Hello families,
We have officially made it out of the incredible Bob Marshall Wilderness after an unforgettable three-day backpacking adventure on the South Fork of the Sun River. Over the course of the trip, we hiked more than 20 miles through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country and caught dozens upon dozens of eager native cutthroat trout. Between the incredible fishing, breathtaking wilderness, and outstanding group of young men, this is a trip that I know I'll remember for the rest of my life—and I think many of the boys will too.
The higher water levels made for some challenging fishing on our first day, but the boys never got discouraged. They adapted to the conditions, searching out slower pocket water where fish were holding, and were rewarded with cutthroat willing to rise to dry flies or take nymphs fished underneath. It was a great lesson in perseverance and problem-solving on the water.
The next morning we woke up a little sore from our first day of backpacking and began the hike to our second campsite. For many of the boys, this was their very first backpacking trip, but they absolutely crushed it—including a long, steep climb that tested everyone. Reaching the top was well worth the effort, as we were rewarded with incredible views overlooking the valley we had spent the previous day exploring. From there we descended and continued following the South Fork of the Sun River toward its confluence with the North Fork.
Our second campsite was tucked downstream of a beautiful waterfall, and while we ate lunch along the river, a couple of the boys couldn't resist making a few casts. Within minutes they were into eager cutthroat, and we knew we were in for some amazing fishing. The rest of the afternoon was spent slowly working upstream toward the falls, catching fish nearly every step of the way.
That evening we were treated to an incredible PMD spinner fall, and the fishing became about as good as it gets. Fish were rising everywhere, and it seemed like nearly every well-placed dry fly was met with an eager cutthroat. We landed dozens of fish and celebrated one of the highlights of the trip as a few campers caught their very first fish on a fly rod. Watching those moments never gets old, and I hope those first fish spark the same lifelong passion for fly fishing that my first one did.
On our final morning in the backcountry, we enjoyed a big breakfast before heading back to the river. The boys experimented with a variety of techniques, including dry-dropper rigs, deep nymph setups, and streamers. We found some larger fish tucked beneath an undercut cliff, and with well-presented deep nymph rigs and heavily weighted streamers, several of the boys were able to fool some larger trout. After a great morning of fishing, some of us cooled off with a quick swim in the frigid river and even put on goggles to get a closer look at the fish catching.
Following a hearty lunch, we packed up and began our final hike out of the wilderness. Along the way we were once again treated to incredible rock formations, sweeping mountain views, and plenty of wildlife, including deer, bald eagles, ospreys, and even a bighorn sheep. After reaching the trailhead, everyone was more than ready for a big pasta dinner before settling into camp along the lower Sun River for a well-earned night's sleep.
This backcountry trip has been so much more than just great fishing and beautiful scenery. I've watched this group grow in confidence every single day. They challenged themselves on difficult hikes, learned new skills, worked together, and experienced one of the most remote and beautiful wilderness areas in America. They have grown not only as anglers and outdoorsmen, but also as young men, and I couldn't be more proud of the effort, resilience, and positive attitudes they've shown throughout the trip.
Today we'll head into town for much-needed showers, laundry, and some time to clean and reorganize after our days in the backcountry. Tomorrow we'll spend another day fishing in the area before returning to our base camp on the edge of the Bob Marshall.
Then we'll kick off the next major adventure of the trip: our two-night overnight float on the Blackfoot River. This is always one of my favorite parts of camp, combining incredible scenery, camping on the river, and the chance to fish miles of beautiful water that are only accessible by boat. I can't wait to see what the boys experience over the next few days. If the first half of camp is any indication, we're in for an amazing finish filled with more great fishing, new memories, and plenty more adventures. I'm incredibly excited for what's still to come!
Until next time,
Evan, Adrian, Gavin, and The Guys
