Fumbled Fish Photo Contest

Dispatches from the Potomac is a blog run by Ed Felkner. Its an Outdoor Blogger Network blog and is the compiled words of Ed. Ed talks about everything from his two dogs to his kayak adventures and a lot about fly fishing. Ed Felker is a fine artist, graphic designer, writer and outdoorsman. He can most often be found near his studio overlooking the Potomac River, usually with a camera, often with a flyrod, always with a dog, searching for art and humor in the world around him. Ed reached out to us about his newest contest idea and we loved it.

So we've partnered up with Ed of Dispatches from the Potomac to bring you the Fumbled Fish Photo Contest. Its your chance to win some great gear but showing the world your fumbled fish photo. We've all been there, that moment your friend or loved one (or even worse, a stranger) goes to snap a new profile picture for your Facebook and boom, the fish jumps right on out of your hand...perfect timing. Well we want to see those photos! Read below for all the info...

So if you’ve ever flopped the flounder, shed the shad, tumbled the trout, plunged the perch, dropped the dorado, pitched the pike or sunk the smallmouth, dig out those fumbled fish photos and submit them here! Click here or on the graphic to the left to enter your photos (up to three) and vote on your favorites!

Fumblitis. Even the pros get it. It has cost points, lost games and ended careers. But you don't have to be an NFL running back to experience the agony of an ill-timed fumble. We've all done it.

You catch a fish and want to get a photo of it. The fish stays nice and calm as you tilt it just right toward the sun, holding it out toward the camera so it looks a little bigger (yes, we all do that too). You're already writing the facebook post about it in your head. Then it happens. In that delay between the shutter button being depressed and the camera taking the picture, the fish remembers a previous engagement and suddenly bolts. Maybe it drops in your lap, or your boat, but mostly it drops right back in the water you just worked so hard to remove it from. "Did you get it??" you ask the person with the camera. But you already know the answer.

Sometimes it's a ghostly blur in the corner of the frame. Sometimes it's totally gone and you're standing there like an idiot, your hands holding what looks like an imaginary fish and your face not yet registering what has happened. And sometimes the camera captures the "OOHHH NOOOO" coming out of your mouth as your hands desperately reach for what is already long gone.

Dispatches from the Potomac has teamed up with some generous sponsors for this contest! You can win awesome prizes like a day of guided fishing with Spring Creek Outfitters on the North Branch of the Potomac in western Maryland, a night at a luxury rental cabin in the scenic mountains of Virginia at Rose River Farm, or cool gear from Montana Troutaholics in Missoula, Montana! Plus there will be some cool door prizes along the way. Please check out those prize sponsors online, as well as additional sponsors Chesapeake Fly Co., Hook1 Kayak Fishing Gear and The Fish Grip!

So if you've ever flopped the flounder, shed the shad, tumbled the trout, plunged the perch, dropped the dorado, pitched the pike or sunk the smallmouth, dig out those fumbled fish photos and submit them here! Enter up to three photos, share with friends and encourage them to vote for your goofiest gaffe!

You may enter up to three photos. Prizes determined by total number of votes at the end of the contest.

FIRST PRIZE: One night rental of luxury cabin at Rose River Farm in Syria, VA. Details to be arranged between winner and prize sponsor. Some restrictions apply.

SECOND PRIZE: One day of guided fishing with Spring Creek Outfitters on the North Branch of the Potomac River. Details to be arranged between winner and prize sponsor. Some restrictions apply.

THIRD PRIZE: Gift bag sponsored by Montana Troutaholics.

FOURTH PRIZE: Leverage net sponsored by Hook1 Kayak Fishing Gear

Boom...The TLTFF Crew