Fish-Hawk.Net

Seriously, The word "Immediately" is very clear. It is not "Immediately after I take this photo". If someone else is taking a photo while you are releasing the fish( not holding it up like a trophy) then that would be acceptable.

Mentioned previously that MNR have shown up after a picture was posted to the internet. How do they determine when the fish was caught, couldn't defence always be that it was years past? Or is it usually that the poster mentioned the date of catch in post?

Most likely the person posed with the picture, You know the one, arm extended thumb in the mouth. That obviously was not immediately released.

PikeFisherman17 wrote:Mentioned previously that MNR have shown up after a picture was posted to the internet. How do they determine when the fish was caught, couldn't defence always be that it was years past? Or is it usually that the poster mentioned the date of catch in post?

EXIF data. When you take a picture with a digital camera or the camera on your phone each file is tagged with a whole range of data, including date and even location depending on your settings. It can be removed though, and some sites like Facebook automatically remove it when you upload a photo. Something to be aware of for any photos you share online.

You are giving way too much credit for intelligence. Most people will in the post tell you pretty much where they are.
AS in "Caught this beauty on the Ottawa today!"

Unfortunately, the MNR is underfunded. Even after a 2$ tax added to each licence and tag. I have been checked 5 times in my life. Their first question is always, 'did you catch anything'. Second question is 'what are you fishing for'. Answer those correctly (and honestly), they usually know the answer... And all is good. If you catch a non targetted 7 pound bass ,not on a bed, and you snap a picture, and then move to another spot. No harm, no fowl. Snap too many pics, stay too long and catch more bass out of season, then they have cause for intent to catch OOS fish. If you ever ask a CO these same questions... You won't get a definite answer, since it's up to each individual to interpret the situation. So finding an answer here​ is unlikely. But hopefully there is some good info here to help decision making.
As for CO's checking photos on phones and online. It's a fact of the times... It's easier and cheaper to do that, then be in the field or out of the truck. I know I would personally rather see CO's at boat launches visible on opening mornings to answer questions and inform people instead of hiding in the bushes trying to 'nab' people.

Something else about the term "immediately" in the regs. and photos. "Immediately" is the word used for both OOS catches and catches that do not meet legal size limits. This would mean fish too small or within a slot limit. This by the purest definition of the word and the way some people choose to interpret it; make the majority of Muskie photos you see caught in Ontario illegal as in many waters, the size limit is 50 inches (Ottawa river, St. Larry), 40 inches in the Kawartha region and G bay. etc. Each year dozens (I have not idea how many, but allot) of sub legal fish are photographed and released. Same in the St. Lawrence and all over Ontario.
Ever caught two walleye in Bay of Quinte over 24.8 inch? The second one would be a no no to take a picture of. I see many photos of fish people say they released because it was in the slot.
I've yet to hear of a charge relating to any of the scenarios above when clearly the fish was photographed and released,.. immediately it would seem.