A rundown of the top picks from all six categories of the American Angler 2017 photo contest.
[by Ben Romans]
Late last spring, after receiving a string of photos from fellow “anglers in the field” on the American Angler Facebook page, a few of us pondered the question, “How do we see more?” From that short discussion, the first American Angler photo competition was born.
The premise was to bring the fly angling community (and those who consider themselves amateur photographers) together to recognize some important facets of this great sport—notions like the importance of encouraging new (young and old) anglers and caring for our quarry—hence the creation of the Pass It On and Keepemwet categories.
Aided by social media and supported by some of the finest fly fishing manufacturers in the business, we kick-started the competition last Memorial Day, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Anglers from around the world responded in spades, and we received some truly amazing (and inspiring) images—so many, in fact, that selecting winners for each category proved more difficult than we thought it would be. That said, here are the images that took home the top honors, and top prizes. Thanks to all who participated, and a special congratulations to the winners!
In the Moment
If you’ve fished long enough, you’ve likely experienced a “magical moment” on the water. It might be a blizzard hatch, a perfect sunset, or landing that one special trophy fish you’ve been after for longer than you can remember. We dedicated this category to all the dreamlike things that can happen while you’re on the water that (in addition to the fish) keep you coming back for more.
The Fly Life
The sport of fly fishing is different things to different people. What does it mean to you? If your fish-mobile was on its last leg, you enjoyed a riverside microbrew, or simply experienced a highlight on a DIY adventure you planned for a year, you know what we’re talking about.