You've just caught the fish of a lifetime and it's time to capture the moment on film.  Here are some simple tips that will help you take better pictures on your next fishing trip.

Content
Unless you've got the most spectacular back drop ever try to concentrate on the subject at hand, which is usually the fish and the person who caught it.  Get close to the subject and be aware of what's going on in the background. Fill the frame with the subject!  Once you've got the subject centered in the picture quickly glance around the viewfinder to see what's behind the subject.  Is there a telephone pole growing out of the persons head?  Is there a dumpster or an old, burned out car on the gravel bar behind the subject?  Be aware of what is going on behind the picture and position the subject or yourself accordingly.

Here are some quick examples of content:

Somewhere in this picture is Cheri with a 22 lb steelhead.  We've got gravel, water, some logs...and oh, yeah, Cheri!  Not only that, but I was moving the camera when I snapped the shot.

Here's a picture where capturing the back drop added to the moment.  The shot of Mark's awesome steelhead is accented by the incredible scenery behind it.

We could have taken this photo from 20 feet away, capturing the gravel bar, the clear cut above the river, etc..  By moving in tight for the shot we captured Dan with his trophy hen and also got a great shot for Lavro Boats.

Using Fill Flash
Even during the daylight hours a fill flash can bring out the detail in a fish and show highlights that might be washed out without a flash.  Try taking one picture with a flash and another without, giving you two to choose from later.  I think you'll be surprised by the shot with the flash!

Here's a shot where I could have easily used a fill flash to bring out the detail in this trophy buck.  Sure, it's a good shot, but a flash would have made this a "great" shot. 

In this shot we used a flash that defines the detail in both Cheri and the fish.  This picture was taken on an overcast, drizzly day that made the flash essential for the shot.  Had we not used a flash here this picture would definitely not have turned out as good as it did.

Flash is a must for dawn/dusk shots.  Forks area guide Bob Ball took this shot several years ago in the early dawn of the Snoopy Rod Classic.  There was just enough light on this morning to make his camera think a flash wasn't necessary.  Bob took an extra shot with the flash, however, and got this awesome shot. 

Catch and Release Photos
Catch and release photos are perhaps the most difficult because we not only have to be aware of the fishes health, but also of the content of the shot.

In regards to the fish, here are a few things to consider:
-If you absolutely have to net the fish use a catch and release net
-Once the fish is netted leave the entire bag of the net underwater so the fish can swim in the net. 
-Lift the fish out of the water for no more than 10 seconds, even less is desirable
-The person taking the picture needs to be in position and ready before the fish is lifted from the water.   

Notice the water running off this steelhead.  Only after the shooter and camera were ready was this fish lifted from the water, and then only long enough to get one picture.

In Washington it's now illegal to lift salmon or steelhead that are going to be released from the water.  Hold the fish underwater until the picture-taker is ready and then simply lift the fish to the surface for the shot.  And remember, fill the frame with the subject!

Jumping Shots
Getting the jumping shot is all about anticipation.  By watching the line you can sometimes predict when a fish is going to break the surface.  If there's pressure on the fish and the line is coming up quickly the fish is probably going to jump.  Have the camera ready and if possible, set the camera on rapid-fire mode.  By holding the camera at your side you'll never get this shot...it's got to be ready to roll when the situation arises.

This steelhead jumped 6 times and by watching the line come up in the water and anticipating the jump I was lucky enough to capture one of them.  Nothing fancy here!  This shot was taken with a disposable camera.

After noticing how acrobatic this saltwater chinook was I switched the camera to rapid-fire and started shooting over Mike's shoulder.  Without anticipating the jump and having the camera at the ready we never would have gotten this shot. 

You don't have to be a professional to take great fishing photos.  With a little bit of planning and consideration for the composition of the shot anyone can take great fishing photos.

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