Judging fish by pics

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, Crestliner2008 said:

I don't know J.....but I think you need a BIGGER boat!

You're more right than wrong.

 

[JustJames]

Someone once said, long arm enough to make the fish look more realistic and I agree. I don’t mind long arm fish as long as they don’t lie about actual weight or give such a pessimistic guesstimate.

[lo n slo]

when i’m alone i’ll always place my bass on top of a fish ruler if i chose to take a picture

[Bankbeater]

I caught a 4-1/2 pounder years ago. The owner of the place we were staying said we’re going to turn that into a bigger bass. He told me to hold the bass out in front of me and bring my elbows to my sides. Looking back at that pic now it looks staged not a natural moment. 

[CrankFate]

11 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

I always carry a scale with me when fishing. My LMB PB was caught years ago big old bucketmouth I could fit my fist in.

 

I didn't have a scale at that time and I vowed never to go on a fishing trip without one again.

 

I test my scale every so often by hanging a 1 pound bag of coffee or a 5 pound dumbbell from it.

 

 

I test my scale with 5 and 10lb dumbbells. But I don’t usually bring it, because I do not expect to ever catch anything over 3.5lbs except carp. Will start bringing it again. 

[MIbassyaker]

I fish alone from a kayak, and I don't do selfies. My pics are always awkward, blurry, unfocused, bad perspective, bad angles....best I can do is a measuring board, and I can't even get those quite right:

[jbsoonerfan]

11 hours ago, Logan S said:

I almost never weigh fish if I'm not in a tournament...Don't even have a scale in my boat.  A nice fish is a nice fish and if you're not in a tournament and/or it's not a record (state/lake/world/personal/otherwise) there's no real significance to knowing the exact weight of a fish.  I guess what I'm getting at is, if you catch a nice fish be proud of it...Doesn't matter what the number on a scale is (or isn't if you don't weigh it).  If I'm posting or showing off a fish I didn't weigh I generally don't bother with a weight estimate unless someone asks.

 

So, you would rather estimate than know for sure? Guess I don't understand why you wouldn't want to know. The point of my thread was to show that you have no idea unless you weigh it, I just watched the latest MLF and IKE said he caught a 4 lber. Turned out to be 2.14. I just want to know for sure.

[Scott F]

11 hours ago, Frog Turds said:

I actually prefer seeing largies held out in pics to get a good close up shot, I like seeing the details/markings etc...purpose isn't to make the fish look bigger and make up some bs about it...the point is to showcase the fish, which each are unique...When held too far back, cant see nothin for details, they all look pretty much the same and meh, doesnt do the fish any justice imo...

If you want to showcase the fish, stand closer to the camera. You don’t have to stand back and push the fish closer.

[jbsoonerfan]

1 minute ago, Scott F said:

If you want to showcase the fish, stand closer to the camera. You don’t have to stand back and push the fish closer.

I have seen guys post pics of deer where they are literally sitting so far behind them it makes them look like a horse. 

[Logan S]

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

So, you would rather estimate than know for sure? Guess I don't understand why you wouldn't want to know. The point of my thread was to show that you have no idea unless you weigh it, I just watched the latest MLF and IKE said he caught a 4 lber. Turned out to be 2.14. I just want to know for sure.

No, I said I don't bother with claiming an estimate if I didn't actually weigh the fish...Usually anyway, or unless someone asks.

 

You didn't quote my whole post...It was off on a slight tangent, but I thought the general idea of it was in agreement with you.

 

[Bluebasser86]

12 hours ago, Frog Turds said:

I actually prefer seeing largies held out in pics to get a good close up shot, I like seeing the details/markings etc...purpose isn't to make the fish look bigger and make up some bs about it...the point is to showcase the fish, which each are unique...When held too far back, cant see nothin for details, they all look pretty much the same and meh, doesnt do the fish any justice imo...

 

I do weigh all my better fish...reasons for that are mine, when Im on the water I wanna know what my top 5 bag is first and foremost...then also if someone does ask, there's no guesstimate and/or fish story because i have the exact poundage...

Agreed. Nobody wants to see my ugly mug in the picture. The purpose of looking at a fish picture is to see a fish. I don't care what kind of fish it is, if it can be held out to the camera, that's how I feel the picture should be. Not trying to make them look bigger, I weigh them so I know how big they actually are, just want everyone to be able to enjoy all the details the same way I do when I catch them. 

[jbsoonerfan]

2 minutes ago, Logan S said:

No, I said I don't bother with claiming an estimate if I didn't actually weigh the fish...Usually anyway, or unless someone asks.

 

You didn't quote my whole post...It was off on a slight tangent, but I thought the general idea of it was in agreement with you.

 

My apologies. I prefer not to estimate. The reason I say this. Take the two pics I posted as an example. When we catch a fish, we always guess before we weigh. The fish that weighed 4.15, I guessed 3.8. The fish that weighed 4.8, I guessed 5.3. To me, that was just mind blowing how being there and actually seeing the fish vs seeing a picture of a fish can make a HUGE difference.

[Hower08]

Here's a pic that is deceiving and I know the scale is accurate as I test it with dumbbells twice a year hard to take a selfie of fish. Had phone propped next to seat while I sat on front deck

[jbsoonerfan]

I would guess 3 lb 6 oz 

[soflabasser]

14 hours ago, kenmitch said:

Same fish looks much bigger posing for the camera.

 

 

She was 7lb's and my new PB. 1st fish I've caught that was worthy of the hawg trough. 

Nice 7 pounder. It is refreshing to see a picture of a bass properly measured on a measuring board like the 23 incher above. I prefer seeing pictures like these versus pictures of long arm bass inches away from the camera lens or wide angle lenses which will make a 5 pound bass look like its +10 pounds. No need for long arming, wide angle lenses, or other deceptive photo tricks when a bass is a decent size of 5 pounds or bigger.

6 hours ago, lo n slo said:

when i’m alone i’ll always place my bass on top of a fish ruler if i chose to take a picture

Looks like you need to get a longer measuring board which is a good thing.

[lo n slo]

? lol

 

agreed, mine is only 18” but the wife says it’s better than nothing 

 

?

[scaleface]

I usually fish by myself so I put the camera on a small tripod and use the timer . I dont long arm the fish but I try to get it centered in the lens .

[J Francho]

Most of the pics of fish on bump boards would be DQ'd in any of the online tournaments I've been in.  Closed mouth, against the edge, and tail on the board.

 

I see it two ways.  You are documenting a length or weight, or you are capturing a moment.  In each case, there can be guidelines.  In the latter, I'm totally okay with augmenting the look of the fish.  It's a joyful moment, why make it stale?  If you're documenting a measurement, then do that accurately.  Two purposes.

 

Which one is bigger?

 

[JustJames]

16 hours ago, lo n slo said:

when i’m alone i’ll always place my bass on top of a fish ruler if i chose to take a picture

 

Show your mug for once, lol....

Anyway what do you guys think this one weight? Look like a 2-3 lbs, huh?

 

[scaleface]

1 minute ago, JustJames said:

Show your mug for once, lol....

Anyway what do you guys think this one weight? Look like a 2-3 lbs, huh?

 

I'd say you are about 150 .

[Harold Scoggins]

Mr. Miyagi had this figured out years ago.

[JustJames]

5 hours ago, scaleface said:

I'd say you are about 150 .

You are d**n right about that lol.

anyway this is same fish.

 

And this is my weight.

[gim]

The thing that really stinks on a lot of photos are selfies. I would honestly rather just take a photo of the fish on a measuring board than try to take and post a selfie. Either that or ask someone else to take your photo but enough with the selfies!

[CrankFate]

54 minutes ago, gimruis said:

The thing that really stinks on a lot of photos are selfies. I would honestly rather just take a photo of the fish on a measuring board than try to take and post a selfie. Either that or ask someone else to take your photo but enough with the selfies!

It’s all about ego my friend. Ego.

 

....wheres the old headbanger smiley when you need it???

[Tlauz]

My season is short.  The opener is in May and I don't get out much till June.  I put the boat away at the end of October.  During the long 6 months of waiting, I will look back at pictures I took just so I have something to look forward to. It is nice to see dates and times on pics also.  I almost always fish alone.  I  have it figured out now so I put the phone on the console and use timer.  Pics are really for my benefit and enjoyment.