What folks can do, though I can't, with Photoshop deserves scepticism.

Ancient_Angler wrote on Mar 16^th, 2011 at 8:55pm:


A_A,

I'm more skeptical now than I ever was.
With the ability for "pranking" now mostly limited only by someone's computer skills, the old adage " Seeing is believing", no longer holds true

As for my judgment being good, that's a subject that's open for debate on any given day

Solotripper, I did not mean to sound too "determinitive." You have good judgment.

A_A,

If it's good enough for your experienced eye, then who am I too doubt it.
dd's comment make sense, and the 2nd pic looks more " natural", so I apologize for being a little skeptical.

I've caught muskies that big and pike almost as big. Looks authentic to me.

Its just that this version of the fish looks more realistic.  Perhaps the other photo looks out of scale due to the camera angle (or a lens change).  This one looks to be 52 inches.  The other looks more like 70".

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Either way, its an impressive fish.

dd

Guys,

that pic is from the Swim True Flies website. Nick has been featured many times in various outdoor mags and is producer on a fly fishing films co. It might be Flymax films but not sure. I seriously doubt its a fake, but I guess you could contact the guy at swim true flies to check it out.

the website with the pic is here:

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Moonman.

mikea wrote on Mar 16^th, 2011 at 4:01pm:


I don't mean to impugn him as a person or a fisherman, but who's to say he wasn't the butt of a prank?

I found a on-line Muskie site that you enter length/girth if known and you get estimated weight. I don't know what they use for a calcualting point for girth, but I would say that muskie was fairly big in that regard.
Just entering length, it would way at least 40+ pounds.

Now I can't tell by picture, but it doesn't appear that Nick is a real big guy? Look how he's holding that huge fish. His right arm/hand from what I can tell is extended away from his body. Same with his left. He's kneeling on a boat deck. I never held a fish of that size, but I do know something about handling heavy weights from work/exercise. Unlike a solid weight, a live object is more like handling a sack of wet sand. It moves and shifts as you hold it. Try holding 40+ lbs of "loose weight" out away from your body, with your arms extended, kneeling on a surface that may/may not be bobbing up and down? A lot harder than you would think. I bet most people would have a hard time balancing in the position he's in under such a load.

Most pics of fish this size, the guy holding them is either using a two handed grip and holding the fish vertical off of his body, tight in to shoulder for support.
Either that, their clutching them with both arms/hands into chest for support/control.

Even the ratio of his right hand size looks off to his body size, unless he's, got hands like a NBA player?

Nice fish never the less, but the more I look the less authentic it appears.

Nick is a stand up guy and one hell of a fisherman.....he wouldn't do that.....

Mike

solotripper wrote on Mar 16^th, 2011 at 2:28pm:

The shadow cast by the fish seems inconsistent.

dd