In today’s world, taking a photo of a fish you caught might seem like an ordinary occurrence, but it wasn’t always that way.
Looking back at the early 1900s, when cameras were just becoming more accessible, fishermen took pride in capturing their big catches and preserving the memory of their successful fishing trips.
These black-and-white snapshots depict the fishermen standing next to their boats or along the shoreline, holding up enormous fish that they had just caught.
“Edward Llewellen with the World’s Record Black Sea Bass, which he caught, (425 lbs.), time 41 min., at Catalina Island, Calif., Aug. 26, 1903.”
The smiles on their faces reflect the satisfaction and pride they felt in their accomplishment, as they had not only caught a big fish but had also proven their skill and ability to provide for their families.
These old photos are not just a testament to the prowess of the fishermen but also a glimpse into the history of fishing and the development of photography.
A world’s record 384-pound black sea bass caught by Franklin Schenck of Brooklyn with rod and reel off Catalina Island, California, on August 17, 1900.
With the advent of photography, these fishermen could now capture the moment of their success and share it with others.
It was not uncommon for these images to be shared with friends and family, displayed in local newspapers, or hung on walls as a symbol of achievement.
An enormous ocean sunfish (Mola mola), caught by W.N. McMillan of E. Africa, at Santa Catalina Isl., Cal. April 1st, 1910. Its weight was estimated at 3,500 pounds. (Photo by Reyes of Avalon).
In the early days of fishing photography, the emphasis was on the size and weight of the fish. Fishermen would often pose with their catches, holding them up to show off their size and to prove that they had indeed caught the fish they claimed.
The images were typically straightforward and simple, with the focus solely on the fish and the person holding it.
Over time, fishing photography evolved, and the emphasis shifted from just the size of the fish to capturing the entire experience of the fishing trip.
A 5,000-pound Manta Ray, disc width 19 feet 8 inches, 1932. (Photo courtesy Jay Gould).
Photographs began to include more scenery, the boat, and the other people on the trip, providing a more comprehensive view of the fishing excursion.
The tradition of photographing fish trophies by fishermen remains an essential part of the fishing culture, serving as a visual record of the successes and triumphs of those who spend their days on the water.
Black sea bass caught at Santa Catalina, with rod and reel, by Mrs. A. W. Barret of Los Angeles. Weight: 416 pounds (188 kg); length: 7 feet 10 inches (2.3 m); girth: 5 feet 11 inches; time: 2 hours and 15 minutes. (Photo taken in 1901).
A giant Tahitian Marlin, 1901.
Man on dock standing next to large sturgeon hanging from a hook, vicinity of the lower Columbia River, ca. 1900. (Photo by John Fletcher Ford).
A 680-pound tuna, 1911. The largest tuna ever taken with rod and line. (Photo by Charles Frederick Holder).
Hemingway and Marlins, 1935. American author Ernest Hemingway with Pauline, Gregory, John, and Patrick Hemingway and four marlins on the dock in Bimini.
A spearfish and two fish jaws, 1940s. (Photo by Auckland War Memorial Museum).
Ernest Hemingway and Henry (Mike) Strater with the remaining 500-pound of an estimated 1000-pound marlin that was half-eaten by sharks before it could be landed in the Bahamas in 1935.
A shark caught at Port Chalmers, New Zealand, ca 1900. (Photo by David De Maus).
A giant catfish, Germany, 1928.
Black Bass weighing nearly 200 lbs, caught with pole, Catalina, California, 1906.
A fisherman in Istanbul, 1933.
Portrait of a man standing beside two large suspended fish, 1952.
Two crew with large fish onboard HMS Penguin, 1900s.
People on the boat “Rosemary” with a large sport fish, 1939.
Captain A.L. Kahn shows a giant manta ray caught in 1933.
In the summer of 1933, a man named A.L. Kahn was fishing off the coast of New Jersey when he landed this 20-foot-long, 5,000-pound manta ray. It took him, his mates, and the U.S. Coast Guard several hours and several dozen blasts from a gun to finally reel in this “devil fish.” As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote at the time, it was “a harrowing three-hour struggle to decide whether the fishing party was capturing the fish, or the fish was capturing the boat and its four occupants.”
A boy holding a cod in a boat sailing around Greenland, 1927.
528-pound swordfish caught at Russell, ca 1910.
Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos pose with two tarpon fish, Key West, Florida, 1928.
600 pounds of Halibut, Petersburg, Alaska 1930s.
Men posing with Jewfish caught at Catalina Island, ca.1910.
