How do you hold a fish after you've caught it? It's actually an important question

Way back when, I used to teach fishing. The first lesson always centered on how to hold a fish … you know, like for a picture. Do you know how to hold a fish for a picture? Well, here it is … Hold the fish firmly with both hands. The fish should be horizontal and topside up. (Yes upside down fish photos have happened.) (No, I don't know how.) Hands should be about shoulder-length apart. The next step is the most difficult. Your smiling face should appear just above the fish's back, or dorsal fin. Why is this so hard? Because while you are doing this, you have to stretch your arms as far out in front of you as possible. This takes strength, especially when you're facing a less than competent photographer. Smiling, as opposed to straining, can often be a challenge. And lining up your face just right with your arms stretched out can be, well, not easy. Smile for the camera! Which is just about when the fish decides to squirm. Now, you do know why you have to extend your arms as far forward as possible. right? (Hint: It isn't so the fish doesn't smack you with its tail.) It is because doing so makes the fish look bigger, and you want the image of the fish to accurately align with the story you are inevitably going to tell everyone, right? I know this doesn't sound honest, but it's fishing tradition. and technically … well … it's not lying. (I mean, you were going to Photoshop the image anyway, right?) There is, however, another way to, let's say "more honestly," display your fishy catch. There's the commemorative Fish Ohio lapel pin you can earn by catching an actual trophy fish. It's the official award given by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife to Ohio anglers who actually catch really large fish. How large? Well, that depends on the species. If it's a sunfish, like a bluegill, anything over 9 inches qualifies. If it's a muskie, it has to top 40 inches. Each fish that tops the set length for its species is called, cleverly, a Fish Ohio. Here's another number -- if you rack up four or more Fish Ohio fish in a calendar year, you earn a Master Angler award, which is also a lapel pin. (Here's what is curious to me. Why do they give standard lapel pins when a pin that hangs on a fishhook would seem so much more, you know, symbolic.) (Wait a second, I'm getting a call from the legal department.) (Let's pretend I didn't mention that "fish hook" idea.) Lapel pins notwithstanding, this program is wickedly popular. In 2024, 3,710 catches of trophy fish from 17 different species were submitted. For those of you keeping fishing honest, that means 3,710 pins were handed out. But wait, there's more! This total only represents fish caught in Lake Erie. Moreover, since 1976, more than 421,000 anglers have been recognized for their catches! (Who has that many lapels?) (And do anglers even wear lapels?) All told, there are 25 species of fish that qualify in the Fish Ohio program. Here are a few of them with their qualifying lengths. (A second listed length represents Lake Erie qualifying sizes.) Blue catfish 35 inches Bullhead 14 Carp 28 Channel catfish 26 Crappie 13 Largemouth bass 20 Muskellunge 40 Northern pike 32 Sunfish 9 Freshwater drum 20/24 Smallmouth bass 18/19 Walleye 25/28 White bass 14/15 Yellow perch 12/13 So, what do you do if you think you have caught a Fish Ohio fish? First, make sure to accurately measure it. Then cruise on over to fishohio.gov to fill out the application. Then, wait by your mailbox for your pin! (Wearing something with an actual lapel would be a nice touch here.) (Just saying.) (But don't do this until February if you are waiting for your Master Angler pin.) But wait! Let's say that you catch a fish that is way bigger than the Fish Ohio minimum. Let's say that you think it might be, like the biggest ever. Then you will want to carefully measure your fish and then freeze it. Next, you will want to visit the Outdoor Writers of Ohio website (https://outdoorwritersofohio.org/ohio-record-fish) to compare your catch to Ohio's record fish. (Here fish are measured by both length and weight.) If you think you have beaten the record, then follow their precise instructions. Now, here's what I shouldn't have to say. If you are over 16 years of age, you are required to purchase an Ohio Fishing License. This can be done at many fishing/boating retailers or online (https://oh-web.s3licensing.com/Home). A license costs a whopping $25 and is valid for one year from its purchase date. If you don't fish much, perhaps try fishing without cost on Ohio's Free Fishing days. This year they are June 15 and 16. Another great thing to do is to check the 2025-26 Ohio Fishing Regulations before your next outing. (It's a page-turner.) So, is fishing just about size and records? No! It's about time on the water. It's about time with friends, new and old. It's about sunrises. It's about forgetting your job. (I mean, at least for a little while. Don't be going AWOL just because someone, like someone other than me, said, you know, something compelling … which I didn't …about not returning to work.) Circling back … It's about being the first one wading into the river or floating downstream. It's about a cooler full of your favorite things. It's about filling another cooler with tonight's dinner. It's about legacy. It's about stories that last a lifetime (even though their content becomes larger and larger!) And it's about one more thing. It's about time you went fishing. And to buy a few snazzy outfits with lapels!