Middle Rogue Steelhead

[Langenbeck]

Up early this AM about five miles above Grants Pass where I caught & released this 24" wild fish on my trusty bead head nymph.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/24Steelhead8Nov09001.jpg

[WinterrunRon]

Must have been one of your first few casts if you needed flash! That's a much more robust looking fish than the others you've posted. Nice.

[Cmcculloch]

I've often seen photos like this posted on this board and have a question. How do you get the fish to lie still for the picture? It looks like it is in the water, so with one quick tail flip it can exit the photo frame. Mine never stay calm at all. I'm assuming catch and release is in use.

[Dabalone]

I've often seen photos like this posted on this board and have a question. How do you get the fish to lie still for the picture? It looks like it is in the water, so with one quick tail flip it can exit the photo frame. Mine never stay calm at all. I'm assuming catch and release is in use.

I have wondered about this also, especially if you have no help.

[nrthcsteel]

Uhhhhh... I dont think there is a "trick".... Im sure there are plenty of floppy pics and incidents , but I highly doubt a person would post those.

[WinterrunRon]

There comes a time when a steelhead is landed that, for a rather lenthly period of time, many will remain pretty motionless. My uneducated guess is perhaps it senses defeat and remaining still is a last resort defensive mechanism, as it is with a lot of other life. I know this... as soon as you place it upright, it's head under water pointed in the direction of home... within seconds, cover your lens! Not always, but I have more than one shipping invoice to Canon Repair to prove my point. Some, however, I just haven't been able to photo by myself because they just won't sit still. Guess they all have different personalities.

[Langenbeck]

The trick to one quick picture with minimal flopping is to leave the fish in water. Get everything ready to go with the camera and then be ready to shoot immediately. All of this is catch & release. I have never kept a Rogue steelhead.

[jbird]

Most fish give you a quick window of time to pull this off. As Gordon says, if you have the camera ready its a peice of cake. Also I shoot 4 or 5 quick shots. Usually youll get at least one usable photo. Sometimes they dont cooperate tho. It looks like Gordon usually takes the pic before unhooking the fish, you can get a second shot at it this way.

Heres an example

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/IM_A0048.jpg

[jigger]

I have no experience with steelhead, but larger trout will, more often than not, trance for a pic on their side in shallow water.

[STEELIES/26c3]

That's the beauty of a Nikon DX...

I can snap off 30 pictures in less than 30 seconds... Usually 60% or better come out aesthetically worthy and there's no cost to me nor to the fish...

Once home, I can further, edit/enhance and come up with 'catalog shots' like Gordon's

M