Greetings from the beautiful Housatonic Meadows Campground! It’s been a long day of travel for our campers, but we’ve successfully completed our first airport day. Everyone arrived safe and ready to fish some of the Northeast’s most incredible waterways.
Our day started with the first group of campers arriving and a small round of group icebreakers. This was a great way for everyone to break out of their shells and get to know one another. Nerves can be high for many campers in the first few days, but we're working hard to create a safe and open environment to maximize fun! After a few more participants landed, we ate a much-needed lunch in the parking lot. We had sandwiches with a plethora of cold cuts and condiments (and of course, chips).
After lunch, we packed up the van and made our trek to the incredible rolling hills of the Berkshires. Our campsite is situated directly on the edge of the riverbank, offering pristine views and the calming sounds of rushing water.
A few participants were dropped off at our campsite, completing the group! Everyone played more icebreaker games, and our guides led a demonstration on how to properly set up a tent, where gear goes, and how to keep our trip running smoothly. We finished the evening with amazing burgers and baked beans. Cooking is a great way for your kids to learn essential cooking and leadership skills. We’ve created a system of rotating cooking crews that prepare meals with the assistance of a guide.
We then gathered around the fire for an in-depth meeting about trip expectations and worked together to create a foundation of respect within our group. This Mass Expedition is shaping up to be a once-in-a-lifetime journey.
A quick intro of the guide crew:
Hi all! I'm Sean Swenson, I grew up in upstate New York in the small town of Saratoga Springs. Since I was young, I’ve spent my summers in the Adirondacks chasing brook trout on the fly and on the coast catching stripers with my dad—that’s where I fell in love with fly fishing and knew it would always be my passion. Since then, I’ve traveled all over the world chasing fish with a fly rod and experiencing everything the sport has to offer. I first heard about LFFE through my friend and fellow Lillard guide Hunt McClary while we were both attending Roanoke College, where I graduated in 2024. I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to guide such amazing experiences in such beautiful places. I love catching big fish on big dries and will never pass up an opportunity to get an eat on top. I’m a licensed guide in both New York and Pennsylvania and guide the Delaware River at the Delaware River Club when I’m not with LFFE. I’m also a registered Wilderness EMT and Search and Rescue Tech.
Hey there -- I'm Gavin McMeekan! I grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where I developed a deep love for the outdoors at an early age. Whether it was fly fishing, hunting, or exploring the backcountry, I was always outside chasing adventure. My passion for fly fishing began by exploring the many lakes and rivers around my hometown. After moving to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, I dove even deeper into the sport, spending most of my spare time on the water chasing Montana giants. These days, you’ll find me either tracking game through the woods or on the river fishing with friends.
Hello everyone! My name is Leo Sperry. I’m from Connecticut and learned to fish on CT's many small streams since I was 10 years old. I started as a spin/conventional fisherman when I was about 5, but moved on to fly fishing after a visit to the Orvis store in Manchester, Vermont. I guided on the famous Farmington River in Connecticut, where I learned the nuances of being a fly fishing guide. I attend the University of Montana in Missoula as a journalism major with a focus on photojournalism. I hope to work with conservation organizations and magazines as a photographer someday. I’ve been a camper with Lillard since 2018 and made the switch to guiding in 2023. I have been a part of the Yellowstone Adventure and Expedition as a guide/Leader in Training, the Colorado expedition as a camper, the Bob Marshall expedition as a guide, and the Mass Bass Expeditions/Adventures as a guide. I have a passion for photography and capturing our amazing adventures. I wish I could include other hobbies and passions of mine, but fly fishing has become a livelihood for me; I live and breathe it. I can’t wait to get some fantastic (big) fish photos this summer and to teach your kids about the incredible lessons fly fishing has to offer!
Over the next few days, we’ll be fishing the Housatonic River right by our campsite, targeting eager, hard-fighting smallmouth bass and finicky rainbow and brown trout. We also have a canoe float trip planned on a slower stretch of the Housatonic, where we’ll be fishing for pike—some of which grow to enormous sizes.
We’ll keep everyone posted, and our guide crew can’t wait to kick off this amazing adventure. Stay tuned!
Best,
The Dream Team: Sean, Gavin, and Leo
