Hello Parents!
I’m writing to you on the final day of the Yellowstone Adventure as I wait for the last flight to depart. It’s been a stellar two weeks packed with trail miles, thousands of fly casts, new experiences, deep friendships, and some absolutely beautiful (and big) Cutthroat Trout. We were beyond fortunate to have spent this time in Yellowstone National Park—an incredible place that few people get to experience the way we did.
In fact, only 0.01% of park visitors make it more than a mile from the road. Every camper on this trip now belongs to that rare percentage—and that’s something to brag about. I remember going on my first Yellowstone Adventure 12 years ago, when I was about the same age as these guys, and those memories still hold a special place in my mind. I’m confident the same will be true for this crew.
This trip is an LFFE staple for a reason, and these campers now know why. Will started guiding these adventures back when LFFE was still in its infancy, built purely on passion and possibility. One of Will’s early goals was to address the decline in recreational fishing in the U.S. and to inspire the next generation of confident, independent anglers with a deep respect for conservation. Over the past 15 years, he’s built a community of young anglers—some now grown, like me—who carry that mission forward. In the last two weeks, we’ve seen not just the spark of passion for fly fishing, but growth in leadership, confidence, and character from every one of these young men.
Heading home will bring much-needed showers, home-cooked meals, and the comforts of daily life. It’ll be a sharp contrast to two weeks of sleeping on two-inch inflatable pads and filtering river water, drop by drop, just to fill a Nalgene. It’s a powerful reminder of how fortunate we are for the small luxuries we often overlook. Even more impressively, these campers disconnected from the pull of smartphones and lived for two weeks like their parents did growing up (not trying to age you all—I promise).
Not many of their peers will return to school able to say they hiked miles with a pack, fished historic waters, and learned the ins and outs of trout ecosystems. They waded storied rivers, landed memorable fish, and ended each day around a campfire with new friends.
So for this final update, here’s a glimpse of how we wrapped things up:
We spent the night at Yellowstone Hot Springs Resort, where the group showered, did laundry, and fueled up with pizza—all in preparation for the final full day: floating the Yellowstone River with professional float guides.
The crew was ready to test two weeks of hard-earned fly fishing skills on one of Montana’s premier rivers. Floating is a whole new game. It requires precision—no longer are you wading in place with endless chances to recast. In a moving boat, each cast has to count. One miscast could mean missing the fish of a lifetime. And with Yellowstone cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout in the mix, the stakes were high.
The history of these fish is something many anglers posing for photos don’t even know. brown trout, like many things in this country, were introduced by Europeans. Why they were so eager to share their bulldog-like fish with us, we’ll never know—but we’re grateful. Without them, we’d miss out on the bucknasty way these fish slam streamers and inhale hoppers.
Rainbow trout, on the other hand, are native to the Pacific Northwest, first introduced to Montana in the late 1800s via hatchery stock from the legendary McCloud River Redband strain. Since then, they’ve become the bright, energetic, wide-grinning trout we all know and love. Both species thrive in cold mountain water and feast on a steady stream of insects, especially during the salmonfly hatch when three-inch-long stoneflies hit the water like trout-sized burritos.
We woke early, packed up camp, had a quick cereal breakfast, and made sandwiches for lunch. Then we drove 30 minutes north to the boat ramp, where our guides were waiting. The raft lineup was led by Pat Sheehy—a tall LFFE veteran who guides year-round in Montana, New Jersey, and the Florida Keys. You can’t miss Pat: long sleeves, pants, a deep hand tan, and red Crocs. We call his hands “baseball mitts”—built for holding fish, not balls.
Joining Pat were Sam, Eli, Luke, and Cole, all experienced oarsmen who know how to navigate the river and consistently put people on fish—and they delivered. The crew spent a full day floating, casting a variety of presentations, laughing, catching fish, and even taking a midday swim. For those who had never floated before, it was a thrilling and eye-opening experience. For some, it ended up being their best day of fishing all trip—either in size, numbers, or both.
That evening, we drove from the boat ramp—conveniently where we camped that night—into Livingston for a big Mexican dinner. The food was a hit, but the energy at the table was the real highlight. Stories, laughter, future fishing plans—it was the perfect final meal together. After dinner, we grabbed ice cream bars and made our way to Chico Hot Springs, one of Montana’s most famous hot spring destinations—and a regular stop for LFFE.
I can confidently say no group has ever had more fun in that place than this crew. The large, spring-fed pool was warm but not too hot—perfect for a bunch of energetic teenagers. Some were hesitant to jump in at first, but once a few took the plunge, the rest followed.
Soon we had a line of campers demonstrating cannonballs, swan dives, belly flops—one after another, putting on a show for the locals. The pool may have drained a little lower by the end, but the energy stayed high. Showers brought more laughter and banter, all the way back to camp where the group stayed up late, soaking in every last moment together. Us guides didn’t mind—it was their last night, and watching this group bond over two weeks has been nothing short of awesome. It’s rare to see a group this size become genuinely close, but this crew pulled it off.
This morning, we rallied the troops and made our way to the airport, dropping each camper with their parent via pickup or flight. Now we’re heading back to base camp, reflecting on what’s been one heck of an adventure—and that’s thanks to this stellar crew.
Thank you for following along with us these past two weeks. We hope to see these guys again next summer.
Signing off with tight lines,
J, Jackson, and Cody
