The Bob Marshall Expedition is officially underway, and we are fired up to get started! Jackson, Adrian, and I have been looking forward to this trip for months, and we could not have asked for a better group of guys to share it with. Before we tell you any more, let us quickly introduce ourselves.
Hello! My name is Drew Crain. Growing up on the banks of the Little Red River in Arkansas, I found most of my education outside at an early age — on horseback, floating the rivers, and deep in the mountains. My journey with LFFE started in 2015 on a Rocky Mountain Expedition, and I've since led trips in Yellowstone, Montana, Minnesota, and the Bob Marshall. I attended both Sewanee and Montana State University, where I balanced school with seasons spent working as a wrangler, ski instructor, and fishing guide. Over time, my love for wild places turned into a career guiding hunting, fishing, and backcountry adventures across Montana. At LFFE, I serve as the director of the Bob Marshall and head wrangler — I bring a passion for mentorship, conservation, and helping people build confidence in the outdoors. Whether I'm teaching casting on a trout stream, packing horses into the wilderness, or helping students navigate life in the backcountry, I'm most at home sharing experiences that connect people to wild places. When I'm not guiding, you'll find me chasing elk and mule deer, skiing at Big Sky, floating rivers with friends and family, or bird hunting with my wife and two dogs.
Hi all, I'm Jackson Wirth! I grew up fishing throughout the Southwest. Born in New Mexico, I'm lucky enough to call the waters of the San Luis Valley home and have spent years exploring the region. I find a deep passion in the great chase of trout fishing — I've spent countless hours on the water searching for extraordinary experiences and big fish, both on my own and with close buddies. That said, an equal amount of my time on the water has been spent professionally, sharing my knowledge of fly fishing and putting big fish smiles on good people's faces. Recently, I spent three months backpacking through remote regions of Tanzania, exploring culture, summiting Kilimanjaro, and getting chased through the jungle by elephants. My backcountry experience began at a young age but flourished with the start of my Lillard career — my first LFFE trip was spent catching all types of bass in Massachusetts. Other than fishing, I love old Toyotas, my people, and — most importantly — exploring the world.
Hi there — my name is Adrian Soberanis. I grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, where I developed a deep passion for the outdoors from a young age. When I was 10, my grandfather taught me how to fly fish on Little Pine Creek in Pennsylvania — an experience that sparked my lasting interest in the sport. I've participated in multiple LFFE trips over the past five years, beginning with the Blue Ridge Adventure in 2020. It was during that first trip with LFFE that I truly fell in love with fly fishing. I was a participant in the inaugural Bob Marshall Expedition with Will Lillard in 2023 and am excited to return this summer to help campers in their pursuit of the elusive bull trout. My favorite fishing memory comes from that 2023 Bob Marshall Expedition, when I caught my first ever bull trout — 28 inches — on one of the last days in the backcountry on a jigged Zonker, which remains my favorite fly to this day. One of my more unique skills is that I'm an avid fly tier and tie all of my own flies. I'm also a certified Wilderness First Responder. I'm a rising third-year student at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, studying Environmental Studies and Entrepreneurship. In my free time, I primarily fly fish from my paddleboard around the Tampa Bay and Stuart areas.
For anyone unfamiliar with the route, this expedition follows Young's Creek to the confluence of the South Fork of the Flathead River through the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. It is difficult to describe how special this place is without seeing it for yourself. The river runs through huge grassy meadows, steep mountain country, and deep, clear pools where you can often see all the way to the bottom. There are no roads nearby, and for several days we will be more than 20 miles from the closest trailhead. We will begin near Ovando on the southern end of the wilderness and hike more than 60 miles before finishing back at our camp on the North Fork of the Blackfoot.
For a fly angler, the South Fork is hard to beat. It has some of the best Westslope cutthroat fishing anywhere, and on the right day, the dry-fly fishing can be nonstop. We will also spend time looking for bull trout, one of the most unique native fish in North America. Bull trout once lived in cold-water river systems from California to Alaska, but their populations declined because of habitat loss, logging, mining pollution, and overfishing. Today, they are protected in most of Montana. The South Fork is one of the few places in the state where anglers can legally target them. A bull trout strike is not something you forget. These predatory fish approaching 30 inches live in this system, which adds another level of excitement to an already incredible fishery.
We will hike into the wilderness on the morning of the 19th with our packstring of horses in tow. After that, we will move camp most nights along Danaher Creek after our layover days at the confluence.
Before heading into the backcountry, we will have a full preparation day covering backpacking basics, packing, food rationing, and bear safety. We will also stop in Missoula for RMEF's conservation event and bear talks by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, visit a fly shop, and hopefully work in a game or two of ultimate frisbee.
We are excited to finally get this trip started. We might be biased, but we are convinced this is the best expedition LFFE offers.
Wish us happy hiking and tight lines.
Talk soon,
Drew, Jackson, Adrian, and the fellas
