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.

- Prescribing a steady diet of steel to the local fishes -