Friday, February 28, 2014

Win a KAYAK in the 2014 Beer Bracket!


Which WI beer will prevail? Separate the contenders from the pretenders. Be true to your brew!

Fontana Sports is sponsoring Madison.com’s 2014 Beer Bracket. Play for a chance to win the fabulous GRAND PRIZE from yours truly – a Pelican Pulse 100 X Kayak! Plus, a bunch of other sweet prizes! It's a pretty sweet bracket, so you definitely check it out. Good luck!

Click here to play in Madison.com's Beer Bracket!


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Get ready for Early Trout Season!



To all Trout Anglers: Early Trout Season Opens Saturday March 1, 2014. Make sure you have your merino and fleece insulating layers, hats, gloves, and Primaloft or down jackets. If you choose not to brave the Polar Voretex, use the time to sort through your Fly Fishing Gear, see what you are missing/need, and come see us at Fontana Sports. An Organized and Prepared Angler is a Successful Angler. Plus you'll have some cool pics to post.

Tight Lines,
Craig the Fly Guy

Craig also offers Fly Fishing Classes, view the details here.


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Fontana Sports hosts Climate Change Press Conference


Last week we hosted a press conference in front of our downtown location about the effects of climate change. You can see our downtown Store Manager, Adam, in the right back of the photo above. There was a good turnout for the event and many valid points were discussed about what we can do to help against climate change. We love that the Madison community works so hard to protect our winters and all the wild places we love in Wisconsin. Keep up the good work!


Check out the news article on this event here!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Fontana Sports sponsors the Wild & Scenic Festival!

The 2014 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Line Up has just been announced! We can't wait to be inspired by the wide range of films that will be shown that evening. We are happy to once again sponsor the Film Festival which is put on by the

River Alliance of Wisconsin with a $1,000 grant we apply for from Patagonia. Join us!

Details
March 12th, 2014
Doors open at 6:00 pm; Films start at 7:00 pm
Barrymore Theatre

Tickets are $10 or $13 the day of the show
$30 VIP Tickets - includes films, after party, and 1 year membership to the River Alliance. 

VIP Ticket Special Offer: Buy Three Get the Fourth VIP Ticket Free*



◄ 2014 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Line Up


I Am Red
Pete McBride
The Colorado River runs 1,450 miles across seven states and two countries supplying water for 36 million people. It flowed to the sea for six million years but has not kissed the ocean since the late 1990s. (USA, 2013, 4 min)


Dying Green
Ellen Tripler
Set in the foothills of the Appalachians, this film explores one man's vision of using green burials to conserve land. The efforts of one small town doctor have radically changed our understanding of burials in the US. (USA 2013, 23 min)


Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia
Jeremy Monroe, David Herasimtschuk
Hidden Rivers takes an immersive look at the little-known creatures of these waters, their striking beauty and extreme vulnerability. The films also reveal how some Southerners are finding new ways to explore and celebrate this precious life, and reminding us all that biodiversity is everywhere and rivers are always deeper than you think! (USA, 2013, 4 min)


A Brief History of the 5cent Bag Tax
Craig Schattner, Adam Walker, Emil Superfin
When your city is overflowing with plastic bags, how will you react? Jack Green, head of the Department of the Environment, is on a mission to rid the city of its plastic bag scourge. (USA, 2013, 2 min)


Water & Wood
Jeremy Monroe, David Herasimtschuk
After more than a century of 'cleaning' dead wood out of our rivers, we have accidentally removed critical life support systems needed for salmon and many other river creatures... and it's now time for some heavy lifting. Water & Wood shows how far some restoration groups are going to get this important habitat element back into rivers. Captured as part of the forthcoming film Willamette Futures. No Award (USA, 2013, 4 min)


We Are Rhino
Spencer Austin
The eccentric millionaire farmer who wants to legalize trade so he sell the horns of his 800 rhinos. The angry American anti-poaching soldier who wants to wipe poachers off the face of the planet. The emotional rhino sanctuary owner who wants to personally protect every living rhino. 3 VERY different people. 3 VERY different ideas. 1 BIG question... ...HOW CAN WE SAVE THE RHINO? (UK, 2013, 21 min)


Cascada
Anson Fogel, Shannon Ethridge
Tangled vines. Endless rain. Dodgy hotel rooms. Mud. Biting flies. Aggressive viruses...Is this a vacation? It is a hunt for the perfect waterfall. (USA, 2013, 8 min)


SLOMO
Josh Izenberg, Amanda Micheli
Depressed and frustrated with his life, Dr. Kitchin abandons his career as a neurologist and moves to Pacific Beach. There, he undergoes a radical transformation into SLOMO, trading his lab coat for a pair of rollerblades and his IRA for a taste of divinity. (USA, 2013, 16 min)


Sacred Headwaters
Paul Colangelo
The shared birthplace of three salmon rivers in Northern Canada, the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation, and home to an incredible ecosystem of large mammals, the Sacred Headwaters is at risk of losing all that makes it sacred to resource extraction. (Canada, 2012, 4 min)


Field Spotlight: Nan Hauser
Peter Stonier, John Martin, Becca Field, Sebastian Perry
Nan Hauser is a marine biologist and Conservation International Marine Fellow who studies whales and dolphins. Discover how through love, devotion, and sheer force of personality Nan has been making a massive difference, using her research to keep the oceans blue. (Cook Islands/USA, 2013, 6 min)


Snows of the Nile
Nathan Dappen, Neil Losin
Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains rise 5000m from the heart of Africa. At their summits are some of Earth's only equatorial glaciers ... but they are changing fast. Follow two scientist/photographers in their goal to retrace the steps of the legendary 1906 expedition and re-capture historical glacier imagery in order to visualize the impacts of a century of climate change. (USA 2013, 20 min)

*VIP ticket deal available only when purchasing tickets at the Barrymore (box office, charge by phone or online) or in person at the River Alliance office. Purchase 3 tickets and your name will be put on a list for the free fourth ticket, which can be picked up at the Barrymore box office the night of the show. Deal not valid day of show.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Your chance to WIN!


Share your Fontana Moment for a chance to win a $50 Fontana Sports Gift Card valid for use online and in-stores! The Moment can be any picture of you in Fontana gear or using Fontana gear. It's up to you what you'd like to share. We can't wait to see it! Be sure to use #MyFontanaMoment and @FontanaSports so we can see the image. Good luck!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Olympic Spirit!


Our Hardgoods Buyer, Crystal, met up with the NBC15 News Team at Elver Park on the westside of Madison and taught the morning and evening anchors how to cross country ski. The anchors then had a showdown to see who the best race team was. They said they were inspired by the Olympic games and wanted some competition.


Saturday, February 08, 2014

Saturday Visitors!


Most Saturdays at our downtown location we are lucky enough to get a visit from some of our favorite customers, Lefty and Lucy (and of course, their owner, Steve). They can be seen in this picture getting treats at the front counter like all great customers should! We love having you and your furry friends visit both of our locations and we always have treats behind our counters for them. Hope everyone is having a great Saturday and enjoying that new inch of powder!


Thursday, February 06, 2014

Oh Phil!

Fontana Sports - 6 More Weeks Of Winter Sale

We thought it would be fun to come up with an advertisement regarding Puxsutawney Phil's forecast from a few days ago. We know a lot of people aren't thrilled at the prospect of 6 more weeks of winter, but we, as outdoor folks, say "Let's make the best of it!". We've got the gear at great prices right now to make these next 6 weeks livable, even great! Stop in and see us (or visit us at www.FontanaSports.com) and enjoy the rest of winter!

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Snowshoe Saturday


Last Saturday we joined the Natural Heritage Land Trust for their Cherokee Marsh Winter Snowshoe event. What a perfect day we had! Overnight we received a few inches of fresh snow, which made the walk all the more fun. A Naturalist joined us and taught us all about the Cherokee Marsh on our walk. We had a group of 20+ adults and 5 kids. It was many people's first time snowshoeing.

Fontana Sports supported the event by donating $15 of any snowshoe rental that was rented for the event and we raised $60 for the NHLT. John Hutchinson, Fontana Sports' President (pictured above with his wife and Fontana V.P., Judith Hutchinson), was the NHLT President for many years and so the organization is close to our hearts.

We hope you got out and enjoyed the day too! The day was perfect for skiing, snowboarding, sledding or snowball fights. We love a good Wisconsin winter!

Check out some more pics from our snowshoe adventure, click here!

Click here to learn more about the Natural Heritage Land Trust & the important work they do.


Monday, February 03, 2014

DO NOT BLOW THIS!



BE A PART OF MADISON FLY FISHING HISTORY!

You putting off getting tickets now - assuming they'll be available later - would constitute blowing it. Let's not let that happen. We're closing in on the biggest fly fishing event of the year and tickets are going fast - don't say we didn't warn you.

It's our inaugural show in Madtown and we can't wait for you to join us for fly fishing's largest, and most anticipated annual event. The F3T features incredible never-seen adventure footage from global destinations and backyard hotspots alike.

With a live emcee, party atmosphere, and tons of prize giveaways each screening is a celebration of the sport – it’s become an annual tradition, uniting friends, families and fellow fish freaks for one memorable night. Come join us Thursday night!



Thursday, February 6th at 7:00 PM
Barrymore Theatre
2090 Atwood Ave.


Discount tix available @ Fontana Sports. Cash only please.

Just a sample of the goods >>
LOCATIONS: AK, FL, MT, VA, BAH, NOR, CAN, MON
FISH: Rainbows, Permit, Sockeye, Musky, Triggerfish, Brook Trout, Kings, Taimen, Tarpon, Atlantic Salmon, Cutties, Bonefish, Sharks, Landlocked Salmon...


Click here to watch a bunch of sweet trailers!

Click here for more film & ticket info, plus other sweet Fontana Sports events we've got going on.