New Underwater Paddlefish Images

Paddlefish (c)Jennifer Idol/Engbretson Underwater Photo

Today, we're excited to add more than a dozen new Paddlefish pictures to our online galleries.  Our Jennifer Idol has beautifully photographed these prehistoric fish on a recent diving trip to Tennessee.  Paddlefish populations are in trouble and are rapidly declining due to pollution, overfishing, and habitat loss (often associated with the construction of dams). These fish are becoming rarer every year, so encountering them and photographing them in the wild is becoming more difficult than ever.  To see all of Jennifer's new Paddlefish images, visit our Paddlefish Gallery here.

Amazing Fish Gifts For Your Home or Cottage

We've partnered with Realfish Inland Series for a line of amazing fish floor mats. These are so stunning when you see them in person. The photos of the mats don't do them justice. They make great gifts for fisherman or fish lovers. Our Largemouth Bass floor mat is pictured above.  Realfish USA also has a really cool selection of cutting boards featuring our fish images.  Again, these are high quality made-in-the-USA products.  To see the full line of fish mats and boards, go to Realfish USA and check out their Inland Series.

Long-Time Fish Photographer Joins Our Team

Flathead Catfish (c)Garold Sneegas/Engbretson Underwater Photography

 

Today we welcome Garold Sneegas to our team of expert underwater fish photographers.   Garold is an award winning underwater photographer who's been filming North American native fish species since 1970. His images have appeared in a great many books and magazines and he was one of the first to extensively photograph freshwater environments. His select images are now represented by Engbretson Underwater Photography and can be licensed through our website.

What Are Wisconsin's Clearest Lakes? 2016

Time for my annual list of the clearest lakes in Wisconsin.  Every year, I consult with Jennifer Filbert at the Wisconsin DNR.  Jennifer manages the data for the state-wide citizen's lake monitoring group. They're a network of individuals, usually lake-front property owners who monitor and regularly take a variety of water samples from lakes all across Wisconsin.  The data they compile helps to give us a look at how our lakes are doing. One of the many tasks lake monitors perform is to take regular sechi disc readings.  This is a universal way of assessing and comparing water clarity.  I'm always interested in knowing which Wisconsin inland lakes are the clearest.  Every year, Jennifer sends me a spreadsheet of some really comprehensive data that I'm happy to share with you.  Here are  the lakes that recorded the highest average water clarity in 2016. In short-here are Wisconsin's clearest inland lakes and their average water clarity in 2016:

1)   Crystal Lake, Marquette Co. 30 feet
2)   Lake Owen, Bayfield Co. 26 feet
3)   Blue Lake, Oneida Co. 26 feet
4)   Pine Lake, Waukesha Co. 25 feet
5)   Whitefish Lake, Douglas Co. 25 feet
6)   Lake Lucerne, Forest Co. 24 feet
7)   Paya Lake, Oconto Co. 24 feet
8)   Big Newton Lake, Marinette Co. 23 feet
9)   Black Oak Lake, Vilas Co. 23 feet
10) Maiden Lake, Oconto Co. 22 feet

To see the lake list from 2015, click here.  To see the lake list from 2014, click here.  For the lake list from 2013, click here.  And for the 2012 list of clear lakes, click here.

25 Years of Underwater Fish Photography

2017 will mark the start of my 25th year of photographing fish in their underwater homes. I'm grateful for the chance to act as a partner to my subjects. By documenting fish and their world, I hope to inspire you to join me in protecting the freshwater ecosystems that we love.

 

 

Big Bass Underwater-New HD Video in Stunning Clarity

Compilation of the biggest smallmouth bass we saw in 2016, while filming underwater in the pristine lakes of northern Wisconsin.  You'll see 21 giant bass in under sixty seconds, all filmed underwater in their natural habitat in stunning HD clarity.