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Overcoming Obstacles: Why Photographing Fish in Their Natural Habitat Isn't as Easy as it Looks

Largemouth Bass (c)Engbretson Underwater Photography

I'm often asked what the biggest challenge is in taking underwater fish pictures.  There are quite a few obstacles and many things that have to be right to be able to get a good picture.  First, the water has to be clear, which is actually a greater challenge than you might think.  Freshwater lakes are typically pretty crummy so finding lakes that have the necessary clarity is an ongoing process.  I usually won't even look at a lake if the clarity isn't at least 18 feet.  Water clarity can change from week to week and season to season too, so even though I have my favorite lakes, they’re not always clear enough to work in.  Everything starts with water clarity and if you don’t have that, nothing else matters.  It’s always a challenge to find clear water.

Once I find a clear lake, I have to find fish.  Next, I have to find fish of desirable size.  This is easier said than done too.  It's always a problem especially these days when it seems like there’s fewer and fewer really nice fish available.  If I do find a lake that’s clear and it does have a few good fish, another challenge is getting close enough to photograph them.  I like to be 2 or 3 feet away.  Any further and I won’t take a picture at all.  Fish often times have a problem with a diver being that close, so it requires patience to even get close enough to think about composing a picture.  But once I have clear water, good fish, and get close enough to photograph them, I still have to make the shot.  So even if everything else is right, sometimes I blow it all on the final step because I was moving, or the composition is bad or I forgot to turn on the strobe, etc.….

A lot goes wrong.  Sometimes I feel like it’s truly a miracle to get any good pictures at all because so many things that I can’t control have to be right all at the same time. But as I always say, "If it were easy, everyone would be doing this".

Photographing Walleyes in Their Natural Habitat

 

It's been my experience that photographing walleyes underwater in their natural habitat can be either ridiculously easy or extremely difficult.  I'm convinced that there's a lot of luck involved.  As most fishermen can attest to, even finding walleyes in a lake can be a tough assignment.  Some fish are especially sensitive to air bubbles from divers, and walleyes are one of these species that seem troubled by the unusual sound.  They will usually move away quickly when they hear the sounds of a diver's air bubbles streaming to the surface.   Other times, I've found walleye to be completely at ease with my approach, my bubbles, and my general presence.  At these times I'm able to easily take close-up pictures with my cameras just inches from the fish.  I've spent a great deal of time analyzing the various factors and conditions that sometimes make photographing walleye easy and sometimes make it impossible.

After 27 years of encountering walleye underwater, I still don't have a definitive answer.   One theory I have is that if the fish feels secure, a close approach is possible.  If there are predators nearby, a lot of recreational watercraft traffic, or any other kind of perceived threat or disturbance, they will be anxious, nervous, and "edgy".  When the lake is quiet and they feel secure near a piece of cover, they seem to be more relaxed and at ease.  I think it all has to do with a sense of safety.  Fishermen believe walleyes always prefer deep water and avoid light because of their sensitive eyes.  I don't think that's necessarily true, or the real reason why walleye seem to seek out deeper, darker water.  On some of the quieter lakes I visit, they can be found in very shallow, brightly sunlit water close to shore.  On busier lakes, they almost always seem to be in the deeper stretches.  It could be that the perceived threat to their safety has more to do with locations walleyes are found than depth or brightness of the sun.

I work with many fishing magazines and exceptional walleye images are seemingly always in demand.  Consequently, I've spent a great deal of time learning about walleyes and their behavior to gain a better understanding of how to best find and approach them to take their pictures. Certainly, being in the water with the fish gives you a glimpse of their "real" behavior-a snapshot few people ever see.  Correctly interpreting what you observe is another matter and is the beginning of understanding and wisdom.

Like all animals, walleyes have many secrets and as we begin to learn more about their endlessly fascinating lives, we'll be able to appreciate them more and more for their inherent beauty and magnificence.  I know I do. 

What are the Clearest Lakes in Wisconsin? The 2021 Report

 

For the best underwater photography, finding clear water with high transparency is essential. So what are the clearest lakes in Wisconsin?  Every year, I consult with Wisconsin's 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 Secchi 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.  Ordinarily, I rank the lakes that recorded the highest average water clarity for the previous year. This year, I'm looking at lakes that recorded the single highest Secchi disc reading in 2021. Because of Covid-19, not all the usual lakes were sampled at their usual intervals, so we have only the data that was collected. With that in mind, here are Wisconsin's clearest inland lakes and their highest single-day water clarity readings taken in 2021:

1)   Lake Metonga, Forest Co.39.5 feet

2)   Nagawicka Lake, Waukesha Co. 38 feet

3)   Sand Lake, Burnett Co. 35.5 feet

4)   Upper Eau Claire Lake, Bayfield Co. 34.5 feet

5)   White Lake, Marquette Co. 33 feet

6)   Delavan Lake, Walworth Co. 32 feet

7)   Lake Mendota, Dane Co. 30 feet

8)   Pearl Lake, Waushara Co. 30 feet

9)   Forest Lake, Vilas Co. 29.5 feet

10) Big Arbor Vitae Lake, Vilas Co. 29 feet

11) Sugar Camp Lake, Oneida Co. 29 feet

12) Blue Lake, Oneida Co. 29 feet

13) Butternut Lake, Forest Co. 28 feet

14) Lake Owen, Bayfield Co. 27 feet

15) Black Oak Lake, Vilas Co. 27 feet

To see the list from 2020, click here.

King of the Deep: Swimming with Muskies in Their Natural Habitat

I’m very lucky that I just happen to live in an area that’s home to some of the most legendary muskie lakes in the country.  Over the years, I’ve had a chance to swim in some of these famed waters and encounter muskies up close in their own environment.  There’s nothing quite like seeing a large muskie underwater.  They glide effortlessly through the water with the supreme confidence reserved for members at the top of their food chain.  Because of this, they’re not afraid of divers and I’m able to approach them usually fairly easily.  They are surely aware of all the other fish and animals that populate their world and because divers are an anomaly, they will routinely approach me with what I can only characterize as curiosity. They often make a complete circle around me as if to inspect this ‘strange creature” from every angle.  They also display keen awareness.  When I enter a lake, I don’t have to search for the muskies.  I’ve discovered that if I’m patient, they will find me.  Drawn, I’m sure by acute imperceptible sensory abilities and also probably just by the noise of my air bubbles too.

2022 Underwater Fish Calendar from Engbretson Underwater Photography

Looking for a cool wall calendar for 2022?  Check out the 2022 Fishing Calendar from the Koozie Group featuring 13 underwater images from the Engbretson Underwater Photography team. Bass, salmon, walleye, trout, panfish, and others are all represented in vibrant color expertly photographed underwater in their natural habitats. 

Click here to order from Amazon.com  Only $7.98!

Underwater Photography of Reptiles and Amphibians

At Engbretson Underwater Photography we're best known for our exceptional underwater images of freshwater fishes of North America. But because our photographers spend so much time under the surface of lakes and rivers, they also often observe and photograph a variety of aquatic non-fish species. Over the years, we've accumulated many underwater images of turtles, snakes, and salamanders. We've added them to our online galleries because they represent a segment of the underwater ecosystem that helps make these freshwater environments both interesting and diverse.  

Today we've added some new Eastern Hellbender Salamander images from our ace photographer Isaac Szabo.  Because Eastern Hellbenders are largely reclusive creatures whose range is shrinking, they're not easy to locate and photograph. Isaac's done a great job of traveling to remote areas in North Carolina and other places where they can still be found in significant numbers. His hellbender images are striking.  

To view all of Isaac's underwater material, see our Isaac Szabo Gallery here, or visit our gallery solely devoted to underwater images of reptiles and amphibians. 

Noted Conservation Photographer Joins Our Team

 

One of the best parts of operating a stock photo agency is acquiring exciting, new photographers to represent. Our newest contributor is Fernando Lessa, one of the country's most talented Salmon photographers.  Fernando's amazing images of salmon, taken underwater in the iconic streams of the American Pacific Northwest and Canada are among the most stunning ever made. 

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Lessa has both a biology degree and a master’s degree in photography and specializes in documenting the relationship between humans and mother nature.  He's spent a great deal of time in the field, having worked on projects in a wide variety of areas, including the untouched Amazon Rainforest of Brazil, the unique Brazilian Savannah, and the Pacific Northwest.  He's a book author, filmmaker, and superb underwater photographer. 

Fernando joins Patrick Clayton, Jennifer Idol, Sean Landsman, Victor Vrbovsky, Garold Sneegas, Bryce Gibson, Todd Pearsons, Christopher Morey, Isaac Szabo, Paul Vecsei, and Roger Peterson on our "dream team" of the USA's best freshwater fish photographers.  His work can be licensed for commercial and editorial purposes by contacting us here at Engbretson Underwater Photography. To view more of Fernando's work, check out our Fernando Lessa Gallery here.

Ambassadors from an Underwater Realm

I’m often asked what my favorite fish is. That’s an impossible question because I love them all. While they’re all so wonderful in their own special ways, I do enjoy spending time with my Smallmouth Bass friends. They’re always friendly and curious and will eagerly pose for my cameras. They wait patiently while I fumble with the camera and strobe settings all while demonstrating my lack of swimming skills. To the fish, I’m a tourist visiting their world-largely ignorant and out of place despite my best efforts to fit in. Smallmouth Bass always make me feel welcome. Because they’re tirelessly cordial, friendly, and uncritical they are one of the best ambassadors of the piscine world. It’s a privilege to spend time with them and photograph them in their watery homes. 

The Pros and Cons of Early Season Scuba Diving

The 2021 season is underway. Water temperatures finally broke the 60-degree mark here in northern Wisconsin, which moved fish out of deep water and into the shallows for spawning.  At this time of year, I don't see many panfish, but the muskies are in the littoral zone completing their spawning rituals. I'm focusing on them now and getting some excellent pictures of post-spawn fish. In the next few weeks, I'll be switching my attention to the bass and crappie that will be spawning next and providing some excellent photo opportunities. Bluegills and pumpkinseed will be the last to spawn, with many bluegills still on nests well into July.

At this time of year, water clarity varies widely. Some lakes have excellent clarity very early in the year that degrades very quickly and never clears up. Other lakes are murky in spring and gradually clear up by mid-summer. Quickly rising temperatures also cause the water to stratify. A barrier can be formed that's difficult to see through. As long as you're looking straight ahead in a horizontal column of water that's the same temperature, you can see well. However, if you look up or down, even a few feet, you won't be able to see far because of this thermal barrier. This can make finding fish difficult. Once the water temperature warms enough, this layer will fall dramatically and form the thermocline, which is typically 20-30 feet deep.

One of the best things about diving Wisconsin's lakes in May is that boat traffic is still very limited. Kids are still in school, summer visitors haven't arrived and many cottages have yet to open for the year. This usually means that during the week, I have the lakes all to myself. After Memorial Day, things get busier. The increased boating traffic always drives the fish away from the shallows to deeper stretches where they're not as easy to find and photograph. Right now, even walleyes are in untypically shallow water and I've seen a few of them near shoreline cover in less than 10 feet of water.  

If you've always wanted to see our native fish in their natural habitat, pick up a snorkel and some swim fins and jump into the closest lake near you. You'll be surprised what you can see this time of year. 

Making Fish Look Their Very Best

 

I once read an article about how fashion photographers for Vogue and Cosmo never shoot a super-model from below unless she has a terrific jaw-line.  It occurred to me that fish, with their gills, all have great jaw-lines, so I began getting below eye-level and photographing them from below.  The results were so breathtakingly stunning that I began to try to compose every fish picture this way.  Over time, it's become a distinct hallmark of my work.  I'm convinced that it's the best angle to photograph fish underwater.

I think it's incumbent on all wildlife photographers to portray their subjects with as much style and beauty as possible.  This is easy to do with cuddly puppies and furry baby seals, but with reptiles, amphibians and even fish, we often have to work hard to convey their inherent beauty to our audience. People will always care more about pretty things than ugly ones. That's just human nature. 

As a fish photographer, I feel a responsibility to my subjects to try to portray their magnificence in every picture I make. Because of this, I usually won't shoot fish with split fins, scars, injuries or other physical deficiencies. Instead, I look for fish that are healthy and vibrant. I want the best ambassadors of each species to represent the entire population. If I want viewers to care about fish the way I do, I have to make it as easy as possible for them to appreciate and embrace these finned marvels.

2021 will be the start of my 28th year of photographing native North American freshwater fish underwater in their natural habitat. I can't wait to get back in the water with my super-models!

What we Can Learn From Fish When We Spend Time With Them:

Do fish have individual personalities? I'm often asked this question and I have some definite thoughts about it. For me, the answer is unequivocally yes. I’ve been photographing fish underwater in their natural habitat for over 25 years. In that time, there are long stretches when I’ve worked with the same individual fish for years at a time. I think most would agree that just like the personality distinctions one could make between say poodles and collies, distinctions between different types of fish certainly exist. Northern pike have different personality traits than largemouth bass and bluegills. Each species possess their own “group personality identity”.  But I would also suggest that it goes further than that. Individual fish behave differently from their cohorts and exhibit what can only be regarded as unique personalities with as much depth and richness as those of our own pets. 

Epiphanies about fish like this one can easily escape the casual observer and are only possible when one spends an extended amount of time observing and interacting with them. But because fish live in a world separate from ours, it’s difficult to do this in the same way birdwatchers can for example.  To observe fish in their natural habitat, we have to go under the surface with masks & snorkels or diving equipment. 

On warm summer days, our lakes are filled with swimmers and boaters, but they’re largely unaware of the diversity of life that swims just below them. We’re deaf to a grand symphony in concert under the surface. In recent years kayaking has become a very popular way to enjoy our waters. I’d love to see snorkeling gain that same kind of popularity in our inland lakes and become something you do every weekend, and not just when you’re in Hawaii on vacation. 

I’d encourage anyone interested in animals, and especially those interested in fish specifically to explore snorkeling as a way to observe and enjoy fish. They’re so fascinating to watch and there’s much we can learn about them.

What are the Clearest Inland Lakes in Wisconsin? The 2020 Report:

For the best underwater photography, finding clear water with high transparency is essential. So what are the clearest lakes in Wisconsin?  Every year, I consult with Wisconsin's 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 Secchi 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.  Ordinarily, I rank the lakes that recorded the highest average water clarity for the previous year. This year, I'm looking at lakes that recorded the single highest Secchi disc reading in 2020. Because of Covid-19, not all the usual lakes were sampled at their usual intervals, so we have only the data that was collected. With that in mind, here are Wisconsin's clearest inland lakes and their highest single-day water clarity readings taken in 2020:

1)   Upper Eau Claire Lake, Bayfield Co. 39.5 feet

2)   White Lake, Marquette Co. 36 feet

3)   Middle Eau Claire Lake, Bayfield Co. 35.75 feet

4)   Whitefish Lake, Douglas Co. 35 feet

5)   Blue Lake, Oneida Co. 32 feet

6)   Lee Lake, Oneida Co. 31.5 feet

7)   Black Oak Lake, Vilas Co. 30.5 feet

8)   Forest Lake, Vilas Co. 30.5 feet

9)   Stone Lake, Washburn Co. 30 feet

10) Pearl Lake, Waushara Co. 30 feet

11) Lower Eau Claire Lake, Bayfield Co. 29.75 feet

12) Bass Lake, Oconto Co. 29 feet

13) Smoky Lake, Vilas Co. 29 feet

14) Sugar Camp Lake, Oneida Co. 28.5 feet

15) Upper Nemahbin Lake, Waukesha Co. 28 feet

To see the lake list from 2019, click here. 

Why Underwater Photography in Freshwater?

I'm often asked why I'm interested in freshwater fish like bass and walleye.  Well, the freshwater world has never had an ambassador in the same way the oceans had Jacques Cousteau.  Perhaps, all of us who spend time in lakes can collectively be some sort of equivalent to that.

I think there’s always room for more good photographers, and I think interest in freshwater fish will continue.  I’d encourage beginners to learn about their subjects.  Become an expert on the life and behavior of these fish.  Become a steward of their habitat.  Whether it's a musky, a largemouth bass or a bluegill, think of yourself as a PR person for that particular fish.  If you do this, you’ll show them in the best light, you’ll be mindful of disturbing them, and your work will automatically show these creatures at their most magnificent.  Don’t sell pictures or videos.  Instead, fall in love with your subjects and sell that love!  And instead of exploiting them for personal profit, you’ll become partners with them in calling attention to their inherent beauty and value in the ecosystem, and the special problems each one of them face in an increasingly crowded world.

2021 Fishing Calendar

Looking for a cool wall calendar for 2021?  Check out the 2021 Fishing Calendar from Bic Graphics featuring 13 images all from the Engbretson Underwater Photography team. Bass, salmon, musky, trout, and panfish are all represented in vibrant color expertly photographed underwater in their natural habitats. Click here to order from Amazon.com

How to Use GoPros to get Great Underwater Fish Videos

Whether you're scuba diving or just snorkeling, shooting nice underwater footage of fish from a nearby lake has never been easier. Here's a few answers to questions I'm often asked by beginners:

Where can I go?

No matter where you live, there's probably a pond, lake or river nearby teeming with fish and other interesting underwater subjects. It's important to find the clearest body of water you can, since clarity is critical to underwater videography. Contact your state's fish and wildlife office. They're very familiar with the characteristics of local lakes and can point you in the right direction.

Which GoPro should I use?

Gopro seems to come out with a new camera every year.  Their latest, the Hero 9 is their best by far. Waterproof to 33 feet without a supplemental housing, it's video and stabilization capabilities are superb. If you can't afford the newest GoPro, the Hero 8 and Hero 7 are also good choices. I wouldn't suggest using anything older than the Hero 6. The earlier models (1 thru 5) just don't work as well.

Do I need to use a filter?

If you use strobes as I do, you won't need filters to correct for losses in the light spectrum which filters are designed to compensate for. The term "strobe" is a bit of a misnomer. Basically any powerful waterproof flashlight will work as well. If you use strobe lights, you'll also need a handle and tray that you can attach your camera and lights to. This keeps everything together and is easy to hold and swim with.  Strobe lighting is wonderful because it brings out colors and fills in dark shadows. 

How do I get close to the fish?

The best way is to let them come to you. If you remain relatively still and non threatening, fish will usually come right to you which makes your video of them much more interesting that than the "tail shots" you'll always get if you chase them.  Fish are naturally curious and if you're patient, you'll find that they'll swim directly into your lens on their own.

I don't want to get wet. Can't I just mount my GoPro on a pole and shoot video that way?

You can try, but you'll be frustrated. Using a pole cam seems like a good idea, because you won't have to get your head underwater. But because you're not able to see through the viewfinder, you'll never be sure your videos are being framed correctly. I've shot many videos using pole cams trying carefully to aim the camera at the fish. Many times I've been disappointed because I've guessed wrong and the fish was barely in frame. When you're underwater, the aiming is precise every time. Also, being underwater with the fish is half the fun!  

If you have any questions about using GoPros to film fish, please let me know. I'm happy to share what I've learned over the years. Filming fish underwater has never been easier, and most anyone can get great underwater video with a little patience. If you try it, let me know how it goes for you.
 
To see more of my underwater fish videos, visit my YouTube Channel.

Photographing Native Fish in Freshwater Lakes: Overcoming the Obstacles

I'm often asked what the biggest challenge is to taking underwater fish pictures.  Well, there are quite a few obstacles and many things that have to be right to be able to get a good picture.  First, the water has to be clear, which is actually a greater challenge than you might think.  Freshwater lakes are typically pretty crummy so finding lakes that have the necessary clarity is an ongoing process.  I usually won't even look at a lake if the clarity isn't at least 18 feet.  Water clarity can change from week to week and season to season too, so even though I have my favorite lakes, they’re not always clear enough to work in.  Everything starts with water clarity and if you don’t have that, nothing else matters.  It’s always a challenge to find clear water.

Once I find a clear lake, I have to find fish.  Next I have to find fish of desirable size.  This is easier said than done too.  It's always a problem especially these days when it seems like there’s fewer and fewer really nice fish available.  If I do find a lake that’s clear and it does have a few good fish, another challenge is getting close enough to photograph them.  I like to be 2 or 3 feet away.  Any further and I won’t take a picture at all.  Fish often times have a problem with a diver being that close, so it takes a lot of patience to even get close enough to think about composing a picture.  But once I have clear water, good fish, and get close enough to shoot them, I still have to make the shot.  So even if everything else is right, sometimes I blow it all on the final step because I was moving, or the composition is bad or I forgot to turn on the strobe, etc.….

A lot goes wrong.  Sometimes I feel like it’s truly a miracle to get any good pictures at all because so many things that I can’t control have to be right all at the same time.

Conditions underwater are typically very hostile to a photographer.  The lakes and rivers where I shoot can be very cold.  In rivers, currents can be strong, and visibility is always an issue.  Underwater photography is inherently tricky.  Water is 800 times thicker than air, and there's always particles floating around or algae and things like that, so you've never going to get the really "clean" look you can get shooting through air. The water is often cold, the fish can be elusive, and you've got to always be concerned about your air supply, so there's a lot to think about. The light underwater is very poor too, so often I have to carry underwater strobes to illuminate subjects in deeper water. If you can imagine taking photos on a dark, cold, foggy, windy day… that sort of comes close to the everyday conditions of the environment I work in.  Saltwater environments are infinitely easier.  The water’s 100 times clearer, there’s 100 times more light, and ocean fish are used to seeing very large things swimming around them.  In freshwater, you look like Godzilla to those poor fish.

So, yes-the challenges are many, but as I always say, "If it was easy, everyone would be doing this".

The Prettiest Freshwater Fish

"A very beautiful and compact little fish, perfect in all its parts, looking like a brilliant coin fresh from the mint." - David Jordan and Barton Evermann-American Food and Game Fishes, 1905.

One of the most colorful of our common freshwater fish is the​ Pumpkinseed Sunfish. Like other sunfish, I think the most striking photographs of pumpkinseed are images of male fish photographed in the spring when they display their vibrant spawning coloration.  They look like jeweled treasures. However, pumpkinseeds retain much of their brilliant hues all year as evidenced by this photo I took in mid September. 

One of the most interesting things about Pumpkinseeds is the strong instinct they have for a home range. Pumpkinseeds have a remarkable ability to find their way back to a familiar location. In fisheries studies, pumpkinseeds that have been captured, marked, and then released in another part of the same lake, are often recaptured near the location where they were first caught.

As fall began I was able to take pictures of several gorgeous Pumpkinseeds staging in deep water along well defined weed-lines in a northern Michigan lake. Aren't they magnificent little fish?  You can view all of my newest underwater pumpkinseed images in our ​Pumpkinseed Sunfish Gallery here.

There's a Poisonous Spider in Your Wetsuit!

It was a normal day much like any other. I drove from my home in northern Wisconsin to a nearby lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to take underwater pictures of largemouth bass.  The water was clear, the fish eagerly posed for my cameras and another successful dive trip was in the books. While changing out of my wetsuit I noticed what I thought at the time was a mosquito bite on the calf of my leg. I work in lakes and rivers every day, so dealing with insect bites are routine. I didn’t think anything of it. The next morning, the bite seemed to look a little odd and I took this picture of it.

By the end of the day, it was clear that the bite was infected and looking worse. The doctor I saw that evening told me it was likely a non-venomous spider bite. She prescribed a dose of antibiotics, bandaged it and sent me on my way. Three days later, I was in the emergency room. My entire leg was severely swollen and had turned bright red. The area around the bite was badly infected and turning black. ER doctors peppered me with questions and determined that the bite had come from a Brown Recluse Spider, one of three venomous spiders we have in the USA.

The bite of brown recluse spiders contain a potentially deadly hemotoxic venom.  These toxins destroy red blood cells, disrupt blood clotting and cause tissue damage.  We’ve all heard terrifying stories of what can happen to people who are bitten by brown recluse spiders. The worst cases, the ones that get all the press, are indeed horrifying.

 

In the ER, I was immediately placed on a powerful antibiotic IV drip. The prescription antibiotics I had been taking are ineffective against venomous spider bites. They were replaced by a much stronger type. I was also prescribed another drug that is typically used to treat leprosy, to help prevent possible tissue loss.  

The doctor who examined me speculated that my wetsuit had caused compression on my leg that may have exasperated the effects of the bite and the amount of venom the spider had injected.  Did the spider somehow get into my wetsuit while I was at the lake, or did it crawl inside the suit while it hung in its regular place in my basement laundry room?  Who knows? 

It’s been four weeks and my wound is barely noticeable now. I consider myself lucky that I won’t have a permanent scoop mark or divot in my leg. Scuba diving has inherent risks and dangers, but until now, I never thought those risks also included poisonous spider bites. 

From now on, I’ll be diligent where I store my wetsuit between dives. More importantly, I think it’s critical to carefully check your wetsuit, dive boots, gloves, and all your dive equipment before every use. They all provide the kind of dark and secluded hiding places spiders like to inhabit, especially if they’re routinely stored in your basement or garage.        

Best Fish Photographers to Follow on Instagram

If you're like me and enjoy seeing the work of some of the world's best underwater fish photographers, here are five Instagram accounts you need to follow in 2020.  All five of these photographers work in freshwater environments and their talent is truly exceptional. They continually awe and inspire me and just seeing their pictures make me want to grab my mask and wet-suit and head to the nearest lake. I think you'll agree that their work is simply breathtaking.  While freshwater underwater photographers never get the recognition that marine photographers get, I hope you'll support these brilliant individuals by following them on Instagram.

• Dr. Paul Vecsei has a M.Sc. in ichthyology and a Ph.D. in fisheries and his underwater photos of cold water fish are exceptional. His pictures of Lake Whitefish, lake trout and cisco are without a doubt the finest images ever made of these species in their natural habitat.

• Isaac Szabo is a very talented and patient shooter who beautifully photographs native fish and other aquatic life of the Ozarks region and the springs of Florida.

• Jennifer Idol is the first woman to dive all 50 states and is the author of An American Immersion. As an underwater conservation photographer, her pictures and articles are widely published.

• Dr. Sean Landsman, PhD is a professional fisheries scientist who has beautifully captured many difficult-to-photograph coastal species like American Eel, Alewife, Eastern Brook Trout and Rainbow Smelt.

• Patrick Clayton is the USA's premier photographer of wild trout from the streams of the American West.

• Finally, here’s my own Instagram account.  Evidence that I can occasionally take a picture that's actually in focus.