Fully agree...
"Hero Shots"from the Fly Fishing Shop
Disappointed. I just unsubscribed from their weekly newsletter and sent an email letting them know my stance on hero shots of wild steelhead.
I understand clients want photos to take home but they should be educated before the trip that hero shots should be for hatchery fish only.
http://www.flyfishinginsidernewsletter.com/092214/#Echo_DH_II_1296.5_-_Dec_Hogans_Favorite_Summer_Steelhead_Rod
I understand clients want photos to take home but they should be educated before the trip that hero shots should be for hatchery fish only.
http://www.flyfishinginsidernewsletter.com/092214/#Echo_DH_II_1296.5_-_Dec_Hogans_Favorite_Summer_Steelhead_Rod
1 - 20 of 53 Posts
hero shots
I felt the same way. Part of their program should be to show clients how to handle fish with keeping their heads underwater at least. man I am surprised. Not good advertising for them at all. Their hands are squeezing the fishes Aorta on each one.
Anyway........
I felt the same way. Part of their program should be to show clients how to handle fish with keeping their heads underwater at least. man I am surprised. Not good advertising for them at all. Their hands are squeezing the fishes Aorta on each one.
Anyway........
Stunned! Is that not DH on the same trip, I know he knows better!
Just awesome...snagged fish and throw in some gill fingering and welcome to Oregon's endangered fishery...
First don't hold Mark too accountable on teaching his Clients how to handle a fish.
He does, whether in the moment, that's remembered is another question. I can almost guarantee you if Mark took the photo the fish wasn't out of the water for more than three or four seconds. If I remember the photo credits correctly (looked at them a couple of hours ago) he only took one of the bunch.
But for his next news letter, how to 'properly' handle a fish for a photo, would be a good topic. Personally, I never allow the fish to come out of the water for a photo. Their entire bodies are built for that element, nothing else.
fae
He does, whether in the moment, that's remembered is another question. I can almost guarantee you if Mark took the photo the fish wasn't out of the water for more than three or four seconds. If I remember the photo credits correctly (looked at them a couple of hours ago) he only took one of the bunch.
But for his next news letter, how to 'properly' handle a fish for a photo, would be a good topic. Personally, I never allow the fish to come out of the water for a photo. Their entire bodies are built for that element, nothing else.
fae
Yep, agree fully
DS
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
DS
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Mountains out of molehills, imo.
I sent a follow up email to the FFS to apologize if the fish were only out of the water for a couple seconds. (Still bad form in my opinion since you know the clients weren't the first to handle the fish, etc.). I also added your suggestion for their next issue. Hope they can help to educate.He does, whether in the moment, that's remembered is another question. I can almost guarantee you if Mark took the photo the fish wasn't out of the water for more than three or four seconds. If I remember the photo credits correctly (looked at them a couple of hours ago) he only took one of the bunch.
But for his next news letter, how to 'properly' handle a fish for a photo, would be a good topic. Personally, I never allow the fish to come out of the water for a photo. Their entire bodies are built for that element, nothing else.
fae
Snapshot in time...
Just remember a photo is a snapshot in time. If done correctly, the fish is out of the water for very little time (sub 5 seconds) and on their way, or get one more quick photo.
I DO however have an issue with people who take shots of their fish with the head on shore/they are on shore with the fish...
Just remember a photo is a snapshot in time. If done correctly, the fish is out of the water for very little time (sub 5 seconds) and on their way, or get one more quick photo.
I DO however have an issue with people who take shots of their fish with the head on shore/they are on shore with the fish...
Interesting topic for sure. I have mixed feelings on the whole "hero shot" thing. First off, lest someone misreads what I mean here, I am really NOT a fan of the typical grip/grin ego stroking photos that have become almost the norm in the angling world. That said, I don't think it's really fair to completely judge how a fish was handled by one split second snapshot. I typically don't take photos at all, though hardly for any moral reasons; I'm usually just too busy fishing, or simply too lazy to deal with the camera.
The times I do, most are either entirely or mostly in the water. I have taken a handful of shots with a fish lifted momentarily from the water with the camera all ready to go, and I hardly see that as being worthy of serious concern regarding the fish's health and recovery. I think that the tackle and technique used is far more of an issue in many cases than the photo or not.
I did see a few pics in the add of some fish that looked like they were being squeezed, and not exactly gently handled. I also saw a lot of pics that told me nothing of how the fish was treated; could be that the fish was merely lifted for the 2 second photo op. Hard to say for most of them. Totally agree that they could perhaps be helping much more to raise awareness and educate more anglers on how to handle wild steelhead, and that this was probably not exactly congruent with that. I don't think it's worth raising too big a ruckus over though...
JB
The times I do, most are either entirely or mostly in the water. I have taken a handful of shots with a fish lifted momentarily from the water with the camera all ready to go, and I hardly see that as being worthy of serious concern regarding the fish's health and recovery. I think that the tackle and technique used is far more of an issue in many cases than the photo or not.
I did see a few pics in the add of some fish that looked like they were being squeezed, and not exactly gently handled. I also saw a lot of pics that told me nothing of how the fish was treated; could be that the fish was merely lifted for the 2 second photo op. Hard to say for most of them. Totally agree that they could perhaps be helping much more to raise awareness and educate more anglers on how to handle wild steelhead, and that this was probably not exactly congruent with that. I don't think it's worth raising too big a ruckus over though...
JB
Call it a hero shot if you wish,I call it a photo. Mind is the first photo in the line up, by the way and I can tell you that fish I landed was out of water for maybe 5 seconds. I was taught when taken photos to get ready with fish in water, take the fish out , take photo, put back facing current,not stoke back and forth and let swim off on its own. The fish I released was fine to fight another day. So if you don't know the whole story, maybe you should ask a few questions so you may be informed about the truth, instead of accusing people of screwing up wild steelhead. Also Mark and his crew run a first class operation and would not do any intentional harm to wild steelhead
for me, this is a very sore subject 
when i think of the hundreds of thousands of bad pictures, with bad mis-handling taken of wild fish every year, i am disgusted. maybe the ONLY thing that washington dfw ever got right, is sparky's law. a common sense rule that every state should adopt. beyond that, i think every fly shop and magazine etc, that considers themselves (as far too many of their customers likely do) stewards of wild fish, should never accept ads, or publish photos showing anything but perfect fish handling. and should promote better handling skills, and not taking so damn many hero shots. most need to SET A BETTER EXAMPLE !!! 2 seconds to prees a button, should be all it takes, and the best pics keep the fish wet. we all need to put more pressure on everyone to care alot more, and respect wild fish !
not mine, but a good example:
when i think of the hundreds of thousands of bad pictures, with bad mis-handling taken of wild fish every year, i am disgusted. maybe the ONLY thing that washington dfw ever got right, is sparky's law. a common sense rule that every state should adopt. beyond that, i think every fly shop and magazine etc, that considers themselves (as far too many of their customers likely do) stewards of wild fish, should never accept ads, or publish photos showing anything but perfect fish handling. and should promote better handling skills, and not taking so damn many hero shots. most need to SET A BETTER EXAMPLE !!! 2 seconds to prees a button, should be all it takes, and the best pics keep the fish wet. we all need to put more pressure on everyone to care alot more, and respect wild fish !not mine, but a good example:
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That's a great photo Mike, and I would agree; perfect example of a classy pic. One thing I tried and largely failed to raise in another discussion on this topic is the concept to actually encourage sharing pictures just like the one you posted. I think sometimes the backlash against "hero shots" has caused some hesitancy on the part of many to share the real quality pictures for fear of critique. Perhaps we need to see more photos like that to help set a better standard?
JB
JB
For whats its worth, I landed four steelhead and only took one photo. Going from Maine to Oregon to do that, I don't see a problem. Sorry if you don't like it ! By the way Mike that is a great photo to bad my wasn't as good
The transgressions are many...the apologetics as numerous.
Mountains out of TOO many mole hills...
As an Aristotelian principle one is judged on one's last accomplishment.
The very fact pics are posted showing snagged and gill fecked fish is a clear indication of an impoverished moral compass...
These are my fish pics...
![]()
Thanks
Mountains out of TOO many mole hills...
As an Aristotelian principle one is judged on one's last accomplishment.
The very fact pics are posted showing snagged and gill fecked fish is a clear indication of an impoverished moral compass...
These are my fish pics...
Thanks
So you can hook the fish in the face, and drag it around the river until its beat tired, then send it back on its spawning ritual..in which it needs all the energy it can get...and that's ok?
Just want to make sure there's a clear line of acceptable behavior when it comes to how far you're allowed to test the life of a wild steelhead.
Wouldn't the best approach to taking care of these fish be not fishing for them at all?
AH yes..the ethics of bloodsport...
Just want to make sure there's a clear line of acceptable behavior when it comes to how far you're allowed to test the life of a wild steelhead.
Wouldn't the best approach to taking care of these fish be not fishing for them at all?
AH yes..the ethics of bloodsport...
Would you disagree with the notion that how long a fish is played and how it's handled for release has a much more significant impact on its potential to survive than whether or not it was hooked? The line isn't that blurry for me.So you can hook the fish in the face, and drag it around the river until its beat tired, then send it back on its spawning ritual..in which it needs all the energy it can get...and that's ok?
Just want to make sure there's a clear line of acceptable behavior when it comes to how far you're allowed to test the life of a wild steelhead.
Wouldn't the best approach to taking care of these fish be not fishing for them at all?
AH yes..the ethics of bloodsport...
i would be upset if i saw true mishandling. snagged fish? i don't see it in the link provided. gill "fecked" fish? i don't know what that means but maybe the hands in the gills of the hatchery fish that they mentioned became dinner.
i love a good industry bashing thread, but this one is nonsense.
i love a good industry bashing thread, but this one is nonsense.
1 - 20 of 53 Posts
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