I guess I'm now compelled to weigh in on this photo.
I'd like to make a few observations.
Yes, the guy's hand is proportionately big, but anybody who knows a poop about photoshop knows that a skilled photoshop artist would, in fact, do the exact opposite. If you wanted to deceive people as to the size of your fish, you'd photoshop a smaller hand onto the photo.
I'm not skilled enough to tell if there's any pixelation around the periphery of this fish, but the shadows seem consistent with a legitimate photo. Why somebody would take the time to photoshop a dead, frozen pike into a photo, I'd never know. But my first inclination is that this photo isn't altered. It's likely a wide (at least wider than standard) lens, with the photographer using forced perspective to increase the fish to angler size ratio.
OK, now the elephant in the room is the size of the angler's right hand. Yes, it's big, but he is wearing an ice glove. I have three pair and they are all absolutely huge on me. I think this needs to be accounted for in one's assessment of this image.
So 37 pounds is the stated weight? I'm no pike expert, but I do know that's a massive size. Do we know that the angler actually said that this fish is 37 pounds? If not, my suggestion would be to appreciate that it's a pretty good fish, and enjoy it for what it's worth. If the angler has been on record saying it's 37 pounds, and you don't believe it, then fine. But what is our compulsion as a society to call people liars on the internet when we know nothing of this gentleman and his own personal integrity? Sometimes people who possess class and grace refrain from calling people liars on the internet, when in fact they would never do it to his face.
