The Hard Way | Filmmaker: Beattie Outdoor Productions

Welcome to the 2026 Stimmies Angler’s Choice Awards, presented by Scientific Anglers, Fly Fusion Magazine and IF4™. After being selected as finalists by our panel of judges, these outstanding films are now in your hands. Voting opens July 27 and closes August 31.

This year, The Stimmies features two award categories, and you may cast one vote in each category. Simply click on each film to watch it, then vote for your favourite in that category. Each category winner will be recognized, and the film receiving the most votes overall will be crowned the 2026 Angler’s Choice winner, earning the Grand Prize, including consideration as an Official Selection in the 2027 International Fly Fishing Film Festival.

As an added bonus, every voter is automatically entered into our weekly draws for incredible fly fishing gear and prizes throughout the voting period.

For the filmmakers, The Hard Way was an opportunity to embrace a slower, more deliberate style of storytelling. “In an age when our lives and our media move so fast, we wanted this film to breathe,” said director RA Beattie. “We wanted to invite audiences to fully see the river, to notice the details, and to reflect on why so many of us are drawn to fly fishing and the outdoors in the first place.” With its stunning cinematography and nuanced narrative, the film challenges viewers to pay attention, immerse themselves in the story, and pick up on its cues—much like the practice of fly fishing itself.