The Gunnison Gorge Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited is an all-volunteer conservation nonprofit working to care for and recover rivers and streams and the trout that call them home. Working with TU staff and community partners, we bring people together to make our trout and salmon fisheries stronger, our water cleaner and our communities healthier. Join us and be a champion for your rivers and streams.
If you have the interest and time to make a deeper commitment to our local conservation and education work, we’d welcome you on the board or one of our many committees. To get started, connect with a Gunnison Gorge Anglers board member at one of our monthly gatherings or coming events, or contact us to learn more.
PRESIDENT
John Hamill
Montrose, CO
As an avid outdoorsmen, hunter and fly fisherman, John has over 30 years of experience working collaboratively with state and federal agencies and stakeholder groups to help promote fish and wildlife conservation in the Southwest. This includes 20 years with the USFS working on fisheries and water management issues in the Colorado River Basin. John has volunteered with TU since 2011 and continues to protect and advocate for our watersheds.
VICE PRESIDENT
Position Open
If you are interested in getting more involved with Gunnison Gorge Anglers, reach out to us today! We always welcome volunteers in any capacity and have a need for conservation minded individuals in chapter leadership roles.
SECRETARY
Connor Visser
Montrose, CO
Bio pending.
TREASURER
Stan Hayes
Montrose, CO
Bio pending.
GAMES MANAGER
Joel Evans
Montrose, CO
Bio pending.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Brent Curtice
Delta, CO
Brent is a lifelong outdoors enthusiast, retired educator, and published fly fishing writer. He has hosted outdoor TV shows and been an integral member of GGA for over 30 years. Brent spent several years guiding in Western states, and received two awards as a fly fishing host. He has a passion for people and relationships and continues to teach fly tying and host clinics.
BOARD MEMBER
Marshall Pendergrass
Montrose, CO
Marshall has been involved with local, state and national TU for two decades. He has lived in Montrose over 30 years, with an 8 year stent working overseas in Thailand and Africa. His major contributions to GGA include: Relief Ditch Dam on the Gunnison River; San Miguel River Restoration Valley Floor Project; Troutapalooza; Electronic Fish Barrier on the Gunnison tunnel; Restoration of Rainbow fishery in the Gunnison River post whirling disease.
BOARD MEMBER
Chuck Shaver
Montrose, CO
Chuck is a lifetime angler who picked up a fly rod in junior high. Although trout were not a common thing in Iowa, he made many trips to NE Iowa to trout fish. This introduction to trout fishing has led to a lifetime of pursuing his favorite fish. He and his wife live in Western Colorado, and love the mountains and world travel.
BOARD MEMBER
Ed LeViness
Montrose, CO
Ed has been fishing since the age of 8, starting in Florida and working his way to the West Slope. His interest in fly fishing led to fly tying, which became an obsession. He joined the fly fishing industry as a vise sales rep, and now owns and operates Ed’s Fly Shop in Montrose, CO. Ed is also on the board of Friends of the Black Canyon, an important advocacy group for our local National Park.
BOARD MEMBER
Kim Childs
Delta, CO
Kim loves fly fishing in all settings and spends as much time as he can on his home waters on the Gunnison River. His long association with TU and participation in GGA flow from his strong interests in conservation and water quality issues. Kim and his wife Eileen have 3 kids and a dog Leo, and live south of Delta on the Uncompaghre River.
BOARD MEMBER
Bill Frangos
Montrose, CO
Bill is a charter member of GGA and has been with us since 1983. He has supported the chapter as the Vice President, Treasurer, and a Board Member. Bill supports the fly fishing community by teaching fly tying and as a casting instructor. Before retiring to Montrose, Bill worked with Project Healing Waters in New Mexico and co-authored “49 Trout Streams of New Mexico” (Univ. of NM Press 2006).
BOARD MEMBER
Claire Barker
Ridgway, CO
Fly fishing in the San Juan mountains with her dog is usually where you will find Claire. But sometimes you can find her on a desert backpacking trip or rowing on the lower Gunnison. She has a passion for conservation and public lands. Claire also volunteers with the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership and collects monthly river samples for water quality monitoring.
BOARD MEMBER
John Fischer
Montrose, CO
John has been fly fishing for about 45 years, most of that time spent in California where he grew up. His first love was saltwater angling but after moving to Montrose 3 years ago he does a lot more trout fishing. John enjoys sharing his experiences with new anglers so being part of Gunnison Gorge Anglers seemed like a good way to share.
BOARD MEMBER
Robert Kato
Montrose, CO
Robert, aka Kato, started fishing for carp and catfish in Japan where he grew up. He became passionate about trout fishing after moving to Colorado. Kato loves sharing and teaching fly fishing and all that the rivers have to offer. He prioritizes having fun on the river and spends every summer guiding in the Gunnison Gorge.