Howdy Cowpokes,

I suspect many of you are photographed holding a fish from time to time. In my case, if it wasn't for fishing pictures there would be no photographic evidence that I exist at all. But, I'm often told that I don't look happy in my fishing pictures, even in the case of a catch I'm really pleased with. Most often, even when I'm really happy, I look somewhere between indifferent and surly.

At the very best, I look mildly amused. For instance, I'd busted my tail to catch the king in the picture below. It took days of drifting flies, bait, and everything short of TNT past hundreds of totally indifferent salmon to FINALLY fair hook and land one. I was giddy, and doggone near soiled my waders when this fish finally made it into my net. But, you'd never know it from the photo.

Is this true for any of the rest of you? Is it just roughfishermen? Anyone have a theory about why we don't look happier in fish pictures, especially when we ARE happy?




JK

Whoa, thats easy JK. I think we want to give people looking at the picture, the impression we've caught a million of these fish, because we are that talented.

For example: "Look at me, I'm not smiling because I smiled for the first 1,000 quillbacks I caught, now I'm going to look bored because I've mastered the art" Or something along those lines. :P

Any more brainbusters?

-Will

No I typically look really happy in my photos!

I get the same thing.

I don't know, maybe it's roughfishing stoicism.

Dang Corey, thats the coolest picture of you yet. By far my favorite. You don't happen to be a long lost member of ZZ Top?
-Will

Here I am with my first black crappie. I'd been looking for one for three years, but was skunked each time until a buddy took me out in his boat.



And here's one from a little later that evening - that was my first with a fly rod. I was clearly ecstatic.



This a carp from a little over a week ago. I just chased it down 200 feet of rip rap boulders. Can't you sense the excitement?

Corey wrote:

QUOTE:
I get the same thing.

I don't know, maybe it's roughfishing stoicism.

LMFAO. Nice jokes Will. You're spot on with those!

I typically look happy in my pictures. I've caught some of the fish a bit but I just think it's good to keep the water in the background, smile and have it close at the same time. Good picture taking essentials. Now, getting the sun to cooperate is another story!

I'm a smiler!

Isn't this a pretty picture? I am a smiler too.

It was 98 degrees and the bugs were so bad.......explaining the shorts on my head???? Or maybe I am just goofy................

JUSTIN, Are you SURE those Crappies are REAL??????? They are so incredibly HUGE. I thought the 13 inch ones were big.

WOW.

For me it's a matter of being self-conscious. I have a few teeth that were busted up after getting hit in the face with a glass pop bottle years ago. Time (or laziness) has kept me from getting the caps replaced

Too funny...

I feel goofy holding a smile for the 12 seconds it takes for the self timer to go off. Sitting there holding a fish, staring at that little red light wondering if i hit the right button.

I've noticed many hardcore carp fisherman look at the fish and not at the camera with a sort of dreamy 'i love you so much' look. I guess the pics about the fish and not the fisherman.

Heres a pic of me with my lifer walleye i took just for this site. Its more of a smirk than a smile. I think i effectively expressed my excitement at the lifer, while showing how anti-climactic the catch really was. It fought like a clump of weeds and felt like a yellow perch in the hand.