Meet the Winners of Our 2025 “20 Days in September” Photo Contest

Peter Laskowski’s moody shot of a solitary angler took high prize.

This 12 months’s “20 Days in September” Picture Contest was nice success, that includes a whole lot of nice images from anglers across the U.S., and fairly a number of from different nations. Although these overseas pictures weren’t eligible, it’s nice to see these fly fishers getting caught up within the #20sepdays idea. Even those that couldn’t get the complete 20 days in appeared to take pleasure in discovering new waters proper of their backyards and sneaking off for a number of casts at lunchtime or after work.

Earlier this week, we introduced you with 10 finalists for the competition’s prizes. On the high, the voting was, frankly, not very shut, because the winner obtained greater than twice as many votes because the second-place photograph. Nonetheless, after nearly 1,000 votes solid, third and fourth locations have been determined by simply two votes. Congrats to all of the photographers who made the finals!

Your best choice, by an extended shot, was Peter Laskowski’s beautiful picture (on the high of the web page) of an angler fishing a mountain river shrouded in smoke. Laskowski (@peterthejazzcat), of Kennewick, Washington, described the second captured:

This photograph was taken on the attractive Naches River, the place I used to be concentrating on trout. Shout out to all of the folks on the market preventing the hearth that produced the smoke on this photograph. This was my first 12 months doing the 20 Days in September Problem, and it was such a blast. It has been a pleasure exploring the Washington creeks and rivers round me. I respect the excuse to get out in nature and catch some sweet-looking fish. I’m wanting ahead to repeatedly studying in regards to the craft and to make extra excuses to get out on the water. 

For attaining the highest spot, Peter will obtain an Orvis Superfine Graphite 5-weight fly rod, arrange with a Battenkill Click reel and a Scientific Anglers Magnitude Smooth Trout Expert Clear Tip Float fly line.

Alan Downie took second place with this cool face-to-face shot with a brookie.

Within the second spot is Alan Downie (@brookielandphoto) of Roanoke, Virginia, whose photograph supplied a closeup take a look at a brook trout that had eaten a giant foam dry fly. Right here’s what he needed to say:

Trying again, I’ve made the highest 10 since 2017, except for 2019. It’s so rewarding to lastly place! My wildlife pictures and fly fishing are deeply related by means of a shared sense of presence, persistence, and admiration for nature. Whether or not I’m venturing to the serenity of a distant creek or ready silently for a shot of a chook in flight, each pursuits enable me to totally immerse myself within the creation. By means of my lens, I intention to seize not simply the great thing about wild locations and creatures, however the stillness and marvel they provide—moments that convey creation’s astonishing magnificence and selection.

In September I accomplished a several-year odyssey of visiting all of the fishable creeks in Shenandoah Nationwide Park. This underwater shot displays the unrivaled radiance of our native brook trout in its spring-fed habitat.  I hope my work encourages others to get outdoors, decelerate, and reconnect with the outside, discovering their very own peace and inspiration in creation.

For coming in second, Alan will obtain an Orvis Clearwater Reel & Spools 3-Pack and three Scientific Anglers fly lines.

A trophy tiger trout supplied the right splash of shade in Lynette Moore’s third-place photograph.

In an actual squeaker, Lynette Moore (@lynetteraemoore) of La Crosse, Wisconsin got here in third with a cool shot of a tiger trout towards a stark mountain background. Right here’s how she described the picture:

My husband and I are retired, and we make an annual fishing journey to the Rocky Mountains residing in our camper. We fished 23 days in September. On day 10, I caught this lovely tiger trout on a small lake in Wyoming utilizing a water-boatman imitation. The fish put up a very good struggle, taking me into the backing, and he swam away vigorously when launched.

For her efforts, Lynette will obtain an Orvis Sling Pack and an assortment of Absolute Leader and Tippet.

Lastly, everybody who voted for our finalists was eligible for a prize, as nicely. We plugged within the numbers, and the widget at random.org spat out two winners: Brian Pendergrass and Zach Fredrickson. They’ll every get a One-Year Subscription to the All-New MidCurrent Learning Center.

Lastly, because of everybody who participated on this 12 months’s “20 Days in September” Problem by fishing, submitting images, voting, or commenting (or all of those). Additionally because of our companions at Orvis and Scientific Anglers, who supplied the prizes and shared the message that September is the most effective time to profit from your native waters.

Whereas it’s unhappy that the month is over, look on the intense facet: We get to do it once more subsequent 12 months!