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.

Professional Filmmaker Category

Cream

Filmmaker: Mike Kirkpatrick

Cream features Leif Stävmo, one of fly fishing’s most respected figures and the longtime Head of Product Development at Guideline, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s rods and innovations since founding its Swedish branch in 2001. More than an accomplished angler and designer, Leif shares a deeply personal perspective shaped by surviving a heart attack, reminding viewers to slow down, appreciate the present, and make every moment count. Despite challenging weather that left only a single opportunity to film, the production came together on a small side creek, resulting in a film that pairs exceptional fly fishing with a thoughtful and inspiring message.

Fish Out Of Water

Filmmaker: Harrison Hughes

In Fish Out of Water,  a novice fly fisherman travels to Iceland to try to complete the Icelandic slam. While he feels a bit out of place with lack of experience, he meets some familiar faces that also share his feelings of not belonging.

The Hard Way

Filmmaker: Beattie Outdoor Productions

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.

Brown Drake Symphony

Filmmaker: Capture Adventure Media

When you get a call that the Brown Drake Symphony you’ve been hoping for is going off but will likely only last one more evening, you have to make a decision. Do you get in the car, drive 400 miles and hope your buddy isn’t wrong, or wait again for next year. It’s simple, you get in the car and drive.

It happened to be the right choice. A cloud of insects, hungry trout gorging themselves, and an angler with a camera enjoying the moment for what it is.

Legacy: The Story of Cathy and Barry Beck

Filmmaker: Josh Caldwell

In Legacy, award-winning filmmaker Joshua Caldwell chronicles the journey of Barry Beck after losing his wife, muse, and fishing partner in an instant.

Shadow People

Filmmaker: Backwater Media Productions

Shadow People follows April Vokey and Sam Lungren as they explore the remote fishery in Guyana and target arapaima, peacock bass, arowana, and payara. The narrative follows them along the journey while shining light on the uncontacted tribes that are still living in the area.

Silent Spotter

Filmmaker: Beattie Outdoor Productions

Silent Spotter tells the remarkable story of Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fly-fishing guide from Xcalak, Mexico, whose passion, ingenuity, and resilience have made him one of the region’s most respected guides. Through stunning cinematography, humor, and heartfelt storytelling, the film explores how Tommy navigates the silent world of shallow-water flats fishing using lip-reading, intuition, and his own sign language while working alongside his father, Alejandro. More than a fishing film, Silent Spotter celebrates the power of perseverance, family, and human connection, challenging stereotypes and revealing how a shared love of fly fishing can transcend language, culture, and disability.

Where I’m Meant to Be

Filmmaker: Andrew Krantz

Where I’m Meant to Be is a story about identity, about understanding our place in the world, and about finding meaning when our life’s purpose is recast.

Who we are and where we belong evolve as we move through life, and the journey from one place to the next can be harrowing. How do we navigate that journey? How do we know where we belong? How do we embrace the present and let go of the past? There are no universal answers. We each must discover our own path by trusting ourselves and believing in our decisions – and that’s exactly what led Megan Brown to fly fishing.

Emerging Filmmaker Category

Backyard Bronze

Filmmaker: Michael Robert Thienes

In Backyard Bronze, Midwest based artist Jake Keeler and photographer T.C. Worley are out to document the smallmouth playground of Jake’s backyard, the Upper Mississippi River.Many have to search far and wide to find quality smallmouth fishing; for Jake and T.C., exploring Jake’s childhood haunts and overlooked spots provides endless opportunities on world class water.The late Summer brings a chance to meet these bronze bombers on their turf without long drives, flights, logistics, or even boats. Backyard Bronze is a love-letter of sorts to smallmouth and this epic fishery!

No Arm No Leg

Filmmaker: Doba Productions

No Arm No Leg is a South African fly fishing story about a rumour of Indo-Pacific tarpon living in a closed-off estuary in the middle of a rundown suburb.

The film follows that search as an entry point into Doba and our belief that fly fishing doesn’t need to be expensive, far away, or complicated to be meaningful.

Ripple – Casting for Change

Filmmaker: John Curtis

In Ripple, six elementary school girls fly to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan to test their fly fishing skill. The girls are members of a school sponsored Adventure Club that focuses on building community, belonging, and leadership skills to change the narrative of what girls can and can not do. During the two day trip the girls discuss the pressures of growing up in a digital world and the need for nature based connections like fly fishing.

Scorcher

Filmmaker: Michael Robert Thienes

Scorcher follows fly angler and artist Jake Keeler and filmmaker Mike Thienes as they reconnect with the creative spirit that first drew them to fly fishing. Centered on the world of smallmouth bass and featuring insights from respected anglers including Tim Landwehr, Kyle Zempel, and Aaron Przybylski, the film explores curiosity, originality, and the enduring inspiration found beyond the sport’s mainstream. Paired with a nostalgic soundtrack by Mr. Dibbs and a visual style inspired by classic skate films, Scorcher is a celebration of creativity, exploration, and the idea that the most meaningful fly-fishing stories are often found close to home.

Trapped Still

Filmmaker: Jade Hertz

Trapped Still follows a passionate group of conservationists, (The Trout Trust) as they expose a hidden crisis threatening Alberta’s wild trout populations. Every year, thousands of fish are swept into irrigation canals, trapped in a system designed for water, not wildlife. This documentary reveals the human cost of progress and showcases the activists working to protect these fish and restore balance to Alberta’s waterways.”

Whatever It Takes

Filmmaker: Jack Beaudoin

Whatever it Takes was filmed 600 miles from the closest road in the furthest reaches of Manitoba sits a five-star, fly-in-only, world-class fishing lodge… Gangler’s. The region hosts The North Seal water way which flows through 6 million acres of some of the most untouched wilderness left on earth. It is widely considered the best pike fishing lodge in the world and was the favorite for fly legends like Lefty Kreh. Whether you’re into world class dining or manning your own outpost at one of their seemingly endless lakes, Gangler’s offers something for everyone. With 40 years of experience it is no question why they are Canada’s finest fishing destination.