A harmless fish photo?
I had mentioned in a previous post of an instance of what seemed like a fairly benign post going ‘viral’ on a fishing forum. Well, I just ran across another one this weekend, and so had to post on it and get some feedback. This particular controversy is around the role of pictures during fishing, and perhaps more pointedly, the posting of those pictures on the Internet in some form or fashion.
At its most basic, and revealing my ‘science’ side of the argument, picture taking is just another form of documentation. Perhaps you write up a trip log in your diary, include a few pics from the trip of the fish caught, and you’ve captured the moment forever…or until your hard drive crashes and you lose everything. Just like a crime scene never goes unphotographed, many a fish also get captured. You post a few out on a fishing forum in the reports section to back up your story - life is good. So how does a pictureless fishing forum report get well over 300 replies and 5,000 views in a matter of a few weeks?
It devolves into the argument that if you’ve seen one bass, especially a bass of smaller size, say a few pounds or so, you’ve seen them all. Add how you’re tired and unimpressed with such fish because you catch hundreds of them every year and they’re nothing special. Throw in a little ‘ego stroking’ comments, talk about some grip ‘n grin, a bit of staged photography (think of the current “in” shot;  laying stretched out on your bass boat deck with fully extended arm barely lifting a fish out of the water – you see ’em…every day). Next thing you know – firestorm.
So the question: What makes a worthy picture for you? You take lots to capture the trip? Only shoot big fish pics? Don’t actually shoot the fish but the scenary around you? You tired of seeing the same type pics posted all the time in fishing reports or articles? Do you ever post them on public report forums or your own web page/blog?
14 Comments
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Avidbasser
February 13, 2012 at 7:40 am
Big fish, unique fish, pretty scenery in the background, wildlife seen while out on the water, sihlouettes of my wife casting or catching. My wife and I take a ton of pics and post a bunch on FB, showing our travels and catches.
I enjoy seeing others catches and people enjoying the outdoors as well. It’s especially entertaining if the shots are from an area or place totally foreign to me!
You see the pics and story about the 53lb sack from Falcon by “Bronzefly”? – Awesome!
admin (mostly Jay)
February 14, 2012 at 4:52 pm
No on the Falcon sack. Working on a piece about Falcon now. Where are the pics?
Avidbasser
February 15, 2012 at 11:47 am
From BBC- http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=776438
Adam Harris
February 13, 2012 at 8:33 am
haha…if i think the fish was worthy enough to take it’s picture, I’ll take a pic of the scale with the weight also. lol
Bass Pundit
February 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm
I try to post a pic with a fishing report on the blog. Usually only the biggest fish makes the cut, but not always. Sometimes it’s the first fish or other times it’s multiple fish.
Chad Keogh
February 13, 2012 at 8:41 pm
I take photos everytime I go fishing and upload the pics and a report on my Facebook and the local bass forums. All the local guys who say anything, always thank me for the report and pics. Especially during the cooler months when they don’t go out fishing.
I’m going Thursday to a local smallie factory that puts out year-round. Not all of Canada is “The Great White North”…
Randy S. Breth
February 14, 2012 at 6:21 am
I’ve taken some heat for posting pictures from my trips – there’s always the theory thrown out that people will see these pictures and immediately rush over to where the report was from – evidently I’m the spark for the “hotspotters”. I had no idea.
Of course, I go back to the same spot a day or two after the post and the fishing pressure is exactly the same. A week later, a month? Still the same.
I think most of the critics have poor photography or fishing skills. Or both.
Like Chad said, most of the time I get more thanks than thumbs down from the locals, so I don’t sweat it.
Darin
February 15, 2012 at 8:27 am
I like it best when fishing pics either have a story behind them or if it’s of a kid’s prize catch. I always try to use pics in my blog because it adds to the story. And as far as posting to forums, I always add pics and usually get great responses and lots of thanks for the pics. I think most fisherman are just happy to share the experience rather than worry about giving up information.
Bass Pundit
February 15, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Darin what is your blog called?
Darin
February 16, 2012 at 2:40 pm
http://www.darinsfishingsite.blogspot.com
Dan Roberts
February 15, 2012 at 7:17 pm
To me.. it can’t be staged. Or at least it can’t looked staged. It has to show what is actually going on.
Dan Roberts
February 15, 2012 at 7:18 pm
To me.. it can’t be staged. Or at least it can’t looked staged. It has to show what is actually going on.
….I say this and I realize how staged my photo looks in my profile picture… haha!
paul zuest
February 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm
pictures are just a way of showing what a great time you had. lots of my friends and customers who know im a fishing addict bring me pics and are proud of them .even if they are not good enough for people who act like pros or hung up on big fish only. not everyone lives at a trophy fishery. klamath falls,or
D Harrison
February 24, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Speaking of harmless pictures being posted. I was looking at the pictures from the Classic and noticed marshalls on the front deck of the boats helping to rock it, while the pro was trying to get off a stump. I have no doubt this was not the only case, but the only one i saw in a photo. check out the Elite rules regarding marshall help…
C3. (ii) During both the official practice and the tournament, a competitor may not have the assistance or advice of anyone for the purposes of locating or catching bass,
C12. BOAT OPERATION AND EXPENSE:….When idling in shallow areas, Pro’s are allowed to ask marshals to move their sitting position as long as the marshal can place his feet in the bottom of the boat.
Most rules make a distinction between the front and back DECK, but make no mention of the bottom of the boat. Does this mean the bottom of the boat between the decks? What are your thoughts? If a pro gets stuck and the observer is on the back deck, does he have to get down for the pro to free the boat?