Fish Photos

Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager

I love fish photos! Never get tired of looking at photos of fish, especially big fish. I saved a quote from an old angler friend of mine that hits the nail on the head,

The “Hero Shot” pose is a standard practice by Stewards of our FISHES with the HERO being the FISH! The pose shows respect to the fish by the Angler properly handling it (not “hanging” by the gills, lips, etc.) and by extending the arms so the fish is at the forefront of the photo. The intent is NOT to mislead viewers on the size, but to promote the “Hero” status of the catch.–Harold (Thanks, Harold!)

You gotta have proper handling in order to honor the fish with the best “hero” shot!

Cannot count the number of times I have blogged about best fish handling practices for catch & release. In short, land the fish as quickly as possible, keep it in the water as much as possible, handle it as little as possible, and get it back into the water from which it came as soon as possible.

In my opinion, a good net made for catch & release fishing (rubber mesh or knotless, coated mesh) is one of the best tools you can have for doing this. Land the fish by putting it in the net. Then, leave the net and fish in the water while hooks are removed and the camera is readied for the “hero” shot. Oh, by the way, make sure the net is big enough for the fish you will be handling.

Every angler should have hook removal tools, long-nose pliers, jaw-spreaders, forceps, side cutters, readily accessible BEFORE a fish is hooked. I try to have mine on my person at all times while fishing. Usually do not make a cast until those tools are in my pockets.

Never let the fish flop on dry ground, sand, leaves or the bottom of the boat. Fish are slimy for a reason. Their slime coat is important protection from injuries and infections. If you have photos of fish that look like “shake and bake”, they were not handled as well as they should have been.

Handle fish firmly but carefully with wet hands. Know the best ways to do that for the species you are catching. Know it beforehand. Gloves, get ’em wet, are another fish handling tool that I highly recommend. If you make fun of someone for needing gloves to handle fish, well, just maybe they have learned it is better for the fish and easier on the hands. They are not being “soft”, unless you count them being “soft” on the fish.

Horizontal holds are best! Fish are made for living in the water. Their bodies are not made for supporting their weight on their jaws, or supporting internal organs, spinal column, etc. out of the water. For the “hero” shot, support the weight of the fish horizontally.

Leave the fish in the water until the camera is ready to go. Then, quickly lift the fish out of the water briefly to pose for the “hero” shot. With preparation, great shots can be taken in the shortest amount of time.

One last trick. . . . Love seeing “hero” shots where the fins are erect. Think that displays the “hero” at its finest. To get those fins up, when you grab the fish for the shot, roll it onto its side or even briefly upside down. The fish will naturally extend their fins to right themselves. “Click” you got the shot. Of course you have to have lively fish handled in the best way possible in order to accomplish this.