Melbourne, April 11 : A photo taken of US Vice President Dick Cheney has created stir over whether he went fly fishing with a naked woman.

Internet blogs and forums have been inspecting a White House photograph, which shows a close-up of Cheney's face, sporting dark sunglasses and a grin.

However it is the reflection within the Vice President's glasses that have people talking - including speculation the reflection shows a naked woman.

The photograph shows Cheney smiling, however there is no note to say who accompanied the Vice President on the trip to the Snake River in Idaho.

Website Democratic Underground has been abuzz with speculation over the reflection's true identity since it was spotted on the White House site.

On sportsshooter.com, a website dedicated to professional photography, another user came to their own conclusion: "Naked woman? That explains his heart problems!!"

However, White House staff didn't agree with the speculations.

"Clearly the picture shows a hand casting a rod," News.com.au quoted spokeswoman Meagan Mitchell, as saying.

And one digital technology expert agreed with Mitchell's statement.

"In one lens of his sunglasses you can clearly tell it is a sleeved arm of Mr Cheney or a fishing companion. The other lens has an extreme distortion that, without looking at it closely, could be misconstrued," said investigative photo editor George Bridges of McClatchy/Tribune Information Services.

ANI