Taking great carp trophy shots

We all hope every session that taking a trophy shot of our latest catch will something we will have to do. However after running a photo gallery for a local club for a number of years and witnessing on the bank many times, it is clear a lot of anglers do not know how to get a good shot of their capture. Below are a few tips for getting top trophy shots so you are not disappointed.

Get a digital camera

Probably the most essential piece of modern fishing Photography these days and definitely worth the investment. A good digital camera these days can cost as little as £50 and still take excellent shots. My personal preference is an Olympus Stylus 800 (Mju 800), these make an ideal camera as they are small, are semi water resistant with rubber sealed compartments and come equipped with a infra-red trigger allowing you to fire the camera at short range when you are ready.

Set-up your shot at the start of your session

At the start of a session I always set-up my unhooking and photograph area just in case one comes along. Some might think this may jinks yourself but I prefer to think of it as positive thinking. Ensure that you take a few test shots to make sure that you have everything ready. I often use a small bank stick to the side of the unhooking mat to give you a marker to line yourself up against. I also position my camera usually on a mini tripod on a bucket or bedchair, this allows correct framing of the shot every time without the need for a bulky full size tripod.

Be able to do self take shots

Quite a lot of my fishing is done in isolation, this is not because I lack fishing buddies I add, but usually through choice of be able just to do my own thing on my terms. Therefore this means I am often in the situation of having to take my trophy shots myself. Having completed the set-up steps above the biggest aid I have found is having a camera with a self-take infra-red trigger. This cut out the problem of holding a fish still for the split second shot on a timer. I just simply wait until fish and I am ready and then trigger the camera. Usually I try a few shots and even turn the fish to capture both sides. I risky and dangerous operation if you are running back to trigger a timer every time.

Hold your fish correctly

Out of all the points this one is the most important. I have seen so many people with shots of lovely fish yet they are cuddling and cradling them like a baby. Make sure you have your hands underneath the fish to start, front hand near the pectoral fin just with a finger either side, the other towards the tail. Present the fish with your arms straight out or slightly bent. The fish should be held vertically, if it begins to flap or wiggle immediately roll the fish gentle back onto your resting forearms until it calms down and then pop it back into position again. You can position yourself crouched or on one or two knees its up to you. Try not to hold the fish to far away from you body as this distorts the perspective and makes a fish look bigger than it actual was. With larger fish of the 30lb plus bracket I like to crouch with my knees together and rest my forearms on my legs, this not only presents the fish well but also takes some of the strain of holding the fish off your arms.

With just a small amount of preparation you can ensure that when the fish of a lifetime makes an appearance you are ready to record it for posterity.