Jumping Jehoshaphat!

To get a photo of a fish like this, you have to be a really good photographer.
Your depth of field has to be tack sharp, you have to be able to anticipate where the fish is going to break water (as well as when) and you have to have lightening reflexes.  Or, you can do what I do: take a photo of a dying fish flopping around on the surface of  the water.  LOL!  I believe this is a good sized shad.  This was taken at the end of June, so maybe it was spawned out and dying for that reason.  I don’t know.

But, what I do know was the tide was taking it up river past my location and, in a few moments, was going to float it right in front of a Great Blue Heron standing post on a piling at the dock to my right.  That meant it was very likely the heron would fly out over the water to investigate and, perhaps, catch the fish, so I got myself prepared.  I knew this was likely to happen from observing them over time.  It is always a good idea to be proactive and anticipate what might take place.  I was visualizing what I was going to do with the camera if the bird flew and also making sure my settings were correct.

Meanwhile, the fish in it’s death throws was steadily moving upstream with the tide.