A Benefit for the Uncompahgre River

2026 Fly Fishing Film Tour hosted by RIGS Fly Shop and Telluride Angler

insert_invitation Fri, Apr 24 at 5:00 PM (MDT)

location_on The Wright Opera House, Ouray, Colorado

Details

Join us at the 10th Fly Fishing Film Tour Benefit for the Uncompahgre River hosted by RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service and Telluride Angler at the Wright Opera House in Ouray, April 24th. The doors will open at 5 p.m. Plan to come early because there will be door prizes, drawings, a silent auction, food and cash bar available, and fly tying competitions! The films will start at 6 p.m.

The Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) is proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026, marking two decades of unforgettable stories, breathtaking landscapes, and a community bound by a passion for fly fishing. This milestone year promises to be a landmark event, as the tour kicks off with a fresh collection of the finest fly fishing films from across the globe. Presented by Skwala, Yeti, and Costa.

100% of the proceeds raised from this event will be donated to the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership for projects slated to improve river health and habitat within the Uncompahgre River Valley.

Click here to lean more about UWP and this event.

Fly Tying Competition Details:

Begins at 5:30 p.m. in mezzanine, upstairs at Wright Opera House. $10 entry per competitor.

There will be 3 rounds in the fly tying competition, and prizes for the winner of each round. Vices, tools, and materials will be provided for 12 tyers. Participants may bring their own vices and tools, the total number of entries will be capped by available tying materials.

1st Round - Most worms in 1 minute: Competitors will tie as many Squirmy Worms as they can in 60 seconds on size 14 hooks. A tie-breaker will be determined by the quality of the flies, and an additional 30 second round if needed.

2nd Round - Foamiest chubby: Competitors will have 5 minutes to tie the foamiest Chubby Chernobyl, including buggy legs and poly wings on a size 6 hook. The fly with the most pieces of foam will win. Foam is provided in sheets, not pre-stamped. The most creative fly will win in the event of a tie.

3rd Round - Iron Fly, Pink Cahill sponsored by Josh with Nice Flies Finish Last https://www.nfflshop.com/:

The Pink Cahill is an iconic PaCo fly because of the August Pale Morning Dun hatch. These mayflies are pink, instead of the usual tan or yellow, because of the high iron content in the Uncompahgre River. Competitors will have 5 minutes in an iron fly competition to create the perfect Pink Cahill dry fly. Recipe here.