Cover shot photography

Does anyone know how they get those photos that have been taken with a wide angle lens from the water, looking up to the angler as he/she nets a fish?

Does the photographer stand in the water? Do they use a dingy?

Hi Matt,
Usually wearing chest waders,rarely a dinghy in my experience,and often with a 20mm lens.
The Pons.

Cheers for the reply Chris.

Does the photographer sit in the water waiting for the angler to hook something?

I've got this horrible feeling that they grab a fish out of the keepnet and stick it on the hook to make things quicker.

The photographer will wait till the fish is ready to land then get in the water. They will have already worked out were the fish will be drawn to the net in advance so everything can be set up ready.

The best way to do this yourself is practice rope a mate in and use a lump of foam to represent the fish. If you have a digital camara even better as you can see the results then have another go.

Thanks, I'll have to get some shots of my mates.

I was on the cast for Tales From the River Bank and the BBC natural history team wanted us to rehook a fish specially for the camera, obviously we declined

the welfare of the fish must always come first of course

Without mentioning any names, a great many famous anglers of the past, and present for that matter have hooked and landed fish a second time for the sake of the cameras.

I have never done it personally but I have known some very famous names who have asked other anglers who have caught big fish to loan them the fish, as they have to produce a feature.

Some years ago I did a feature for the guys at Improve Your Coarse Fishing. I could have gone there the night before and keepnetted a number of big roach and kept them for the feature so that the editor could have had their pictures. I couldn't get there the night before because of work committments. I am proud of the fact that I was able to catch a 1lb 14 oz roach for the cameras. There was no posing of the shots.

It all took place as it happened.

Good for you Monk. I fit ever was proved we were re-hooking fish the antis would have a field day as you say the welfare of the fish must always come first.