Latest Photography

#NowOrNeverglades Photo Contest: The Winners

All the selections from this year's entries

by Chad Shmukler - Wednesday, Feb 22nd, 2017

This year's photo contest (okay, last year's) marked a lot of firsts.

It was the first time that we announced the winners of our annual contest in the following calendar year, due to an amalgam of issues. That's something we hope never to repeat again.

It was the first time that the selection of the grand prize winner prompted a discussion on whether the rules of the contest need to be updated (more on that later).

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Here's a great example of why grip-and-grins suck. Look how much more this runner-up shot from photographer Justin Hamblin gives us, without giving us a full look at the fish, virtually any look at the angler, or any idea of whether this is a big fish, small fish or so on. But who cares? There's so much more to see.

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Fly fishing takes us to places big and small. Transmitting the scale of a place is one of the harder tasks facing a photographer. This shot by Brodie Buchanan does it exceptionally well.

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There's often a clarity and smoothness to photographer Matt Shaw's images, one that makes fellow photographers want to go out and buy new glass or at least send theirs in for repair to find out what's wrong. Add this one to the list.

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Some shots just have that special something, like this image of peanut bunker in the lights from Howard Abramowitz. As one judge noted, "Another should-be-outlier that grabs the motion and elegance of bait by the docks all too well."

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Jono Winnel has an eye for what makes a good photo, a fact that is well illustrated here. Like the simplicity of sleeping under a tarp, this shot is unpretentious, doesn't feel overwrought and yet manages to capture the essence of a day in the backcountry about to begin.

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Here's a surprise: Dave McCoy knows what he's doing. Shot on a small stream in Argentina, this is another great example of making scale the true star of an image. As McCoy himself notes, "If there is anything our sport brings us it is the ever presence of natural beauty 360 degrees around us most of the time."

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Saturation slider much? Nah, not on this one. If you've been lucky enough to find yourself on the banks of Oregon's North Umpqua River, you know the colors in this image are all too real. Photo: Arian Stevens. Angler: Jesse Ball.

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When photography isn't about capturing scale or colors, it is about capturing the moment. Here, on the brawling Limay River near Bariloche, Argentina, Santos Fernandez Madero hooks into what turned out to be "just a 25-inch brown trout." Photo: Alex Knull.

RUNNER UP: Even the River Peasants Wear Jewels

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Or the devil can be in the details. This close-up shot from Karen Seginak., of Bolivia's "lowly" sabalo, is overflowing with them. Crane notes, "You need not be river royalty to wear gorgeous gems. These little jewels get transformed into Bolivian river "gold", when consumed by one of their main predators, the magnificent Golden Dorado."

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Loaded with all manner of richness, this image by photographer Jim Stimson of the Smith River has too much going for it to be ignored.

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Did we mention that Jono Winnel has an eye for what makes a good photograph? Perspective isn't quite everything here, but it's most of it.

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Martin Christensson seems, with regularity, to do things with natural light that other photographers only dream of.

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As the editor of this rag, and one of the judges, I'd have liked to see this image from Andrew Luedke walk away with this year's grand prize. While this tarpon hunting shot might come off as cliche at first, it ticks all the right boxes: texture, tone, color and more. Unfortunately for Andrew, I'm not the only one choosing. Angler: Jeff Stolis.

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When fly fishing gives you a perfect, snowy scene like this one, you owe it to the rest of it to capture it—but doing so is no easy task. With this shot, photographer Ray Gadd makes it look easy.

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Resisting the urge to over-process image can be downright impossible for many photographers. Even when we try, many of us fail. This second selection from Andrew Luedke, akin to his first, is heavy with mood without feeling even remotely overcooked.

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Release shots are a dime-a-dozen, except when they're not. In the bevy of release shots we get each year, a few usually stand out. This year, it was this one from Steven Longfield.

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There's not much to say here. If you, like photographer Francois Jacobs, capture an African tigerfish in the process of attacking a flock of birds that wandered too close to the water, people are going to notice.

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Good action capture? Check. Painfully pretty little New Zealand creek? Check. Beautiful colors. Yep. Another box-ticker. Photo: Jeremiah Clark.

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Of this moody aftermath shot, photographer Arek Kubale says "Love bites, especially if your beloved one's jaws are packed with hundreds of knife-sharp teeth."

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Swinging flies for winter steelhead is a dark, contemplative business only to be undertaken by the most serious anglers with deep, deep thoughts. Don't believe me? Just look. Photo: T.J. Orton.

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Was Golden Dorado already at the top of your bucket list? Is it now? If not, then what's wrong with you? Photo: Dave McCoy

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Arian Stevens' action-packed shot received votes from more judges than any other shot except this year's grand prize winner. Why? "Great chaos in the details here. A rare action shot amid a lot of 'staged' entries."

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Martin Christensson is at it again, pulling off some mastery of light. Another shot that made it onto almost every judge's list of picks.

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Here, photographer Matt Shaw shows off his technical perfection again, but adds in a immersive perspective, a stellar action capture and deep rich colors. Easily good enough for second prize, if not more.

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Technically perfect? No. Dust spots? Yes. But so what? As one judge noted, "I can’t believe I’m giving this second place, but common, you never see good shots from this perspective ... the truth is this just feels real, raw, and is surprisingly refreshing." Most of the other judges tended to agree, and that's why this first prize winning image from Arian Stevens kept showing up in so many of the judge's picks.

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In our year of firsts, this one is the biggest. This year's grand prize winning image, from photographer Jeremiah Clark, marks the first time the same photographer has won our grand prize multiple times—prompting discussion about whether there needs to be a rule against that. Jeremy's stunning captures have been wowing us for several years now, and this winning shot is no exception. I mean, those eyes.

2015 Fly Fishing Photo Contest: The Results

All the official selections from our 2015 photo contest

by Chad Shmukler - Wednesday, Dec 9th, 2015

Each year we say a lot of the same things in summarizing our annual photo contest. Things like that we received a lot of great entries, that the decisions were difficult, and that we're privileged to be in the position of to amass and share such a fine collection of fly fishing imagery both now and throughout the coming year. And we'll say it all again this year. Not because those are the sort of things you're supposed to say, even if it they are, but because they're true.

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This runner-up image from photographer Oliver Rogers perfectly captures the inspiration for of this year's contest: permit. If you've spent any time chasing permit, this shot will undoubtedly make your heart pound.

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Nick Vanhorn captured this image of a what is clearly a fine summer day and an even finer fishing companion.

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Photos of grayling dorsal fins aren't exactly rare and, thanks to the grayling, even the drabbest of all shots often impress. This shot from Justin Hamblin, however, shows off how colorful these fins can be. More importantly, it is unique and hard to look away from.

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Photograhper Trent Sizemore captured this richly textured image early one foggy morning on the Firehole River.

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This image, from photographer Jeremiah Clark, is quite simply one of the finest captures of a tailing redfish we've ever seen.

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Why bother writing a caption for this one, when photographer Courtney Boice did it for us: "Sometimes you need to stand on old cars in the river."

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We get 50 contest entries each year titled either "Last Cast", "The Release" or "Fish On", and they often all blend together. This technically stellar image, from photographer Ed Sozinho, however, has it all and had no trouble standing out from the pack.

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Photographer Martin Christensson captured this image of a single angler scanning the water for sea trout.

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Photographer Arian Stevens seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, or maybe just being particularly good at working a camera. Or maybe it's just the good fortune of living near the Deschutes. Whatever it is, we get the pleasure of staring at another one of his stunning images.

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Another Arian Stevens product, this time from beneath the surface of Nevada's Pyramid Lake.

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This compelling capture of the face of a big brown in the net just under the water is one that, according to photographer Joe Cummings, he's been trying to get for years.

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Taken at the base of Firehole Falls in Yellowstone National Park, this image from photographer Chris Daniel is the result of hard work and a cooperative angler.

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Yeah, sure. You can cast 90 feet. I bet. Why don't you prove it? Photo: Ed Sozinho.

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Guides eye's. They have them, you don't. Photo: Ed Sozinho.

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The lower fly zone on New York's Salmon River is a battle zone, and claiming your water means getting there early and braving the conditions, such as those depicted in this image from Charles Sands.

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Never let anyone tell you that winter doesn't have plentiful hatches. This stellar capture of a feeding trout, was snapped by photographer Anderson Thomas, during an epic BWO hatch on Utah's Green River that happened on a cold and miserable winter day.

SECOND PRIZE: Black White Brown Portrait

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A paper thin depth of field and some creative editing produced this unique brown trout portrait from fishing guide and photographer Joe Cummings.

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Whether you're an accomplished spey caster or a novice, you know what it's like to drive a burly streamer into the small of your back, your head or, if you're really unlucky, your ear. This image from Seattle photographer Dave McCoy is the product of impeccable timing.

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For the past several years, the images that have stood out most to the judges have been those that depict not only the places fly fishing takes us or the fish we chase when we're there, but the people we do it with. This image from Charleston, South Carolina photographer Jeremiah Clark, shows what happens when you try to barehand a redfish that beaches itself in the mud exposed by low tide.

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When flooding rains come, what better to do that grab the skiff? But, a tie for the grand prize? How do you split a trip to Mexico? Thing is, we don't have to. This image, which tied for this year's grand prize, also happens to be from photographer Jeremiah Clark, making a potentially tricky situation ... well, not so tricky.

Paradise found

Ditching the program on Belize's Turneffe Atoll

by Chad Shmukler - Friday, Jun 19th, 2015

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To no one's surprise more than my own, by mid morning on my first day on the Atoll, I found myself with a companion, sitting alongside a pretty flat, watching guide Daniel rig up a leader. The Turneffe Flats orientation session, complete with descriptions of the Atoll's beauty and tales of fishy encounters that might befall us on the flats, had quickly turned a "maybe" into a "why not?"

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After the orientation, rods are snatched from their holders on the deck of Turneffe Flat's signature red-roofed cabanas.

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A short walk to the dock leaves the sun deck and infinity pool behind. The R&R program, for now, will have to wait.

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It's not long before it dawns on me that this is an easy sell. Casting lessons in the grass outside the fly shop don't hold a candle to class held on the Turneffe Atoll's sun drenched flats.

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All the frustrations facing the first time angler are so much more easily handled with the sound of the surf crashing in the distance, and a warm Caribbean breeze blowing through your hair.

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The challenges are there, without question. Far more so, in fact, that they are on any stream or river. But who cares? Just look around.

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Eventually the morning's training sessions yield results and this healthy bonefish is pulled from what Daniel calls "easy water." The reward is no less sweet for this fact, and as the reel screams on the fish's second run, I can see grin laden glances thrown my way, with questions about why anyone would fish for trout building for later.

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Many of the atoll's flats, however, can be quite challenging. Due to its unique geography, anglers on the atoll commonly fish flats very close to or even in the surf. The powerful currents can quickly push and pull at delivered fly, adding a entirely new dimension to the already complicated task of presenting a fly to a school of bonefish.

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Matters are only further complicated by the atoll's ubiquitious coral. A running fish can quickly slice leader and line on often razor-sharp coral.

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Permit are considered by most to be the main attraction at Turneffe Flats, and the waters that surround it afford plentiful opportunities to take shots at them. Long days are spent poling sunny, permit-friendly flats like the one seen here, but the atoll's lagoons also afford anglers shots at large groups of feeding permit.

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Barracuda are readily found on the atoll and are overlooked by only the most foolish of visitors.

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A six or seven pound cuda, like this one, will pull as hard as another fish three or four times its size. These are powerful predators that rarely fail to put on a show.

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Even when blue skies and warm tropical breezes yield to clouds and rain, angling opportunities persist.

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This day's storm, which rolled in to dash hopes, ended up being a blessing that led to some of the trip's finest catches.

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Weather can be welcome in the lagoon, too, where groups of 15-30 permit can be found, tipped up, feeding in water that is deeper than your average flat.

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This healthy permit, pulled from the lagoon's waters after the school it was feeding in was incredibly generous in allowing us far too many chances, is a hearty one hand lift.

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The fish's silvery, iridescent sides reflect the myriad colors of the lagoon's waters and the skies above.

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The Turneffe Flats eco-adventure program, which it terms the "Atoll Adventure Program" includes a rich bevy of opportunities such as scuba courses, flats walking, birding, mangrove tours, sea kayaking, manatee and dolphin viewing -- and lots of snorkeling Turneffe Atoll's amazingly diverse coral reefs.

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There's exploring to be done on the resorts grounds too, where giant crocodiles like this one lurk.

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And resident iguana 'Stella' prowls for watermelon.

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All in all, save for a single day, the R&R program is largely abandoned and this once-again greenhorn angler voluntarily and eagerly spends four days angling on the atoll's flats and soaking up the deft tutelage of Turneffe Flats guide Daniel.

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As more hours are logged on the flats and these "novice" eyes repeatedly spots tails at a distance before I do, I find myself sincerely wondering if I'm the angler with the third best fish spotting skills in the boat.

Fernie and Beyond

An expansive photo-filled look at fishing some of BC's best trout water.

by Chad Shmukler - Wednesday, Mar 4th, 2015

(1/2) Though imminently fishable on foot, the Elk is best fished from a drift boat. We rendezvous at Fernie's Elk River Guiding company and, despite the fact that the Elk flows within walking distance shop's front door, head north in owner Paul Samycia's pickup, drift boat in tow.

Flowing through Fernie, British Columbia is the Elk River. While the Elk is well known to anglers across the globe, many other less recognized rivers that flow within day trip distance of Fernie in western British Columbia and eastern Alberta also dot the landscape. And each is rich with native westslope cutthroat and bull trout: rivers like the Wigwam, Bull, Kootenay, Fording and Michel Creek. The region these rivers flow through is also a place of staggering beauty, draped by the Canadian Rockies, which have a distinctly different personality to their American counterpart.

Fernie, British Columbia, Elk River Westslope Cutthroat Trout

2014 Fly Fishing Photo Contest: The Winners

All the official selections from our 2014 photo contest.

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, Dec 4th, 2014

Calling the judging in this year's photo contest difficult would be putting it mildly. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Orvis, Smith Optics, Cheeky Fly Fishing and Scientific Anglers, this year's contest attracted the most entries we've ever received and also some of the best. Poring over it all and choosing favorites was no easy task for the judges. All told, 65 different photos received votes from our dozen judges, almost all of which you'll see showcased here.

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The fish-and-rod/reel shot isn't a far cry from the grip-and-grin shot, but when it's done well, can still be captivating. Like one of our favorite shots from last year, "Double Rainbow", this shot pairs a reel and a fish painted in the same likeness.

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Dogs and fishing go together almost as well as kids and fishing, maybe even better. Here, photographer Mike Doughty's dog, "Saxon", encounters his first fish.

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There's more to see on our rivers than just the fish, a fact not lost on this sage lizard, gazing on an angler chasing the yellow sally hatch on the Owyhee River.

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Is it possible to capture a more autumnal fishing scene than this one by Philip Reedy on the West Carson River in California? We're not sure. Throw in the dissipating rings from a rising trout, and the picture is complete.

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The tones are deep and the colors are rich in this shot by Logun Mitchell of a Snake River hybrid.

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This image, captured by Joey Mara, shows angler Josh Lo hooked up to a native cutthroat during golden hour on the Snoqualmie River, shortly after taking a dip in the drink.

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There's a certain sense of vitality that's particular to release shots, and this one -- of a trout fleeing with zeal after being unhooked -- illustrates thats sense perfectly.

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Another great capture, this one by Logan Goldman, of a man and his best friend heading to their favorite spot on the river.

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While straightforward capture of a fish coming to the net, this images excellent crispness, contrast and rich tones make it hard to look away from.

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A familiar scene in the mind of photographers that work underwater, this inventive image shows "the prize", captured through the back of Stu Hastie's Aquatech camera housing.

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It is indeed, and with a scene like this one, from the La Malbaie River in Quebec, to warm and liven the spirits, it is easy to see why.

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There were no shortage of pictures submitted this year of folks fishing with their kids. But they're not all created equal. This one, captured by Amanda Ball, stood out to the judges.

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Bonefish are one of the most beautiful fish in the world and this capture of a bonefish after release highlights their richness and texture.

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A bit heavy on the Instagram feel? Maybe, but this image's texture and overall mood helped it rise above the over-filtered crowd.

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Beautiful vermiculation on this trout, caught by photographer Justin Hamblin on a high alpine lake.

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Char put on some of the finest shows in the fall, coloring up with rich, vibrant oranges and reds as is evidenced in this shot of a fall brook trout by Rueben Browning.

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Half a lake is better than no lake, says this image's photographer. It's also evidently what you get, even in June, when you're at 13,000 feet.

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The sun sets on the iconic Yellowstone River in this nicely framed landscape.

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A Galveston Island redfish does its best to avoid coming to hand in this shot from Lefty Ray Chapa.

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This split-shot of a western Ontario carp shows why carp are often mistakenly called suckers.

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A great action shot of a Loop Opti reel being put to the test by a Madison River rainbow trout.

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Captured by Jeffrey Diblasi, this shot of storms rolling in on a South Carolina flat made a few lists, despite the heavy HDR processing.

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Chris Daniel framed this shot on the Madison River, where mid-winter can offer up some truly fine midge fishing, and calmly beautiful scenery.

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This isn't the only misty morning image from photographer Matt Shaw that was a favorite of this year's judges. Hailing from Tennessee, Shaw presumably has no shortage of waterways that offering up misty mornings as seen in this and many other of Shaw's shots. Capturing the grace and serenity of those morning moments, however, is no easy task, but Matt seems to do it with ease.

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Matt Shaw, at it again, capturing another Tennessee morning moment in this eerily beautiful image.

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Sometimes, walking away with great fly fishing photography is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Add in a creative perspective, and you've got a winner.

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Left Ray Chappa wonders in his caption of this image, "who knew Galveston had marshes?" We didn't, but they sure are pretty.

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This one isn't going to win any contests for technical excellence, but it makes people smile, and perhaps that's more important and why it stood out amongst some considerably more "professional" imagery.

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We can't get enough of shots of trout, bonefish, tarpon and so on - but images of some of the other creatures we encounter when on the water are always welcome. None perhaps more than this image of a magnificently hued cuttlefish, caught while in search of grouper and wrasse on a rocky flat in the island of Lombok, Indonesia.

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Smallmouth don't typically get their due as beauties of the fly fishing world. Perhaps this stunning underwater shot from Rueben Browning will serve to turn that misconception on its ear.

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Some fish just can't be landed by your lonesome. This great action shot by Justin Hamblin shows angler brothers Pete and Ben work together to land a big B Run Steelhead in raging, off-colored water.

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Photographer Nathan Ball snapped this shot, which illustrates the lifelong endurance of our sport in the lives of many anglers, at the 2014 American Casting Association championship.

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Another near-perfect composition that truly puts the viewer in the moment. Every flats and saltwater angler is familiar with the "ready position" and the emotions that accompany it, and this image takes you back there. Throw in excellent sharpness, contrast and tone, which combine to reveal the dirt, scrapes and scuffs delivered by the saltwater world, and you can almost smell the salt and feel the sun starting to peek through the clouds and hitting the back of your neck.

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Another Tennessee photographer, Nathan Ball conveys an ethereal southern landscape in this image. If that's not bass water, we don't know what is.

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Another entry from contest veteran Stu Hastie. We'll presume this is going to end up in an advertisement for Epic fly rod blanks. And if it doesn't, heads will be shaken.

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Kiwi Stu Hastie is evidently in the photo contest business. And that's fine. Stu takes his time crafting compelling images that we only want to see more of, like this one of a rainbow trout from Bush Creek in New Zealand.

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Perspective is everything, and that's most certainly the case with this shot from Arek Kubale in which an angler fights the fine trout "Stanislaw" on the Bobr River in Lower Silesia, Poland.

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Night fishing isn't for everyone, but it captures some anglers and won't let them go. As photographer Amanda Monthei notes, "We've only fished during the day three times this summer. Trust me, I've counted. We've sold our souls to night fishing, to Red-Bull-fueled fishing marathons, throwing mice patterns from sunset to sunrise." Her shot offers a compelling glimpse into the world of the night fisherman.

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This smartphone shot makes up for what it lacks in resolution with excellent composition in which the stunning sky and water are framed beautifully by the mountains and hillsides.

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It's hard to tell whether the honeycomb reflections of the sunlight on the water in this shot from Dirk from Idaho's Sun Valley are the result of a well-timed capture or aggressive processing, but it didn't matter to several of the judges who placed it amongst their favorites.

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An absolute favorite of some of this year's judges, this shot by Will Griffith's of a Upper Deschutes River brook trout, is alive with energy and color.

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Had this image of the tail of a Clark Fork River brown trout been a bit sharper, there's a good chance it would have walked away with one of this year's prizes. What it lacks in sharpness, however, was countered well enough by good composition and brilliant color to land it amongst many of the judges top 10.

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This shot from Joey Guzman of an autumn rainbow trout impressed with its rich colors and reserved mood.

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While we can't help but wonder what this shot would look like in color, or brightened up a bit, that curiosity did nothing to prevent this killer capture from Stu Hastie from snatching third prize.

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Several judges voted for this image from Jeffrey Diblasi to take home the grand prize. And why not? Creativity, excellent composition, energy, great tone and richness. This image has it all. As one judge noted, "You can feel the ride."

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Mayfly shots are a dime-a-dozen. Except when they're not. This image of a Bitterroot River mayfly by Joe Cummings gives us a big look at the world of the tiny insects that are a huge part of our fishing world. The smoke effect in the image was accomplished using a macro lens and a shallow depth of field to capture the mayfly itself and the reflection off a rock in the background.

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Are we all going soft? Maybe. Regardless, this Nathan Ball image kept coming back up as many a judge's favorite. Technically excellent, sure, but this emotional image speaks to the passion we have for fishing and our desire to pass that on to the next generation. Ball's image not only received as many grand prize votes as any other image in the contest, it received more total votes than any other image.