Grinding nemo: animated lure on a dead-bait caster

In late winter and early spring I tend to replace dead bait by an animated lure (hook-less) to try and tease some pike. Every now and then it works. I ll show you in my next post.

Be selfish with Dr Snapper

Drsnapper will be participating in the ultimate citizen science festival at the Belgian coast: zeekerweten.be

A festival to celebrate biodiversity observation and conservation and to cheerish your very own enthusiasm for discovery.

Everyone is welcome on May 8 here in Oostende to try out and experience first hand the new thrill of camera angling. #catchinpeace #aquatictrophyshot

Al eens met een hengel een foto genomen van een vis? Met Dr Snapper’s onderwatercamera aan de haak maak je verrassende onderwaterbeelden. En dit zonder de vissen te storen of pijn te doen. (Voel je als een vis in het water zonder nat te worden!)

• Inschrijven is niet nodig

• Doorlopend

• Vooraf: installeer de apps Spydro (Android // iOS) en GoFish Cam (Android // iOS)

• Wie wil kan een stevige hengel (worpgewicht van 80-100 g) meenemen

New article about trophyshot contest in German Fisch & Fang magazine

The German Fisch & Fang Angling magazine published an article about the trophyshot contest in their latest September 2021 edition.

Submit your trophyshot portal is now open

To garner momentum and publicize the advent of the aquatic trophyshot contest, a short article was published the other day in a Dutch angling magazine (Visblad). The associated website portal is now open and ready to receive your submission(s). Feel free to spread the word.

Snapping fish selfies

A short film to promote camera angling featured during the virtual VLIZ Marine Science Day earlier this year. It has some nice drone footage and a hand-crafted soundtrack. Thanks a lot to Atika Lava, Diony, Jelle and Emil for footage and/or tunes.

Photo contest o'clock

Picking a few best of out of my humble amateur collection, I submitted the below aquatic trophy shot of a pollack (Pollachius pollachius) snapped in Ireland to a photo contest. If you like it, click on the link you can vote for it and make an underwater trophy shot count (you may have to scroll through some pages first to spot it).

Another science event to meet and mingle virtually: World Recreational Fisheries Conference

Last year drsnapper’s presentation could not go through at the World Recreational Fisheries Conference, because it was postponed due to Covid. It is still not going to happen as a meet-and-greet event, but by now we are all well versed in virtual meeting rooms. Two exciting online events will take place June 28 and 30 - register for free.

International recreational fisheries research in the spotlight

Last week a working group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) met virtually to discuss the latest research results of recreational fisheries catches, population impacts, socioeconomic footprints and novel survey methods. Animal welfare issues of catch-and-release practices were also on the menu.

Spawning times

Spring time means reproduction o’clock for many fish species. These bream came to lay their eggs on water plants in some shallow water.

Four seasons in one day

Before the spring season closes for the spawning period, I enjoyed some snowflakes squalling through some sunshine. Pike are active and wary as at this spot. This one came in close to inspect what was on offer but quickly turned around.

A new toy for my tech tackle box

As a Christmas present to myself I ordered an animated lure. It worked a treat at my local (despite the limited field of view with the camera pointing straight down) - and not sure whether I will be able to trick my guinea pig pike for a second time though. Still - hookless fishing fun.

Triple pike strike on Boxing Day

This keen fella came in close three times: first time when I was scouting the water for presence - it only felt the lure once; second time when I came back a few hours later - it took another lure on the second cast (the lock was pumping water and because of the water flow it is a little bubbly); the third time it went for the camera. You guessed correctly, it is not the Bahamas. Dutch brownie points.

Some sad news for big game trophy shooters.....

….your giant monster catches are shrinking over time….Researchers from the University of Washington have found evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome in news items relating to fishing records. In an article published by PeerJ, the researchers provide evidence that over the last 140 years, relative lengths of newsworthy fish (reported length divided by max. length) have declined over time. But I am sure, a few cms do not matter, when looking into the beautiful eyes of such magnificent fish (yellowfin tuna and dolphinfish) shot in action by a colleague recently on a trip to the Indian Ocean.

Bammm!!!.....with a bait bonbon

These underwater trophy shots were taken from yellowtail scad and a leatherjacket in Port Philip Bay using the wee ol bait bomb approach. Stuff a mesh sock with chicken and other meaty bits and let the odour plume do the rest - no need for mimicry to mimic shape and behaviour of bait fish. Been experimenting with other odoured lures lately. Have you got any recommendations for some smelly artificial baits that work a treat? Don’t be shy…

Autumn sun rays

Enjoying a sun-drenched afternoon at one of my favourite fishing spots in Germany. A school of redfins came flying past.

Flat-faced in Denmark

On a work-related visit to Bornholm, I found a nice harbour to deploy a bait bag which made it difficult for this one to keep a straight or shall we say flat face, and made for a nice aquatic trophy shot :)

Blind spotting

On a recent trip to France (Brittany), I managed to break up the road trippin for a quick dip of my camera rod into a roadside lake. Initially, I would have gone home thinking: “well, another day without a bite”, but luckily after some extra reviewing efforts of all footage, I spotted a pike investigating one of the lures I tried on that day. Camera angling has its merit - without a camera, I would have gone home without a trophy shot….

Have you ever tried camera angling for trophy shots ? What has been your experience with it? Feel free to leave a comment. Cheers

Irish delights - mackerel eyeing up the wolf

Kicking off a series of epic “drschnappiesodes” by some fanatic angling camera ambassadors. In this clip off the Irish coast on a beautiful calm sunset, a mackerel went for the lure, but got put off. Maybe the waterwolf spooked it? What do you reckon?

Perching up high

A curious school of juvenile European perch came up close to inspect the artificial bait fish.

Carp spotting inside the green room

Managed to soak my DIY mini-BRUV camare trap in a small lake in Germany. Looks like a carp swam by to inspect that weird looking frame from a safe distance. Admittedly, although the bait ball was propped with more yummy bait, its presentation has to improve to become not just smelly, but also visually appealing.