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| Mike fights a nice rainbow from his float tube near Talkeetna. |
and reel. The quiet of Alaska’s many small lakes can be a godsend of relaxation and contemplating the
world as it should be, just me and the trout. This summer I decided to take my underwater photography
to this world and hopefully bring an understanding of what this to the outside world. Through a friend I was introduced to Mike Malone, a world class fisherman and really interesting chap to boot. He graciously volunteered to go fishing at his favorite lakes so that I could watch him catch fish. Like I said he is great guy, not everyone would give up their free time to go fishing.
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| Mike Malone prepares to release another nice fish. |
Gear:
Camera: Canon 5D
Lens: Canon 17-40 F4 L
Housing: Ikelite with 8” Dome port
Wetsuit: O’neil 7mm
We found it works best if I stay in my safety boat (14ft Aire Super Lynx piloted by my wife) until he gets a fish on, then I slide over the side and start shooting. Once the fish has been safely released, I get back in the boat and repeat as necessary. This is where the super lynx is great, self bailing floors, and the stability for me to get in and out in deep water without risk of tipping over. It is a ballet in green water, between maintaining my orientation to the fisherman, where the fish is at, and where the light is coming from while not sucking in water or stirring up the bottom. Much like fishing it is about the challenge of proper execution that we seek, not necessarily the resulting catch or image. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing more frustrating than spending the day in a cold lake only to find out your images are out of focus or ill exposed. But, it motivates me to get back out there and make it happen and improve every time I go out. In the words of Joel Grimes, “Am I better than I was yesterday?” if the answer is yes, then it was a success.
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| Holly in the safety kayak |
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