It's that time again - Morel Season!

It's morel time again here in Wisconsin! The Hutchinson's, (Fontana Sports owners) had great success yesterday hunting the countryside of Sauk County. Look at all those morels! We hope you get out and have some good luck hunting as well. We suggest dead Elm Tree stumps on hillsides as a good starting point! :)

Black Earth Creek Trout Shocking

 

















Tuesday, April 2, 2013 the Wisconsin DNR conducted shocking on Black Earth Creek.  These pictures were taken near South Valley Road between Cross Plains and Black Earth by Fontana Sports President and Fly Fishing Addict, John Hutchinson.  The shocking is done to get a size count and density count of fish.  The results look like a medium density of rainbow and brown trout for 2013!  Hopefully the water levels will hold after a long runoff!

Fontana Sports April 2013 Clinics

Hey there Fontana Friends,

I hope you are ready to join me as we meet and greet the Spring time with our Nordic poles and determination to get out there and hike! Please read and let Elizabeth know if you can join me. This is also a great time to sign up for an  introduction class again, if you feel rusty, and/or invite family, friends and interested parties to join me for a free class to introduce them to Nordic Walking, on April 9^th at our Westside location.

There are also some other great clinics being offered this April at both locations that may peak your interest and help you make the most of another great Wisconsin spring and summer.

See you soon!

Judith Hutchinson

V.P. Fontana Sports Specialties

FONTANA SPORTS APRIL 2013 CLINICS

Nordic Walking Intro Course
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013 at 9:30am
Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison WI
Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, as she shows you how to turn your walk into a total-body workout. Depending on the weather, we’ll walk inside or outside while learning about the physical and mental benefits of Nordic walking. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

Nordic Walkabout
Tuesday, April 16^th at 9 am

Pheasant Branch Conservancy – Meet at County Lot (3^rd parking lot on right coming from Century Ave.) on Pheasant Branch Rd., Middleton
Now that you’ve taken the Nordic Walking Intro Course, let’s meet for a real Nordic walk! Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, for a total-body workout and enjoy a nice Nordic walk outside. Get any questions you may still have about Nordic Walking answered. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking on gravel. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided if needed. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

The Coolest Backcountry Campsites on the North Country Trail in Minnesota
Thursday, April 18^th at 6:30 pm

Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison WIJoin us as we welcome Eagle Scout Todd McMahon to share his experiences hiking over 550 miles on the North Country Trail in Minnesota. He’ll be sharing the best campsites he’s found along the way as well as tips and gear advice. We hope to see you!

Packing for your next Boundary Water Trek
Monday, April 22^nd at 6:30 pm
Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison WI In this instructional clinic, we will discuss the gear and supplies necessary to make your next Boundary Water trip more fun and less work, without compromising your safety or comfort in camp.

Nordic Walking Intro Course
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013 at 9:30am
Downtown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI
Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, as she shows you how to turn your walk into a total-body workout. Depending on the weather, we’ll walk inside or outside while learning about the physical and mental benefits of Nordic walking. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

Boot Fitting 101
Wednesday, April 24^th at 6 pmDowntown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI Join us as we teach you how to properly choose and fit your hiking boots. Finding the right pair of hiking boots can make all the difference in enjoying your next adventure. We’ll also give tips on accessories that make your feet more comfortable. Your feet will thank you for attending!

Fly Casting Class
Saturday, April 27th, 2013 at 9:00am- 11:30am
Lakeview Park in Middleton WI
Teaching basic fly casting fundamentals to beginners and and advanced techniques to experienced anglers. Our classroom at Lakeview Park in Middleton WI provides a unique setting for both dry land and on water casting instruction. Classes are taught by a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor, and both beginning and distance casting classes are offered. Equipment provided. $55/1 Person. Contact Craig Amacker at 608.662.9710 for more information and to reserve your space.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Fontana Sports!

John and Judith Hutchinson, Owners of Fontana Sports, are feeling the St. Patrick's Day spirit! They want to wish everyone a safe and fun St. Patrick's day weekend. They're all for wearing green this weekend and getting some good Irish food and drink from somewhere local, we hope you are too!

Launch Party at Fontana Sports!

Join Kevin Searock for the launch of his new book, Troutsmith! WHEN: Thursday, March 28 at 4:00PM WHERE: Fontana Sports Specialties 231 Junction Road, Madison, WI Kevin Searock transports readers to the waterside as he explores the timeless relationship between the outdoors and the sport of fishing. Whether standing in a quiet Wisconsin creek, by a high-country lake in Wyoming, or on the grassy margins of England’s hallowed chalkstreams, Kevin Searock believes anglers are driven by a vision: “There are things on this good Earth that only the angler sees, and one of them is the breathless beauty of a trout emerging from a river.” Here, in this evocative collection of fishing essays, he takes readers under the surface of this ancient sport, casting a spell of water-magic. Although trout are central to many of the stories, bluegills, bass, and other warm-water fish also grace these pages. “We all, if we are lucky, find ways of loving the world. Fishing is how Kevin Searock loves the world. These essays, like all good love stories, are windows into a strange and obsessive heart. Searock’s fishing illuminates our land and waters and the nature and mystery of how we love. " ~David Allan Cates, author of Freeman Walker Kevin Searock is an avid fisherman, photographer, and outdoors writer whose articles have appeared in Gray’s Sporting Journal, Midwest Fly Fishing, Wisconsin Outdoor Journal, and Wisconsin Trails. He lives in Baraboo, Wisconsin,and teaches advanced placement biology and chemistry at Portage High School. For review copies of this book, photos, or more information: Elena Spagnolie, Publicity Manager publicity@uwpress.wisc.edu Phone: 608-263-0734, Fax: 608-263-1132 For individual orders: Purchase from your favorite bookseller or directly from the University of Wisconsin Press using the links above The University of Wisconsin Press 1930 Monroe St. 3rd Floor Madison Wisconsin 53711-2059 U.S.A. Contact Us

Paddle Fest, March 8 - 10, 2013

I wanted to make sure to everyone knows about Paddle Fest this weekend! Great deals and tons of new spring/summer products in! I can almost feel the warmth of the sun while kayaking in Wisconsin in late July... even though that seems a ways off, it will be here before we know it! So be sure to take advantage of the great deals this weekend. Deals are offered at both locations, but our wonderful Manufacturer Reps will only be at our Westside location. We hope to see you!

6th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Hi Friends,

I'm taking a quick minute to invite you to join us, John, Elizabeth and I, with Fontana Sports Specialties, for a special night. We, Fontana Sports, have sponsored this annual  film fest for years because we feel it's important to bring this event to Madison. Each year the attendance is good and the event receives lots of positive spin off conversations and actions as a result of the program.

There are 14  short films, the winners of international film contests. Some will be animations, others will take you all over the world. It's informative, exciting, beautiful photography, and thought provoking! Much will be informative of ways we can make a difference just by being aware when the subjects of climate, locations, and scientific topics arise. Please join us.

At a time when money is short, sales soft, and seasons unpredictable, John and I still choose to spend $1,000.00 to bring this to our community. Together, we must be aware, active, and this is our way to help inform and support these efforts. ALL Proceeds go to River Alliance of Wisconsin. A ticket can be purchased at either Fontana Sports, the Barrymore Theatre, or Frugal Muse Bookstore.

Thank you, and I hope you can join us. It’s a special night; during the intermission there is beer, wine or soda available, as well as popcorn, while we meet and catch up, as well as discuss the films.

Judith Hutchinson

Fontana Sports Specialties V.P.

P.S. There will be a drawing for a $50.00 Fontana Sports Specialties Gift Card during intermission. Good luck to all who attend!

For more information about this event, please visit: http://www.wisconsinrivers.org/events/wild-and-scenic