Photomontage by Phil Monahan
Starting on the first day of September, many of you committed to trying to get on the water at least 20 times during the next 30 days. As an added incentive–although you probably didn’t need one–we launched our fifth annual “20 Days in September” Photo Contest, which required entrants to post photos to the Orvis Fly Fishing Facebook or Instagram page, along with the hashtags #20sepdays and #orvisflyfishing. Participation increased by leaps and bounds this year, with more than 2,500 entries! Our crack team of in-house judges have chosen 10 finalists–which wasn’t easy, let me tell you.
Take a close look at the 10 photos in the widget below (click on each image to see a larger version), and then choose your three favorites. The photographers are competing for some great prizes:
First Place: A Helios 3 Fly Rod of your choice.
Second Place: A Pair of New Orvis Pro Waders (Men’s or Women’s).
Third Place: A Mirage LT Fly Reel of your choice.
We’ll also give a pair of made-in-the-USA Orvis Nippers to one randomly selected voter at the end of the contest.
Important Note: To be eligible to win the nippers, you MUST leave a comment about the photos in the comments section below. (That’s the only way we’ll know who you are, since the poll widget doesn’t collect data on voters.)
Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, October 10th, and we will announce the winners on Friday, October 11th.
So choose our three winners, hit the “vote” button, and then leave a comment below!
Don’t forget to leave your comment for a chance to win!
Love Luke Dennison’s photo!
Loved the tranquility of the brook and black & white
contrast that Luke Dennison captured!
Madeline Romano ~
Definitely agree, the brook trout was amazing.
Lealie’s Brook Trout in its fall colours, spectacular!
Have to agree.
Hard to pick top 3 and it would be harder to pick a favorite from those. Thanks to all the photographers for sharing.
The beautiful examples of nature.
I was thinking the same.
I love this wonderful child hood
All these photos are awesome. I really enjoyed doing the challenge got to get out and explore new areas around my area.
Love fly fishing photos especially when they include beautiful scenery
The love of the sport and appreciation of Gods creation are captured in these photos.
Great photos l! Good luck to everyone. Fish on!
Great pictures! Tough picking the final three!
The great colours of the brook are amazing!
Luke’s B/W is my #1 pick. All the photos are beautiful and show the beauty of the sport in many different ways
Really love fishing in the fall. Cooler temperatures, and plenty of fish. Love the fall foliage too. A perfect time to be out fishing.
Fall colors are the best paired with the equally beautiful brookie.
WOW
love the colors on the brookies
Hello there renee lujan
All great pictures
Totally awesome pics!
Love the brookie!
The brookie is gorgeous and I certainly (fondly) remember fishing with a toddler wrapped around my shoulders!
Awesome pics! Makes me want to enter next year.
Great pics. Love the colors and the kids!
Love it when my granddaughters go fishing with me. Never fly fished while holding one though. Great time to fish. Fall fishing!
great entries!
The colors of a brookie are most beautiful!
Sweet
NOTHING more beautiful than the brookie….
My absolute favorite fish to catch, the Brookie, just can’t get enough of them especially in the fall!
They are all deserving of an award Orvis. Top 10 out of 2500 deserves a hat. Well done to you all, but I do have a soft spot for Brookies.
Tough not to vote for at least 5 of them…
I’m very fond of family and cutthroats which rounded out my three. Great pics all!
Oh my, spectacular photo, fish and all!
Felt I was right there as a spectator!
Beautiful picture!
Being a grandfather I like the two boys wading together.
Love these pictures.
Great challenge. How long did it take Dan Layne to warm up.
Haha thanks, everyone! Montana is a little chilly in September!
Love the smoke from a forest fire in the background !!!
Brookie!
The brookie was pure artistry. Beautifully composed. Congrats to all the finalists.
Love the pictures with kids – especially the two boys. And Allen Downie2 – catfish and fisherman leads to many possible captions. Well done all.
Great shots, never bet against kids or dogs.
Great photos
Makes me want to get out there. Later! Off I go!!
All are very nice
Leslie Ann’s photo… Colors of September!
That bluegill photo really takes you to that place.
Tough choices
Fun idea great to see all the pics
I love that cutthroat picture, creative and looks awesome! Although the colors on that brookie are pretty sick as well. So many good pictures!
The brooke trout close up!!
Very cool pics!
Awesome! Tight lines!
Love the creative effort in displaying this trout!! Also, the smoke from a fire in the background is a once in a lifetime (hopefully) shot.
Enjoyed them all! But to be honest I’ve always felt bluegill should get more attention.
Love the Brookie.
Great pictures!!
Great photos. Makes me want to get out there and fish some more!
Dan Layne’s image is stunning, especially with the wildfire blowing up over the ridge!
So hard to choose just three! They were all so good.
Always awesome to see these fall fishing pics!
That brookie is gorgeous!
That brook trout thooooo
All great pictures but one is prettier than the rest
Best brookie shot ever!!
I would’ve loved to have been fishing for 20 days in September, unfortunately we have been in the midst of a 2 month long drought leaving us with little water left in our rivers and streams. Looks like we have rain ahead on the forecast and I can’t wait to get back to some fishing!
I liked the bluegill photo the best!
Great Pics!
Love the view of what the catfish sees as it’s being landed. Probably wondering who this jerk is with the fake food.
Absolutely love the brook trout photo!! 2nd favorite is the cuttie held out of the water
Awesome! Great entries!
What a fun month that was, though at the same time grueling. Can’t wait to do it again next year!
Would have liked to choose 4.
So fun! Loved this challenge and great entries!
Wonderful pics, love the colors in the brookie. What a fun month that was, though at the same time grueling. Can’t wait to do it again next year!
Love the action shot with MK!
thank you!
Take your kids fishing, such a great photo! The colors on that brookie are real sweet too.
Nice pictures all!
Beautiful pic Leslie Ann!!
All great photos. Great contest. I was so busy with fall house painting and landscaping projects I fell 4 days shy of 20. Nevertheless, each of my 16 days wss magic.
All great photos. Very hard to choose.
Amazing!! Love the swimming pic
The brook trout has to be the prettiest fresh water fish on the planet. Awesome picture!
Great photos and love the black and white!
Loved the action shot on Salmon River, MK!
Thank you!
Great photos!
More, more, more!!!
Mk your pics are always amazing!!
<3 thank you!
MK Smith. Fantastic shot. As always!!!
There’s some stiff competition this year. Thank you for sharing everybody! Love to see the creativity in the fly fishing community.
Some great pics!
They are all great pictures.
Wow! How did Leslie Ann capture those beautiful colors?!
Some nice pictures, very creative
Once again, great photos. It was a tough decision as all have merits for different reasons. It really came down to how I was feeling at the moment as the esthetic that touched me.
Hard to choose only 3. All were great pictures.
Terrific photos. So hard to select only 3—-like them all.
Great colors on the bookie! Greater mom fishing with child around neck! 50/50 and teaching the next generation! Winner!
Props to the individual who went underwater in that photo!
All great picks.
Lots of great pictures!
Nice picture MK . Is that one of those Duck Dynasty guys?
Awsome colors on the brookie !!!!
Wonderful world of fly fishing, family and friends!
Incredible photos.
Nice action photo from MK, love that brookie photo and Sunfish photo also.
Nice shots
Fantastic pictures, makes me wish I could be out there all month.
Congrats to the finalists.
Great pics! Very creative picture Dan Layne!
Love that trout being held from under water!
I really enjoyed the colors.
All photos were great. Love Dan K with the kids.
The cutthroat was awesome! Reminds me of cutthroat and wildfires here in colorado
Blessed to have a wife and family that plan some vacations around my finny photo therapy. I believe they receive a better person back from the water. These were taken at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Thanks for the kind comments.
great contest
This is a great contest, keep it going Orvis! It’s awesome seeing people getting more creative after each year.
BW photos bring an awesome effect.
A very difficult choice!
Bravo- Great job by all!
Great Pics. Love the Colors on the Brook Trout.
What a wonderful sport we embrace.
How on earth did you ever whittle them down to twenty?
And all of the finalists are amazing!
Beautiful pics from everyone !!!
blue gills rock!
Nice photos
Great photos and very creative.
Beautiful brook trout photo.
Look
At that salmon Jump. Nice job MK Smith
Great pic MK!
MK Smith
Beautiful Picture – I love the colors
reflecting on the water as well as
the Salmon jumping.
Great variety of photos this year. The salmon action shot is amazing! Also really like the perspective on the “panfish” shot.
Great pictures a little partial to the black & white. Love them all. Good luck to all of them.
Great choices for finalists! And this is always a fun challenge every year.
The Brook trout is awesome
Nice picture of that salmon fisherman! Fish on!
Was hard to chose only one!
I need to enter this next year! Loved the Black and White one with the kids!
This competition got the biggest smile on my face. Love it. Love Orvis
beautiful photos!
Great pictures! Hard to pick just 3!
All very beautiful pictures. I just loved the look of the one I picked.
So hard to select just three!
So hard to pick just three. I can’t imagine how you narrowed it down. Congratulations to all the finalists!
Inspiring – I’m going to have my own 20-October-Days.
Great photos
Wow great pictures! Love the creativity that Dan Layne had! I will try agin next year and hopefully try and capture better pictures. A very fun personal challenge though! loved getting out for 20 days!
Love the image and the color captured by Leslie Ann
Love the pictures! Fly fishing is the best beats spin fishing any day! It’s my outlet when the stress is getting to me!
Great pics, all about a sport we love!
WOW. Great pics
Love the idea behind this promotion of giving people the opportunity to share these great pictures with everyone! Thanks Orvis
Am great pic, good job folks!
All great pic, good job folks!
A bunch of quality pictures. Hard to pick just one.
All great captures and a great idea, Orvis!
I was one day short of making my 20-days goal, but it was an awesome month. I got to explore my new home and *really* learn my local Puget Sound beaches. Here’s to next year!
All great pics!
The “fish out of water” is my favorite!!
Love the photos!
Wow those are some awesome pictures. It’s a shame all cant win but may the best picture win.
So hard to chose so I took vivid color of the fish and two of closeness with friends, family and nature.
What a fun contest- great pics!
Great photos. Good job by all
Some really cool pics!
Brookies for the win!
Great pictures!
I live those Brookie colors!
Great photos!!!! Would love to live in Montana!!!
It was hard to choose…they are all winners! The beauty of the colors, or how they get you in the feels!!!
Great photos, great fish, great times!
All great photos, but that brook trout was #1
I really enjoy looking at fly fishing pictures and watching fly fishing videos. The Black & White ones always seem to me to have more texture, and are more nostalgic.
Love the mother and child photo!!
Look forward to this contest every year. thanks Orvis!
That was tough. All were great pictures. I voted for the Brookie though, just because. 😀
Love to see where fish live and children fishing!
All great pictures!
Jealous of all the great memories that are captured in these shots!
Great submissions! Good luck to all the contestants. Wish I could’ve gotten out more in September.
Loved all the pictures. The choice wasn’t easy!
Amazing
The colors on that brook trout are spectacular!!
All photos are deserving of awards, showing the true beauty and sportsmanship of fishing.
Unique perspective of the catfish photo makes it my favorite
Great photos man, woman, children. All can fish.
Tough to only pick 3…..
One of the best things a person can do is take a child fishing. I had soo many great times with my dad and grandpa.
All of the photos represent the reasons on why we do what we do. Very tough choice but I will have to choose the one with the youngsters. Nothing better than passing down the tradition of fishing. Carry the legacy!
Thanks for putting this little competition on! Was a fun month!
These are some incredible photos tough to decide
Love the Brook Trout colors!
Loved all the photos…tough to pick just 3!
Loved all the pictures tough picking 3!
The brookie is amazing
Makes me wish I was fishing right now.
Great photos
Very , very difficult to pick just three
the pics with kids are the future and memories of the past.. the one of arm holding fish above the water i can relate to
Youth are our future generations to keep the sport going and protecting the environment.
all are great hard to pick the best like the mom holding the child first thought where there is will there is a way!!
True commitment for the photo from the guy hoisting the trout out of the water.
Brookie pic has my vote .
Great photos, as always!
Was soo hard to pick just 3! These were all great pics and I’m glad to see soo many people enjoying the outdoors! Good luck!
Great pictures of great adventures!
love Dan Laynes pic. looks like he was noodlin for trout!
Leslie Anns looks so like art
They are all stellar pics!
Great Pics !
Breathtaking photos from all participants it was very hard to choose!
Very cool stuff! Glad I didn’t have to narrow it down to ten
Heaven on a river
Fly Fishing in our nature environment and taking photos in this type of environment are absolutely stunning!
Great photos all!
Great photos all of them!!
Love the different perspectives on a wonderful sport.
Magnifiques !!!
Great photo of a very colorful brook trout. #1 for me.
Awesome pictures.
Each photo captures the pure joy and passion of fishing!
I love seeing mamas expose their kids to the outdoors and fishing so young. It’s adorable.
Thanks for all the kind words on the brook trout photo!
Hard to find comment field all the way at bottom. All great inspiration to get back on the water ASAP.
There are no winners here because they are all winners and superb…to say the very least.
Good luck to everyone
Great photos! Chose the extended arm trout for unique approach; the brook trout for capturing its exquisite natural beauty, and my vote for best is the two kids by Dan K., because this photo represents the future of our beloved sport.
Thanks.
Dan K, getting the kiddos out there!
I love the catfish picture, such an under rated fish on the fly! It’s certainly a unique angle.