Smith River
May, 2006
PHW's May expedition was planned by Disabled Sports USA and sponsored by Lewis and Clark Expeditions of Helena, Montana. Lewis and Clark's owner, Mike Geary, invited seven anglers to float a sixty-mile stretch of restricted water on the Smith River in Western Montana's pristine wilderness. Chris Short, Bryant Jacobs, and I represented the wounded warriors of Project Healing Waters from WRAMC, and Barry Yancosek accompanied us as a staffer. On the way to Helena, we had a layover in Salt Lake City where we met up with two disabled veterans coming from Veterans Affairs Regional Medical Centers. The first was Vance Wasden, an avid fly fisher from Pocatello, Idaho. The second was Mark Mix, a novice angler from Frazeysburg, Ohio.
We arrived at the Helena airport and were greeted by two of Mike Geary's top guides. We secured our baggage and immediately boarded some awaiting vehicles. The Trout Shop in the small town of Craig was ready to outfit us with new fishing shirts, and they let us borrow waders and wading boots. Licenses were issued -- we were ready to fish. From there, we were taken back to Helena to the Winngate Inn. We washed up and proceeded to the MacKenzie River Pizza Company for dinner. Mike introduced us to his top guides and gear boaters over pizza and beer. After spending a couple hours hanging out with the crew, we all knew we were in for an awesome expedition.
Early on 7 May, the anglers enjoyed a continental breakfast and waited for show time. We finally met our other fellow disabled vet, Steve Wiley of St. Louis, Missouri. He told us he had only fished with a cane pole with bait before attempting to fly fish in Big Sky Country. After breakfast, we loaded our gear into a small convoy and traveled to the launch site on the Smith. As we were suiting up and the rafts were being prepared for launch, a park ranger gave us a briefing about the Smith River and the proper etiquette required for its enjoyment. Soon after, we launched six rafts for a five day, four night camping/float trip with the mission of catching as many fatty trout as humanly possible.
As we traveled our first mile of over sixty, which were yet to come, most of the wounded vets were completely enamored by the untouched pristine Montana landscape. I had been born and raised in the Big Sky Country, but this was unfamiliar to me. I was equally impressed. The Smith cuts through winding canyons of towering rocky spires that change colors with the shifting sun. Much of the river is inaccessible by foot -- a perfect safe haven for big native trout. By the end of our first day, every angler had landed a good sized rainbow or brown. As we landed at the campsite and compared stories, we learned that Mark, who had never fished a day in his life, caught more fish his first day than all of us combined. He just laughed and puffed on his cigarette while we called him every name in the book! The rest of us worked for every fish we landed, not to mention all the long distance releases. Mark's good fortune lasted the entire five days. Everyone embraced the spirit of floating this magnificent river. At one point, Barry and I spotted Bryant on the oars while Chris hunted for fatties. We must have cast, and lost, hundreds of woolly buggers, San Juan worms, and assorted nymphs in the pursuit of a trophy trout.
Each day, we would float between ten and fifteen miles before reaching a new campsite, every one being equally as spectacular as the one before. The campfire would already be blazing as we aided the guides and gear boaters in pitching our tent and setting up cots for the night. Besides providing spectacular guide services, Mr. Geary and his crew offered “home cooked" meals every evening that included such meals as smoked salmon and raspberry cheesecake! The guides would offer us wine and hors d'oeuvres while we sat around the campfire, warming our chilled bones and joints, and spinning angling tales. We anglers enjoyed this luxury while admiring even more breathtaking scenery. One morning, we awoke to a winter wonderland, as it had begun to snow -- in May! We wounded warriors soon came to realize that the nightly campfire served more than keeping us warm from the crisp Montana air; the fire was warming our spirits, as it became a forum to discuss our disabilities and the recovery of our wounds. Mark, Steve, and Vance all expressed how therapeutic it felt to be back in a band of disabled brothers with the opportunity to joke and confide with vets who truly understand one another.
The guides and gear boaters, all of whom had donated their services, were outstanding individuals and treated us like royalty. The logistics of such an expedition were not a small task, and it became a collaborative effort by guides and guests alike. The combination of the fly fishing, the gorgeous scenery, the gourmet food, the peaceful wilderness, and the camaraderie proved to be both emotionally and physically therapeutic. We greatly appreciate Lewis and Clark Expeditions for their services. For many of us, this was truly the fishing expedition of a lifetime.
1LT Eivind Forseth
