30 Incredible Fishing Photos That Deserve to Go Down in History
Thank goodness for cameras, or we wouldn’t believe most of these stories. These are the 30 best fishing photos ever taken.
Fishing is a sport of the ages. And thanks to photography, we can capture those great moments in angling history. From some of the coolest photos to some of the most disturbing, these pictures guide you through the wonder of fishing.
Did you take a fishing photo of your own? Share it with us and maybe you’ll see it in our next gallery!
1. “Fly” fishing
Check out this guy. In New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific, this is taking fishing to a whole new level.
2. Great white
This great white shark was caught off the Australian coast in 1985 and measured 21 feet and 8 inches in length. Vic Hislop, the fisherman credited for this and many other shark kills, has been shark fishing for over 40 years.
3. Vic Hoslop
Hoslop claims that there are more human deaths via sharks in Australian waters than the government lets on.
4. Frilled shark
This evil-looking fish was captured in Victoria, Australia. On the Near Threatened list, the “frilled shark” more resembles a very angry and bloodthirsty eel. It has over 25 rows of 300 teeth. You do not want to accidentally snag this little devil in your trawls.
5. Bass Pro
Are you kidding me? This 22-pound 4-ounce bass was caught near Kyoto, Japan by Manabu Kurita in 2009. (I’m still pumped about that four-pound bass I caught when I was 16.)
6. “Big Uglies”
These opah fishes, also called moonfish or “big uglies,” were caught on the southern coast of California summer of 2014. The biggest one, shown middle, weighed 180 pounds. I hope these anglers threw the biggest fish fry their friends have ever seen.
8. One Fish, Two Fish, Redfish…
This massive school of redfish was spotted just off Jacksonville, Florida near Fernandina Beach.
9. FDR at the Gulf
This is very cool capture of Franklin D. Roosevelt reeling in a tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico in 1937.
12. Tuna Day
Wedgeport, Novia Scotia was once known as the tuna fishing capital of the world. Here, two fishermen drag in a bluefin tuna, one of the fastest and most powerful fish in the sea.
13. The Old Men and the Sea
(Seated from left to right) Fidel Castro, Chè Guevara and Ernest Hemingway taking the boat out for a light little fishing competition. Castro won.
14. The Original
Stress from work or glory for a trophy doesn’t make this guy go fishing, nature does. He is the original angler.
15. Glass half-full
These two are not letting the devastation of their town get them down. Grab a chair, pal, we’re going fishing.
16. Noodling gal
This girl isn’t kidding around. Lucy Millsap from near Lake Tawakoni, Texas won a noodling competition in all categories with her 72-pound catch (not pictured) at the Okie Noodling Festival, 2013. She is a former cheerleader and quite the badass.
17. A different point of view
I don’t know if I want to become a fly fisherman or a photographer.
18. Pack your long johns
The world’s biggest ice fishing competition is held annually in Brainerd, Minnesota and thousands from all over the globe come to compete.
19. Teach your children well
This one will get you in the feels. There is nothing better than teaching your young ones at an early age the value of a rod and reel.
20. Goliath tigerfish
This terrifying carnivore hangs out in the Congo river and boasts 32 razor sharp teeth. Steer clear.
21. Someone overfed Goldie
When they are let out of their tiny bowls and into the wild, goldfish, a kind of carp, can actually grow quite large. Here is a 30-pound one caught in a lake in southern France.
22. The market is open
The two-month long ice fishing festival in Chagan Lake, China yields over one million kilos of fish laid out on the ice here as an open market. Fishers use an old Mongolian technique where a net is put underneath the ice hole to catch fish.
23. The Hilton sisters
There is really no telling if Paris and Nicky Hilton actually know what they are doing, but they look pretty cool surf fishing. And everyone loves a girl who can fish.
24. Record tuna
Donna Pascoe wrestled in this 907-pound Pacific bluefin tuna in New Zealand for the all-tackle world record.
25. Albino catfish
There are a billion awesome catfish photos, but this albino giant takes the cake. Weighing in at 194 pounds, this monster was caught in Spain and is the largest albino catfish on record.
26. “Jelly” fish?
This clear creature was caught in New Zealand waters and while it has the appearance of a translucent fish, it is actually a planktonic tunicate.
27. Awwwww
We’ve seen some giant river monsters and the biggest great white, but here is a tiny fish for your sweet side. This fish is called the two spot wrasse.
28. Surubí
This surubí, a South American catfish, was caught here with a fly rod in Costa Rica. What a rad-looking fish!
29. What the…?
This strange-looking creature washed up (still alive) on a North Carolina shore in the summer of 2014. It was believed to be a lancetfish and was released back into the water but washed back up later. If you ask me, it can’t swim very well because it is missing its dorsal fin.
30. Glutton rainbow trout
Let’s end on a gnarly note. This Alaskan rainbow trout which at 19 inches, seems standard, but when dressed, the angler discovered nearly 20 partially digested shrews in his belly. While trout usually stick to insects and other small fish, mice are generally not a prey. Perhaps he was storing up for the winter.
