Hi families!
Airport day was a success! After a long day of travel, the boys arrived safely and quickly began connecting and getting to know each other. Time in the airport flew by, and after picking up our last arrival, we headed to the van! Before we tell you more, let us introduce ourselves! (From left to right)
Hi all — I'm Gavin McMeekan! I grew up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where I developed a strong 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 started on the lakes and rivers around my hometown and continued to grow after moving to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, where I'm currently a senior studying wildlife biology. Since then, I've spent countless hours on the water chasing Montana's giants and dialing in my fly fishing skills. My favorite flies for striped bass are sand eels and clouser minnows, and my favorite fishing memory was sight fishing for tiger musky in a remote river — watching those massive predatory fish hunt is something else. When I'm not fishing, you'll find me tracking game in the woods or spending time outside with friends. I also love spending summers watching my Cincinnati Bengals. This is my second year guiding with Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions, and I'm excited to get back on the water and help create meaningful, memorable experiences for everyone. I'm also a certified Wilderness First Responder and am looking forward to another great summer on the water!
I am Jack Kenney, and this is my tenth year with Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions. I direct our international trips and am recently returning from an amazing trip with our first year of the Spanish Pyrenees Expedition. I am a Massachusetts native and am fortunate enough to say that this will be the 4th time I've guided this very trip. This one is particularly special for me as we get to show the kids the same water I grew up fishing when I was their age. I grew up in the Boston area and graduated from the University of Vermont in 2024 with a degree in Entrepreneurship. I am stoked to get the chance to teach your sons about the wonderful variability and beauty that these fisheries here in Massachusetts have to offer!
Hello all — I'm William Brooks! From Atlanta, Georgia, I'm a current student at Hampden-Sydney College, majoring in Business-Economics with minors in Spanish and Rhetoric. I'm an avid outdoorsman who, at a young age, quickly became a passionate bass fisherman and a hunter of turkeys, deer, and ducks. I'm also a die-hard sports fan — deeply passionate about the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves. I've spent several summers out West, where I fell in love with fly fishing, and was myself a camper on a similar youth fly-fishing expedition several years ago. My favorite way to catch fish is on big dry flies, watching an awesome blowup — and my favorite backcountry meal is buffalo mac. I love hiking, backpacking, and all things wilderness. Having spent the past few summers as a counselor at my childhood camp, I can't wait to share my enthusiasm for the outdoors with like-minded campers on the water this summer as a first-time LFFE guide.
Once we piled into the van, we made the trek on over to our first campsite, Housatonic Meadows State Park! Once we arrived, the boys settled into camp by setting up their tents before the sun tipped below the mountains. We then enjoyed some fun icebreaker games along with knot tying and basic casting lessons to get them ready to hit the water! This group is quickly meshing, and the energy was fantastic! We are very excited about this group and can confidently say this trip will be filled with memories that last a lifetime! We ended off the night with some delicious burgers, following with a great campfire and s'mores to top off the busy and long travel day.
Looking ahead, we will spend the next 3 days fishing the Housatonic River, where we will approach new waters with many different fly fishing techniques. While this fishing can be very technical, we are confident that these boys will check off the highly anticipated smallmouth bass, trout, and even have a chance to catch the ultra picky pike on the fly. This trip is very unique in that we get to cover so many different kinds of water, while targeting a variety of different species. Once again, we can't wait for this trip to get into full gear as we continue to share laughs and memories alongside each other!
Until next time,
Gavin, Jack, and William
