How to not take photos

missing the nose
missing the tail
move farther away end up focusing on leg

other lessons from earlier this year: hold tight so two don't flop out of the boat,  make sure you're not on selfie mode so you get a picture of the sky,  don't take the picture when the fish curls it tail,  when photographing a big greenling make sure you include the tail

This is great I'm getting to catch all my fish twice.

Keith

Well, I guess that is one issue I don't have simce I am always stuck at work.

Haha, I remember that struggle when I competed in NorCal's AOTY. It's all part of the game!

Nice mack!

Been there, done that!

My most painful photo was a 24” rainbow that I caught on a fly.  I took my time and got a good photo.  I put the fish in the net and reviewed the photo on my phone.  I could clearly see both ends in the photo, so I thought I was good.  I released the fish.  It wasn’t until looking closer at the photo that I realized I had a water droplet on the lens when I took the photo.  Everything was clear except the numbers on the board.  I learned to zoom in while verifying.

Thanks guys I feel better now.

The trouts are the worst.  They squirm like no ones business and are so slippery.

This is what would have been last years biggest cutthroat headed for freedom

Thats a great action shot!  I've had more than a few camera shy fish avoid my lens over that last few years of doing AOTY.  Now I just use my gopro that I have on my head and pull photos from it later. 

I have a video on my phone of me trying to take a photo of my first ever walleye AOTY entry a few years back, then the sound of a fish hitting plastic and then the water, and my friend laughing manically and yelling "you should have bonked it!" So yeah, when you're trying to take a photo and you're in video mode - not a good approach, do not recommend. As brother Clayman noted - part of the game!

Nice Mac BTW Kemfish.

That's a tough run of luck on the photos! The true trophies are certainly a pain - not that I would know! 

One tip I have is to leave the fish hooked if possible, so that if it flops you have a little bit of backup and might not lose it. I also try to position the board over my net if it's in my lap. I've preserved a few fish when they jumped by "catching" them in the net.

I don't get too bummed about any of them.  I'm more disappointed in myself for the pictures that just aren't good than I am the fish that escape.  The picture is just for a game I play with a bunch of guys on the internet.   I know I beat the fish and so does it.   I'll remember that first kayak lingcod even though there's no picture and its still terrorizing greenling off the Winchester Bay jetties.

It is interesting how excited you can get when you catch the crappie that's only 1/2 an inch longer than your last one, but it gives you 7 points that slides you past SDOR2 into first place, however temporary that might be.

Keith

This was my first chinook submission. Denied   This is what happens when you have someone take the pic for you and you don't check it immediately. Even when you ask them twice if they got a good pix and they say absolutely. Did I mention the person taking the pic was also a moderator that approves submissions hahahaha. Foul play was suspected waaaaayyyyyy too late.

bruh... so many times..