It’s that time of year again, PARTY TIME. Our annual Christmas Holiday Party will take place on a different day of the week this year, a Friday. The Date.. December 7, at 6:30pm at BillHeddlesRecreationCenter in Delta. Our party is Family Friendly and we always have a wonderful time. We will have a Youth door prize - An Ipod! There will be an Adult door prize also, a Weekend getaway for 2! Incredible auction items - (including a Terry Russell Bamboo Rod). Silent auction items and many bucket raffle items.

   This is a great time to get some fantastic gifts and help your club. The food will be catered by Blue Ribbon BBQ, the best in the west! Our seating is limited to 100 so please RSVP by December 3rd! Please call Duane & Robin Lawrence 970-249-5091 (Montrose area) or Ed Kehoe 970-835-3679 (Delta area). The cost is the same as last year, $12.50 for adults and $6.50 for children.  Look forward to seeing you there.

REMEMBERING TWO MEMBERS

Gale Doudy

GGA lost two of its members this year to cancer. Dave Baker fought a courageous battle for two years.  Ed Kehoe and myself took a trip with Dave to Utah at a private ranch where we were hosted by Buddy Knight.  This is the last picture we took of Dave. 15 years ago Dave walked into my shop and asked me if I would teach him to fly fish. Over the years Dave and I probably went on a 100 trips. Dave really loved the lower Gunnison.

Archie Ingram lost his battle a couple of months ago. Archie has been a generous contributor to GGA. Archie had an incredible collection of books and equipment.  We will have all of it for our Christmas party. All proceeds will be going to Archie's widow with a small donation to GGA.  Here Archie is at last year's show working the front table with Ric Pitcher. RSVP to the Christmas Party.

Jimmy Nelson passed away the year before.  Jimmy had a brand new Clackacraft Drift Boat which GGA now owns. Jimmy only got to use the boat twice. If you know of anyone who would like a $7000 drift boat for half price please let us know. Please call Ed Kehoe 970-835-3993. 

 THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The Black Canyon Fly Fishing Show was  well attended and everyone one had a great time. Kudo's to Dave Pipkin and his crew for an outstanding youth event. Dave has taken over the youth event started by Jimmy Nelson. Jimmy would be proud. Over 100 kids tied flies, knots, tried casting, and learned a little bit about fly fishing. The Friday night wine tasting was a big hit.  Look for that to be bigger and better in 2008. We had a lot of support from the vendors and the tiers. This year Marshall Pendergrass and Tony Chelf have been beating the bushes for some major sponsors to help us continue putting on the show.

Lots of pictures have been collected from members this year.  I would like to have any pictures that you have, fish or scenery.

GGA WEBSITE

GGA has a website now, gunnisongorgeanglers.org The past few years our newsletter costs have ran over $2000 a year. We will not be mailing hard copies any more, so make sure to enter your correct e-mail. Tell anyone you know that might not be signed up. There are now over 1200 photos on the website. Please submit any photos of yours you would like to see on the website to Gale Doudy galedoudy@yahoo.com There are videos to come, such as Joel's flight in the DOW helicopter into Ute Park stocking the hofers. There will be how to: such as tying, knots, etc. We have placed google ads. When ever these are accessed GGA will make a little money. Ben Olson and Joel Evans have provided some amazing photos. Go to photos, then Hatches and watch an incredible hatch sequence of a stone fly that Ben took an night. The pictures were taken every two minutes for 45 minutes. There is a photo loop, Thru the Gunnison Gorge with Ben Olson. Ben is now co-owner of Anglers Addiction fly shop in Pueblo. He is still guiding all over. Joel Evans and Bob Burk's Into the Black and Back slide show program has over a hundred photos of their trek from the East Portal down to the Chukar trail. There is an awesone small streams loop. Over 100 pictures of our beloved Gunnison around the Forks area, with some great bugs of the river.

Dave Torkelson (Sunshine Springs) has been a generous contributor to GGA. Here Dave Pipkin shows what Dave's springs have to offer.

Cynthia Hansen and Marilyn Pipkin are shown here on their trip down the Currecanti trail to fish the lake.

Dave took the photo he says, so I guess he made the hour long trip down also.  See entire trip on the web.

You got to be kidding, Lucky John Welfelt won the raffle last year for a trip thru the Gunnison Gorge with Black Canyon Anglers. Tom Jones used to win every raffle. I'll bet John is glad Tom moved to Carolina.

RIVER BOTTOM PARK

This year saw the first phase of River Bottom Park restoration completed.  This project was made possible to do because GGA paid Jim Walsh $5000 to do a study for the project.  The City of Montrose was given this study. With this study in hand,funds of $100,000 from GOCO and $140,000 from Fishing is Fun were obtained. Phase 1 is now complete.  Take a walk along the river, take your rod.  It makes you feel good when you know something like this can be instigated by a small group like us. You can see before and after photos on the website.

WE NEED PHOTOS OR VIDEO CLIPS THAT GGA MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN FOR THE WEBSITE.  PLEASE CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING.

CONTACT GALE DOUDY 970-835-3993 OR ED KEHOE 970-835-3679, edkehoesr@yahoo.com