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Smolt of the Month February
Smolt lovers far and wide, once again we have small news of the best kind. Our trio of judges has come to a unanimous decision for the February Smolt of the Month!
The Smoltie goes to… Andrew Tarica with this super smolty pint-sized snapper. It’s no permit but still a worthy specimen.
Andrew checked in with the following: “I caught this snapper while on a family vacation in Virgin Gorda. One day I explored the edges of the beach with my fly rod and saw my first-ever permit tailing in the shallow water. I wasn’t able to reach the permit by cast, but I did manage to land this little fella. Locals told me it was a yellowtail snapper.”
Here: The February Smolt of the Month, a beautiful yellowtail snapper. Photo: Andrew Tarica
We’re sending huge miniature congratulations to Andrew; enjoy the macro-sized bragging rights, and keep the stoke strong! And remember: treat the fish kindly, this year’s smolts are next year’s hawgs.
All monthly winners are eligible to win a grand prize package from Decked—including a full set of their D-Co Cases (valued over $900)—as well as a trophy custom-made by The Flyfish Journal staff, in May 2025. Monthly winners receive prize packages including a Stealth Work Station from Patagonia Fly Fishing and good goods from The Flyfish Journal.
And, of course, those minuscule bragging rights…
A big thanks to our prize sponsors Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing.
Head to the the main Smolt of the Month contest page for more information on how to enter your enormously small catches and review past Smolts of the Month. Each monthly contest entry window will be open for the duration of each month, so go small or go home and get after it!
We’ve also compiled a runners-up list with a few outstanding entries in no particular order:
Here: RC Cone with a banger of a rooster fish. More like chasing down the boy. Photo: Courtesy RC Cone
RC kept it short and simple in his account of this saltwater smolt: “If we’re talking dinks, let’s talk dinks. I’ve been chasing the big ones for years to no avail but this chicken nugget came in hot and who am I to say no?”
Above: A decidedly smoltzy shiner. Photo: Brian Pendergrass
Brian Pendergrass writes of this contender: “This smoltzy warpaint shiner hammered a dry fly & nearly had me in my backing.”