Meet Our Guides

The Guides at Lewis and Clark Expeditions are hand-picked and in class all their own. They are, to a person, valiant, generous, well-bred, courteous, liberal, polite, bold, gentle and patient. They endure hard gratefully because they are enchanted by the Smith. They are the Knights of the River.

Mark Aagenes: Mark is one of our Ace guides/gear boaters who has been with me since the Smith River valley was first being created. During the past off season Mark worked with Montana Trout Unlimited at the State Legislature as the Conservation Specialist. So not only does he do great work on the rivers he does great work for the rivers. Mark is one of the guides that has been with me the longest and has yet to sue me for harasment or file a claim with workman's compensation. You've gotta love that.

Geoff Ferguson: Geoff is one the main reasons we were able to increase our business. Geoff will lead several Smith River trips this year. He is enormously capable not only as a guide but as someone who can handle all the complexities of a Smith trip. Geoff is the reason the rafts, tents, cots, food, wine, guides and cooks all show up on time. He handles the whole trip with ease. I know too few superlatives to do justice to Geoff's attributes. He is absolutely invaluable.

Mark Elliot: Mark can run the gear boat or guide all day long. He can get up in the morning and load the entire gear boat in 15 minutes. We are talking about loading tents, an entire kitchen, 15 full dry bags, three full six gallons water buckets, 15 thermo rest pads, at least eight cots and all the food we carry for a week. Plus, Kryptonite does not slow him down. While guiding. he sometimes backrows a few miles upstream to get our clients back into fish and pump out a little HDL. (Mike, I don't get this. It may just be my density.)

Brian Scott: Brian is another veteran guide that has rowed many miles for many moons. His experience, patience and knowledge make him invaluable. There isn't a situation on the river that Brian hasn't seen. There are no problems on the river that Brian cannot solve.

Michael Blakely: Michael is from South Carolina and spent last year fishing and guiding in Cuba, Russia, the Dean River and Montana. Not a bad year. Michael's experience, intelligence and insight combine to help us put together even better Smith River trips.

Bob Brent: Bob is a wonder. How do you tie 30,000 flies in seven months? You get up at dawn, work for eight hours a day five days a week. Not only does he tie most of our flies, he also guides and fishes with them. With Bob you get a full day of fishing, a little Robert Service and a lot fishing knowledge.

Brian Neilson: Brian has just become an outfitter, but will continue to guide for us while developing his own business. Brian is another hard worker who makes me giggle and makes our clients' trips memorable. There is more to fishing and guiding than fishing and guiding. Laughter is very big with me and Brian makes our clients laugh. He also gets them into fish.

Michael 'Mokey' McNeilly: Mokey has been with me for the last ten years, and is another huge reason Lewis and Clark Expeditions has continued to grow. Last fall he was an artist in Residence at Louisiana State University. Two years ago, Disney Studios flew him first class to Orlando to do a seminar on fly fishing. He is one of the Mighty Carson Art Players from the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He is a great guide and a greater friend. He has made me both a better guide and angler by his quiet example in releasing fish and wading softly in the waters that haunt us.

Mike Reitz: Mike is another great guide, and someone who can answer all of your questions about the wonders that abound in the Smith River Canyon. Where do the Indian Pictographs come from? Mike has the answer. How old are the limestone walls? Ask Mike. What are the mating patterns of a mayfly? Ask Mike. If a question has to do with science or with the canyon, Mike Rietz, a living Mr. Wizard, has the answer.

Brad Packer: Brad is another trooper who can handle a fully loaded gear boat through white water or race downstream to set up camp. When he isn't gear-boating he is guiding. When he isn't guiding, he is thinking about gear-boating or guiding. Total commitment. He must have been born under one of the water signs.

Mark Sauvageau: Mark is another guide who lives to be on the water. On his days off, he goes fishing (if you don't catch fish, you've gone boating). Mark's ignition switch starts when the sun rises, and goes off when the sun goes down. The hunt for rising fish gets his blood flowing. He can spot a sipping trout at 500 yards in the soft back eddies or glassy flats of the Missouri.

Sam Dorsi: Sam is another young workaholic. God Bless Him. Sam Gear-boated for us last year and did a terrific job. Gear-boaters are defined by how hard they work. If they can work from sunrise to sundown with a smile and their faces, they've got a job at Lewis and Clark. Sam does all of that and more.

Grant McClintock: Grant is the creator of two books, Flywaters and Watermark, both of which are exceptional for their insights and photographic beauty. Grant is the river's Renaissance man: He is a talented photographer, writer, raconteur, seer, fisherman and guide. He has fished throughout the United States and brings his A game to the river every day.

Trout fishing is a wonderful way of making life more abundant so grab a rod, hop a plane and let's wet a line.

MICHAEL GEARY, Owner Lewis and Clark Expeditions