Photographing a fish for identification
Hold or lay the fish side-on with the whole body in frame, nose to tail tip, the fins spread and the camera square to the fish, in even light. Be quick, and keep the fish wet if it is going back.
Frame the whole fish
- Side-on, so you see one whole flank.
- The whole fish in frame, nose to tail tip, filling most of the picture.
- The camera square to the fish, not looking down at an angle.
- A plain background helps: a deck, a mat or the grass, not a busy tangle of gear.
Show the features that decide it
Know what separates your fish from its look-alike, and make sure the photo shows it. For bass, close the mouth so the end of the jaw and the eye are both clear. For crappie, spread the front dorsal fin so the spines can be counted. For walleye and sauger, show the tail and the spiny dorsal. For salmon, a second photo of the open mouth shows the gum colour. The look-alike entry lists the check for each pair.
Light and glare
Even light shows markings best. In bright sun, turn so the sun is behind you or to the side, and tilt the fish slightly if the wet scales flash white. Wipe water off the lens. Avoid the flash in daylight; it washes out colour and bars.
If the fish is going back
- Have the phone ready before the fish comes out of the water.
- Wet your hands before handling it, and keep fingers out of the gills.
- Support a big fish under the belly and hold it horizontally.
- Take a few photos quickly, then release it. Keep it in the water between photos if you need more.
Questions and answers
Does holding the fish toward the camera matter?
Yes. Holding a fish out toward the lens makes it look bigger and distorts its shape, which throws off both the identification and any length taken from the photo. Keep the fish at the same distance as your body, side-on, with the camera square to it.
Do photos give away where I fished?
They can. Phones store the position in the photo file, and backgrounds show landmarks. See keeping your spots private.
Keep reading
Cite this entry
Global Fishing League. “Photographing a fish for identification.” Best Fish Identification, updated 9 November 2026.https://bestfishidentification.com/photographing-a-fish/