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Fabulous Fishing Photos of Jason Stemple

The Charleston-based professional photographer shares 25 fishing images from Atlantic and Gulf waters.

By Doug Olander

Updated: March 1, 2014

In this Professional Showcase Gallery, Sport Fishing presents a selection of the thousands that superb fish/fishing photographer Jason Stemple has taken during more than 20 years. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Stemple’s photography — often accompanying his articles — has appeared in many fishing magazines as well as many fishing-industry catalogs. Stemple also shoots a variety of wildife, nature and lifestyle images. More of his work can be seen at his web site.

Reluctant Redfish

Pawley's Island South Carolina redfish fishing

Here, Capt. Rob Beglin — based in Pawley’s Island near Charleston — tries to put the brakes on a good redfish near McClellanville, South Carolina. Jason Stemple

Land Shark?

Kiawah Island South Carolina shark swimming

When the mullet run off Kiawah Island’s beaches, near Charleston, emboldened predators often throw caution to the winds. Jason Stemple

Redfish Rising

red drum fish eating MirrOlure fishing lure

“After closer inspection,” says Stemple, this redfish crushed the MirrOlure.” Jason Stemple

Heading Home

Captains Scott Walker and Steve Rodger head towards Hawk’s Cay in the Florida Keys and the setting sun after a day of tuna fishing on the Marathon Hump with Into The Blue TV. Jason Stemple

Tempestuous Tiger

Nine feet of angry tiger shark caught over a Key West Gulf wreck thrashes boatside before release during an Into The Blue TV shoot. Jason Stemple

This Must be Heaven!

Stemple says, “We fished and photographed multiple massive schools of tailing redfish for two days in September in Florida Bay” while working on a Saltwater Experience shoot. Jason Stemple

High-Flying Mahi

Florida Key West mahi dolphinfish jumping fish

A small dolphin catches serious air off Key West. Jason Stemple

I Want to Be There

South Carolina Kiawah Island creeks fishing marshes

Aerial shot offers a look both revealing and appealing of South Carolina’s Kiawah Island, known for golf courses and beaches — but, says Stemple, “its marshes and creeks are full of redfish and trout.” Jason Stemple

On the Hunt

A sight to make any angler catch his breath: A redfish cruising stealthily through the Low Country spartina grass. Jason Stemple

Run for Your Lives!

Key West Florida jumping ballyhoo baitfish

Ballyhoo take to the air to avoid marauding jack crevalle near Key West. Jason Stemple

You’ve Got Your Eye on Me

Fabulous hues mark a mutton snapper’s eye and head (including the unmistakable blue streaking). Jason Stemple

Pilchards Swarming

In the clear shallows of the Abacos in the Bahamas, pilchards swim nervously over sand and grass. Jason Stemple

Speckled Beauty

Charleston South Carolina seatrout caught fishing topwater plug lure

One of the seatrout caught on topwater plugs during ideal conditions — a cloudy fall day — near Charleston. Jason Stemple

Gotcha!

Key West Florida frigate stealing ballyhoo fishing bait

A frigate bird snatches of a hapless ballyhoo just off Key West. Jason Stemple

Walkin’

A tailwalking sail caught on an Into the Blue TV shoot, Key West. Jason Stemple

Fire on the Horizon

Ocean City Maryland sunrise sportfishing boats

Heading into the red sky to chase marlin and tuna, Ocean City sport fishers move across the horizon. Jason Stemple

Fish Soars Over Bird!

Key West Florida kingfish jumping over frigate bird

It’s not often that a bird looks up to see a fish soaring over it, but Stemple’s camera caught that very situation off Key West where a king mackerel skies over a frigate bird trying to pick off a meal from showering ballyhoo. Stemple was there during a shoot for Into the Blue TV. Jason Stemple

Big Snook on Fly

Deep in Florida’s Everglades, Capt. Shafter Johnston of Blue Moon Expeditions puts the heat on a big snook. Jason Stemple

Ascendant Tarpon

Attracted by chunking near Key West Harbor, a big tarpon swims close by for a look. Jason Stemple

Big Leap for a Little Snook

What Stemple describes as a “snooklet” showed its stuff after grabbing a Gulp! shrimp in the Everglades on a shoot for Saltwater Experience TV with Blue Moon Expeditions. Jason Stemple

Outta Here!

needlefish fishing bait jumping Florida Bay flats

“This needlefish launched during its escape from giant schools fo redfish eating their way across the Florida Bay flats,” recalls Stemple Jason Stemple

Dolphin Frenzy

Key West Florida jumping mahi caught deep sea fishing

Immersed in a shower of spray, a dolphin off Key West thrashes violently near the boat. Jason Stemple

Storm Warnings

storm clouds over center console fishing boat

Stemple says just after this photo, everyone began packing up and heading back, wary of the nasty storm moving in from the south. Jason Stemple

Jack Attack

Stemple shot the action as Tom Rowland (Saltwater Experience) cast a hookless plug as a teaser to draw nearby jacks close enough for the kids of his buddy — Rich Tudor — to cast into the fish. Jason Stemple

Cruising

Islamorada Florida Keys tarpon fish rolling

A big tarpon rolls in the Keys, near Islamorada. Jason Stemple

About the Photographer

Jason Stemple

When he sets down his camera long enough to make some casts, Jason Stemple proves he’s an accomplished angler, here catching a good amberjack on fly. Courtesy Jason Stemple

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