Greetings from Gros Ventre Campground! Our airport day went smoothly, and everyone is stoked for the amazing trip ahead. We all had a great time getting to meet the people we get to share this trip with. Watching everyone settle in is always a treat and this trip has been no different thus far. Already, fishing stories have been shared, laughs were had, and we are confident many lifelong friendships will be made. After a long day of travel, we will drive to our camp and cook up some hot dinner! Everyone seems really excited to learn about what's to come. Over a campfire with views of the Tetons and Gros Ventre Mountains, we will look over maps and talk through the incredible parts of this trip. Before sharing more, let us introduce ourselves!
Hi Parents - my name is Evan Frits. I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and am currently a junior at Colorado College studying philosophy. I was a camper at Lillard for four years, where my love of fly fishing and the outdoors first took off. Lillard has been a significant part of my life since I was 13, when I participated in the Montana Road Trip for my first ever expedition. I'm excited to help create memorable experiences for others just as Lillard did for me. Since that first trip, I've had the opportunity to fish all over the American West and love exploring new places and waters. Some of my favorite fishing memories have come from fishing right near base camp with lifelong friends I've made through Lillard. When I'm not fishing, I enjoy playing banjo, snowboarding, hunting, and backpacking — and my favorite fly has got to be a Chubby Chernobyl (fun and effective). 2026 marks my third year as a Lillard guide. I'm a certified Wilderness First Responder and a licensed Montana guide.
Hello! My name is Charlie Melamede. I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and moved to Burlington, Vermont when I was 10. Near the beginning of high school I started fly fishing around Vermont and haven't stopped since. These days I spend most of my time fishing, climbing, playing guitar, and skiing in Colorado, where I'll be going into my senior year as a computer science major in the fall. A fun fact about me: I'm an uncle to five nieces and nephews, two of whom are older than me. I just got back from a semester in Patagonia and love talking about travel, climbing, and of course fishing. I'm super excited to be joining the team this summer as a co-leader and trip director!
Hello there! My name is Owen Reeve. I'm a rising senior at Colorado College studying history and have been a part of LFFE for seven years — always incredibly excited to be back. I grew up in Maryland and have been fishing for as long as I can remember. When I was 7, my grandfather from Utah introduced me to western fly fishing on the Provo River, sparking my passion for fly fishing, rivers, and backpacking. As a participant I took trips in Yellowstone, the Thorofare, and Montana, and those trips are the source of many of my favorite fishing memories. LFFE introduced me to some amazing backcountry meals like buffalo mac and backcountry Thanksgiving - excited to cook some of these on this trip! When I'm not fishing, I love playing guitar, ski touring, backpacking, and photography. This year I'll be working in the Thorofare, Montana, and Yellowstone, and I can't wait to meet everyone who comes out this season.
Tomorrow will be a big day for us — we will prepare for our backcountry expedition, packing food, tents, sleeping gear, fishing rods, and more. From our camp we will organize and head out into Jackson to check out some of the great fly shops in town. Picking up a few last-minute things is always a treat before heading into the wilderness! After prep is done and a good night of rest, we will head to the trail. On Monday, we will hike to Two Oceans Pass. This will get us most of the way to our fishing destination and is an incredible place. Two Oceans Pass is named for its unique hydrological phenomenon. From the pass, Two Oceans Creek forks. One fork is named Atlantic Creek and flows into the Yellowstone and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean. The other is named Pacific Creek and it flows into the Snake River on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
On Tuesday, we will head to Hawks Rest and set up camp for some incredible fishing! In the most remote place in the lower 48, we will have the chance to catch and interact with the most amazing conservation story in trout fishing. The Yellowstone cutthroat were restored on an unprecedented scale thanks to the National Park Service. These fish are stunning and so are their homes. We dream about places like this and can't wait for everyone to bond in one of the most incredible wilderness areas this world has to offer.
We're very excited about this group and what the next days hold for us. Until next time...
The guys and the guides
