Off The Grid Video Premiere
This year’s Christmas Party Video Premier will Feature Off The Grid. Joey Macomber and other’s who helped make this unreal video will be in the house to discuss the video, filming and what it took to make this epic film.

Off the Grid from RA Beattie on Vimeo.

Where did 2011 Go?
After an extremely fun evening at our first Annual Fly Fishing Film Tour, we are already getting revved up for our end of the year Christmas Party!  I thought it would be hard for us to plan something that could rival last’s year’s Christmas premier of Eastern Rises, but  I think we’ve found a way to out do ourselves once again (thanks in large part to a 6,000 square ft. bar beneath the shop!)

Location, Date and Time
The date for the Colorado Skies Christmas Party has been set for Friday, December 16th at 5pm.  As of now we are planning on having the party in the shop.  However, if it starts to feel like there simply isn’t going to be room, we may find a way to incorporate the Underground into the mix.

Highlights of this Year’s Upcoming Christmas Party!

• Customer end of the year contest for photo of the year, fly of the year, and fish of the year.  Top three prizes in all categories.  More details on these below.
• Frank Smethurst will be back again for round two this year, to twist up some flies, show the new Scott Rods for 2012 and talk fishing!
• A Minturn Anglers video production that we have been working on, highlighting the best fishing clips we’ve caught on camera to date.
• Main Event Premier of the New Released Film “Off the Grid.”  The film makers of this epic fly fishing compilation will be on hand to discuss the movie and answer questions after.
• Fly tying demos, prizes, give-a-ways, free food, drinks and an abundance of Holiday Cheer!

Best of 2011 Overview
You have from now until the party to get us your photos. Only one photo may be submitted per category so choose carefully! Below is a description of what each submission should include.  Once received, we will add your photo to the contest album below, for all to ponder on until the big night.  Before the videos Begin, all submissions will be put on the big screen and introduced for all to see before final votes are casted!

Customer Photo of the Year
Unless you are holding a world record, this is NOT a grip and grin category.  The photo of the year is for the picture that best tells a story, captures a moment, and/or depicts what fly fishing is all about. Please  tell us where the photo was taken, and why you like the picture.
1st Place: $100 Farbank Shopping Spree (Sage, Rio, Redington, C&F)
2nd Place:$50 Farbank Shopping Spree
3rd Place: A Case of Pap’s Blue Ribbon (PBR)!!!!

Customer Fly of the Year
Have you tied a fly this year, that absolutely hammered fish, or looks like it certainly could?  Take a photo of the fly write a description, and make sure to bring one or two the night of.  Voting will be done by all in attendance at the party.  Flies should be judged on creativity, fishiness, appearance, and above all else…a good name for it!
1st Place: $100 Fly Tying Credit
2nd Place: $50 Fly Tying Credit
3rd Place: A Case of PBR!!!!

Customer Fish of the Year
This is going to be fun to see.  We first and foremost must applaud you our customers, for being the real deal. We’ve been around a lot of fly shops over the years, and never have we seen a customer base produce fish the way you all do. This contest should not necessarily go to the biggest fish.  When voting on the winner, consider the following.  A 14″ Greenback from a small creek in the Park rivals a 25″ mutant rainbow caught in the Toilet Bowl. Also consider, the species of fish, how difficult they are to catch, where the fish was caught, and how the fish was caught.   When submitting, give us some details on all the above.
1st Place: Scott L2H ($475 Value New for 2012)
2nd Place: $50 Comb Enterprise Credit (Scott, Airflow, Buff, Regal, Brodin)
3rd Place: Yup…you guessed it, PBR!!!!

There will also be a shop staff competition in these categories, with first place prizes of….yup, you guessed it!