out their latest issue (#20), I saw an article from one of my fav’s, Aaron Adams, Executive Director of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.  In the article, Aaron is hopping from Florida over to the Bahamas for some epic fishing while pondering why more folks aren’t pissed off that Florida bonefishing has declined significantly since the days of Ted Williams.

Those that know (I don’t, by the way) will tell you that there are fewer fish around, all the dumb ones have left and the game is just harder than it used to be and harder than it really should be.

There are remedies, actions that could be taken if enough people raised their voices to be heard by those in the places of power, but nothing will happen if more folks don’t get barking mad.

Where I live, in California, we may be seeing the last of once mighty salmon runs.  One of my favorites places on earth, the McCloud River, once had a salmon run estimated at one million fish, but now sits behind Shasta Dam, while the Klamath River is at 20% of it’s historic numbers and they will likely disappear all together by the time the dams are taken out… in, maybe, 2025 or so. Our the concrete symbols of progress have proven to be be destroyer of species, towns, industries and native peoples.

Let’s learn our lessons.  Let’s start speaking up and try to at least keep what we have now and maybe even see  it improve a bit.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

Think about the day when bonefishing in Florida used to be like the video below, get angry about what has been lost, and write a big, fat check to the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust so they can do what needs to be done.

Happy Sunday all… hope you all had a enjoyable and safe Halloween.  If you are nursing your hangover, maybe this little clip of an entirely not little Florida Bonefish.  The video quality isn’t so great, but the fish gets its size across.

How long is your commute?  I once had to drive 100 miles, but only had to do it twice a month.  Mr. Bonefish, it turns out, can put in some serious miles.

Florida has a tagging program thanks to the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and  the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association.  One of those tagged fish was caught and tagged near Key Biscane.  From there it crossed the Gulf Stream (something researchers didn’t know they did) and was caught off Andros, about 186 miles away.  This more than doubled the longest known movement by a bonefish.  This has all sorts of implications… it means Florida bonefish may be intermingling, and maybe interbreeding, with Bahamian bonefish.

Here is the news from Science Daily.

That's a long commute, Mr. Bonefish

The Fly Fish Chick just got back from three days in the Keys and is considering selling her home to go chase tarpon.  Now, she didn’t mention bonefish at all, which leaves me sad, disappointed, weeping tears of regret and sorrow.   Sounds like good fishing with so-so catching, but the setting is just amazingly beautiful, if my memories from 1984 are to be trusted (my last trip to the Keys).

Fly Fish Chick chasing Silver Kings

The fact that FFC didn’t  chase bonefish and had to settle for tarpon may have something to do with the fact that bonefish are really tough in the Keys (and yes, I am joking about the “had to settle” thing).

I recently posted on a couple of message boards asking for perspectives on Florida bonefishing and here are  some of the comments I got:

You can certainly target the bones in the Keys. Lots of tournaments do just that, but combining it with a pursuit of other fish can be more enjoyable and productive. I’d say that bones in most of the Keys are just as tough as permit these days. While you’ll rarely go an entire day without seeing a fish, it certainly is possible to go an entire day or more without seeing an interested fish. I have fished entire days there without a hookup.

I fished the Keys for a week every month for just over 2 years.
I have fished from Biscayne Bay to Key West and have had about 15 different guides.  I can’t remember not seeing a bonefish but I have had a good number of days when I have not caught a fish.  Having said that, the fish that you do catch can be large. I have caught 6 fish over 12lbs.  A good day bonefishing is 2 fish. The fish are very spooky. You need a perfect presentation and even then the fish may not take.  There are of course opportunities to catch other fish such as reds, snook, tarpon and permit not to mention Jacks, ladyfish, snapper etc. etc.

I have friends(not FF’s) I usually fish with in the Keys. The one time I got a guide I asked about Bonefish, he had one question, “can you put the fly in the ice chest at 40′ in a 15 knot wind?” If the answer is yes “let’s go” if the answer is no “let’s try something else”.

The advice in a nutshell was this… bonefish in FL are tough.  They get fished over a lot and are very selective, although they are big.  If you go to Florida to fish, you may catch some bonefish, but other species are more available and can provide an excellent experience.

So, I forgive the Fly Fish Chick for not targeting bonefish.  When I finally make it to Florida to fish, I may be looking for poons or cuda, although I’m going to have to get beyond this singular fixation on bonefish first.  Maybe my trip coming up this weekend to fish the Truckee River will help.

Belize beat Florida and Hawaii to the punch, enacting new statutes that make it against the law to keep bonefish, permit or tarpon.  They have seen the light (that light  being the 1,800 jobs created by the sport fishing industry and the $60M that comes with it).

The Belize Sports Fishing industry is applauding the action taken by Fisheries Minister Rene Montejo, to protect high value sports fish like Tarpon, Bone Fish and Permit from exploitation, by insisting on a catch-and-release policy.

A new statutory Instrument states that “no person or establishment shall have in his possession any bone fish (albula vulpes) Permit (trachinotus falacutus) or tarpon (megalops Atlanticus), save and except in the act of catch and release.”

The Belize Sports Fishing Industry notes that several economic studies have been conducted in Belize, focusing on these three species for sports fishing tourism. The studies indicate the high economic value of these species for the local economy.

It has been estimated that these three species – bonefish, tarpon and permit together  bring in some $60 million a year and create some 1800 jobs.

(the above is from The Reporter)

Ya know, it’s good news.  Of course, there is the matter of enforcement, which is where this sort of thing falls down in practice.  Gotta  pay someone to go out and catch poachers.   Still, this step is more than has been done in Florida or Hawaii.  So, I say to Belize, “job well done!”

In California, with our small and geographically limited bonefish population, I don’t even see mention of bonefish in the CA regulations.  Might have to ask someone about that.

I would read the Puerto Rican bonefish regulations, but… I don’t speak or read Spanish.  If you do, you can find those regs here.

This says that bonefish and tarpon are Catch and Release only in the US Virgin Islands… that’s good.  I have no idea if that is enforced or  not.

Preach it, brotha!

Find that shirt here.