January 10, 2012
By Florida Sportsman
Photographers have a phrase for great pictures shot at the perfect moment. “Great capture,” they say. But with the era of digital enhancement in full effect, anyone with a computer has the ability to alter photos. Not surprisingly, fishermen—a skeptical bunch—have a hard time believing any photo that looks too exceptional to be true.
But that doesn't stop them from talking about it on the Florida Sportsman Forums.
Consider the photo above. In the image, a shark appears to be breaching the water's surface with a sailfish in its mouth. The sailfish looks stiff as a board and there's no blood in the water. A high-visibility yellow fishing line is apparent running from the right of the photo toward the two fish, though it doesn't seem to connect to either.
Theoretically, the photo could be a legitimate “capture.”
Most shark species don't jump. Those that do, the two main species that are big enough to handle and eat a sailfish are white sharks and makos. Mako and white sharks can swim in the same waters as sailfish at certain times of the year, even if for short periods. These conclusions assume that this photo was snapped somewhere along the U.S. Coast. (In general, white and mako sharks are considered cold water species that only head south in the winter. Sailfish tend to like warmer waters and head north in the hotter, summer months.)
But the red flags surrounding this photo are unmistakable. Consider these observations:
>White sharks usually breach the water's surface only when its prey is trying to escape—think of Pacific Coast seals as a prime example. The sailfish looks dead and stiff in the photo.
>Mako sharks tend to jump when hooked. Neither species would jump out of the water with a sailfish in its mouth for an extended period. So the photograph would likely have to be of the first jump.
>But it is possible that a shark attacked a dead or near-dead sailfish. It would explain why the shark was able to bite the sailfish at the dorsal fin (instead of from the belly).
So you make the call. Is the photo legitimate or fake? Join the discussion.
