The Votes Are In! 2026 Stimmies Angler’s Choice Winners
After another record-breaking year of voting, the results are official.
The 2026 Stimmies Angler’s Choice Awards, presented by Scientific Anglers, Fly Fusion Magazine and IF4™, brought together another outstanding collection of fly-fishing films and filmmakers and thousands of viewers had their say.
We’re excited to announce the 2026 Angler’s Choice winners:
Professional Filmmaker Winner
SHADOW PEOPLE — Backwater Media Productions
Shadow People follows April Vokey and Sam Lungren deep into the remote wilderness of Guyana in pursuit of arapaima, peacock bass, arowana and payara.
Set against one of the world’s most extraordinary fisheries, the film follows their journey while also shining a light on the uncontacted Indigenous peoples who continue to live in this remote region.
With the most votes in the Professional Filmmaker category, Shadow People is your 2026 Stimmies Angler’s Choice winner.
Emerging Filmmaker Winner
TRAPPED STILL — Jade Hertz
Trapped Still takes viewers to Alberta, where a passionate group of conservationists with The Trout Trust is working to expose a largely unseen threat to the province’s wild trout.
Every year, thousands of fish are swept into irrigation canals and become trapped in a system designed to move water, not wildlife. The film documents the problem, the people working to protect these fish and the effort to restore balance to Alberta’s waterways.
Voters responded to the story, making Trapped Still the 2026 Stimmies Angler’s Choice winner in the Emerging Filmmaker category.
The Summer Issue of Fly Fusion Is Here
The wait is over. The Summer Issue of Fly Fusion is now arriving in subscriber mailboxes and available on newsstands across North America.
This issue explores the experiences, places, and people that continue to shape our time on the water. From technical trout fishing and legendary rivers to reflections on family, mentorship, and the lessons that stay with us long after the last cast, the Summer Issue delivers the storytelling, photography, and instruction that readers have come to expect from Fly Fusion.
Father's Day Collection | Jerry K.
I was in Hanover.
A beautiful day on the water, finally fishing with a friend I had lost touch with.
He was the one who taught me how to fly fish.
Not long after that day, I lost him.
And looking back now, that time together outweighs everything else.
– Jerry K. | London
Father's Day Collection | Jamie C.
Growing up, I thought we were a bit different.
We ate wild game. Spent time outdoors. Tried to be as self-reliant as possible.
Independence, and the value of wild things and places, those were things that mattered.
One time, we were fly fishing.
My grandfather had severe Parkinson’s at the time. His green rubber chest waders filled with water, and he was swept downstream.
We managed to get him to shore safely, but after that, river safety became a theme in my life.
I have a lot of memories of the Miramichi River, fishing for black salmon in the spring. I’m forever grateful.
– Jamie C. | Pennfield
Father's Day Collection | Dwight J.
My introduction to and love for fishing came from another father figure in my life. Grandpa. My maternal grandfather was my hero. Grandpa lived in a double-wide on a half-acre just upstream of Pinantan Lake outside Kamloops.
He was a man’s man. He played hockey for the Portland hockey team and won an NHL arm wrestling contest. For a 10-year-old boy who loved sports and the outdoors, no one could compete with Grandpa as the arbiter of cool.
Father's Day Collection | Mike L.
My own father passed quite a few years before I ever learned to fly fish.
I joined the Cornhusker Fly Fishers in Nebraska because I had always wanted to learn. It looked so cool, almost like poetry in motion. I even bought my first fly rod and reel before I really knew how to use them.
Ed was this tall, slender member of the club. He became my father figure.
We tied flies together. He showed me the small details and the tricks of the art.
One night after a meeting, he saw me struggling and walked over.
“Let me show you how this is done.”
Five minutes with someone who knew what they were doing, and something clicked. I felt like I could do this.
And I did.
I’ve been fly fishing for years now, often with Ed. We’ve represented the Cornhusker Fly Fishers at events across the state, sharing our love of the sport. I even followed in his footsteps, running for and serving as the club’s president.
What made that moment meaningful wasn’t just learning how to tie or cast. It was finally learning something I had always wanted to do, and doing it right.
Ed made it all feel comfortable.
– Mike L. | Bellevue, WA
Father's Day Collection | Taya
Me and daddy go fishing at lakes. I like putting flies on fly rods. My most favorite part is going in the boat and holding the fish and taking pictures of me holding the fish. I see fishies and water and also boats out in the lake. I feel happy to be fishing with daddy and it’s just me and daddy and we’re fishing buddies.
Taya (5), Salmon Arm, BC
Father's Day Collection | Doug C.
“My father, Clarence, was the doctor in a small town in northern California. He worked hard and made house calls. But whenever he could escape the grind, he was on the water, fly fishing the mouth of the Van Duzen River where it meets the Eel.
He learned that love from his own father, Clarence Sr., who fished whenever and wherever he could. When Clarence Sr. was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, he retired immediately and moved to California, so he could walk down the hill from his house and fish the Eel River.
R.L. Winston Rod Co. Announces New Ownership
Lance Robertson has acquired the R.L. Winston Rod Co. Robertson is a longtime business leader, engineer and passionate fly angler. He and his family live near Twin Bridges, Montana.
Father's Day Collection | Brian P.
I started out fishing with my dad on the Squamish River in B.C. He was showing me what needed to be done with his cane rod, and I was right there beside him, watching everything.
Father's Day Collection | Noah M.
Rendezvous at Sullivan’s Slough
Silver Creek makes me feel as though nothing else matters when I am fishing on the Nature Conservancy property. Nothing else matters except catching those big, fat, and very smart fish. During the past seven years, I have spent every spare moment possible at Silver Creek. My wife will attest to this. Along the way, I have learned a great deal through trial and error, talking to others, and reading about this beautiful place.
Ross Reels Launches the Cimarron LT
Ross Reels is introducing the next evolution of one of its most trusted reel platforms with the launch of the Cimarron LT. Built in Montrose, Colorado, the Cimarron LT builds on the original Cimarron platform with several notable updates. Aggressive new porting reduces weight without compromising durability, while an upgraded aluminum drag knob and in-house anodizing process give the reel a refined look and feel.