I've been experimenting, successfully, with swimbaits here in Colorado and have been very impressed with some of the success. My best bass to date was a 22", 7-lb fish that ate a MS Slammer. The problem with catching bass of this size is that the stiff-arm self-portrait photo technique no longer works...I can't get all of the fish in the image. Short of taking someone with me (and letting them in on my secret spots here at 5700'), I was wondering whether any of my fellow kickboaters have come up with some kind of camera mount that lets you take decent pictures of yourself and your fish.

Why would I want such a thing? Well, the following story should explain it. I'd caught a 7-lb bass at this one lake a couple of weeks ago and wanted to try again, but this time with a camera. I rigged up my digital camera with a tripod, and a strap so I could carry it on my back. As I rolled up to the lake I bumped into a friend who works for the Division of Wildlife. He was getting ready to check some zebra mussel monitoring traps, so I told him that if I hooked a big bass, I'd call him over. Foolishly, I left the camera, and tripod, strapped to my back because "I've got someone to take pictures".

So, about 15 minutes into fishing I work the Slammer under the edge of a floating dock and it gets plastered. The fish jumps, and it is a big 'un! I land the bass and I'm pretty sure it was the same 7-lb fish I'd caught previously because of a couple of distinctive markings. I wave the guys over (he had his technician with him) and they come over in their boat. I, being an idiot, stand in the water to keep the fish wet and happy. They beach their boat, take a look at the fish, and start making the usual ooohh and ahhh sounds! As the guy is trying to get the camera off my back, I drop the fish...a single hand lip-lock was apparently not enough. It lands in the water and somehow sheds both trebles. I make some desperate grabs, but you know the story...it wasn't to be...aaarggghh! So, instead of having a picture of a monster CO bass with a Slammer crosswise in its mouth, I have nothing...because I was a fool.

So that's why I need some way to set up the camera so that I (1) don't have to land to take pictures of big fish, (2) can find other things to be an idiot about instead of just dropping my 3rd biggest bass ever in the water.

I've run into the same problem. I was thinking about mounting some type of tripod thing on my oar, but haven't had the time to try it yet. If I get a HUGE fish I will beach my boat, put my camera on my seat and snap away.

Hopefully someone here will provide a good way to take self pics.

The few time I have done the self taken photo I have always beached it and set my camera up on a rock or something on the bank.

One other thing I do if I'm fishing water with the potential for a real big fish is I will have my livewell ready just in case. It makes setting up for the shot a lot easier if you don't have to deal with the fish in one hand while trying to get set up. It also gives you a chance to thoroughly fish an area before you head to the bank for pics if you can put the toad in a livewell. Who knows ya might just get a pic with a toad in each hand too :7

MT

I may have to go ahead and rig a livewell, so that I can take a toad to shore and set up for the picture there. I've looked at the oar lock and I think that I might be able to fashion some kind of camera mount that I can pivot out so that it's far enough away. I've made a quick drawing of it below...do you guys think this will work? I'd try to use an oar, but I just know that I'd accidentally dip the camera into the water at some point...I mean, I'm a guy who drops a bass that is within a pound of my PB into the water!

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/6192-FishCatCamera.jpg

Thats a cool design/idea. Keep us updated if you get this done

How about a Samsung head cam http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9758999-1.html :o



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/6193-headcam_270x180.jpg

The "Samsung Head Camera" looks interesting, but a little too big. I've wondered about the "cap camera's" they use on some of the TV fishing shows...that might be just about perfect, if it was small enough...just think, then you could always have footage of that amazing surface strike!

I don't think I'll get around to working on the camera mount until our lakes freeze (sadly, that could happen in the next 2 - 3 months), but the more I think about, the more I think it'll work.

Thats a good design you have,the only thing I would modify is the camera mount.You might want to design a mount that you`ll be able to adjust the angle of the camera.Or take some practice pictures and see what area the camera is taking a pictures of and shim it up where you`ll be able to get your face and the fish in the picture without having to hunch over.Very good design though,gl.

>Thats a good design you have,the only thing I would modify is
>the camera mount.You might want to design a mount that you`ll
>be able to adjust the angle of the camera.Or take some
>practice pictures and see what area the camera is taking a
>pictures of and shim it up where you`ll be able to get your
>face and the fish in the picture without having to hunch
>over.Very good design though,gl.

But I'm hoping that the bass I take pictures of are so heavy that I have to hunch over...being a 170-lb weakling helps! ;-)

Seriously, though, I think the FOV with my camera will be wide enough that it'll get all of me in the picture...but I will definitely be playing with it to make sure that I can get my whole torso and face in the pictures.

Never really pursued the idea to an actual trial design, but I figured a drawer-slide type rigging, where you could mount a camera at the end & push it out away from you, to where it would capture you in your seat with the fish, would be pretty cool. Of course, you'd have to use either a timer or a remote shutter button to take your own picture with the camera being out of reach. However, they do have those threaded tripod mount type attachments, and I'm sure someone could dream up a viable design (with a little welding probably required, as well).

Something to think about, in any case...

(If I had Jay 'WelderDude's fabrication skills, I'd probably have one done already)!