Part 2: Max & His Mom in Montana

If you missed it, check out Part 1: Max & His Mom in Montana.

Every great story about a road trip needs a playlist. Check out the one I built for this trip HERE.

Smith River Float Trips

How do you talk about one of the best float trips of your career? When people ask me about this leg of the trip, I usually just say, “It was good. Really good. A super special trip.” The truth is, it was probably one of the best of my life.

From Complete Fly Fisher, we headed north to Helena and checked into our hotel near the Last Chance Gulch. That evening, we met up with one of my favorite people in the fly fishing industry, Koahl Deshazer, and our float group at Blackfoot River Brewing Company. Outside of my mom, I didn’t know any of the other guests, but over a few craft beers, the ice melted fast. It was great to have Koahl there to answer any last-minute questions we had about the float.

With one last night of civilization ahead of us, Mom and I treated ourselves to dinner at The Union, a solid meal to cap off the front half of our journey. Back at the hotel, we packed our dry bags and prepared to be off the grid for the next five days.

Named for Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith by Lewis and Clark, the Smith River runs through one of Montana’s driest counties. Any trip on the Smith is a gamble. Agricultural demands draw heavily on the water, and later in the season, low flows prevent freight boats from getting downriver. Anglers are forced to go early in the season when the water is there, but spring and early summer Montana weather is notoriously unstable. Guests can easily experience all four seasons in a single day.

Our trip launched on May 25. While I was fully prepared to float in a blizzard, I held out hope that my waders and heavy gear could just take a nice, unused ride in the dry bag.

Dropping into the Canyon

The next morning, we met our outfitters, loaded up, and made the two-hour drive to the Camp Baker put-in, stopping briefly in White Sulphur Springs for last-minute supplies and one more 12-pack of beer. To be honest, I hate put-ins. They’re always messy and chaotic, and I constantly feel like everyone is watching me. Yet, somehow, everyone makes it onto the water. There’s a distinct energy at Camp Baker. It is a mix of gear prep, nervous excitement, and the collective realization that once your boat slides into the water, you’re committed to 60 miles of mostly roadless wilderness. The rangers were short-staffed that day, making the put-in even more hectic, but after a briefing on regulations and Leave No Trace ethics, we loaded the boats and shoved off.

Watching my mom step into the raft, I was reminded once again why sharing these trips with her is so special. She’s as tough and seasoned as any angler on the water, but her sense of wonder never fades. She was excited to be there and it showed. As we floated into the upper canyon, the rest of the world completely vanished.

One thing that surprised me about the Smith is that you don’t really get into the prime fishing until the second day. On Day 1, as we worked out the kinks of a multi-day float, the fishing was decent, but not epic. The scenery was beautiful, but not yet breathtaking. When we reached camp that night, I got the feeling a few guests were slightly underwhelmed.

All of that changed on Day 2. There comes a point where the canyon walls begin to soar, the channel narrows, the river picks up speed, and it hits you that you’ve entered somewhere truly extraordinary. Every bend turns to magic—the light hitting the rock, the wildlife, the anticipation of what’s around the corner. Once you enter the true canyon section, the fishing picks up, with active and rising fish in nearly every pool and against almost every canyon wall.

Days on the River & Nights Under the Stars

The fishing was classic Smith River canyon action. We cast flies against the sheer rock faces, working to keep them floating in the deep slots and foam lines against the canyon walls. Once again, my mom fished everything exceptionally well, laying down clean casts and setting on every twitch and eat. She fished like an angler with experience on Montana's rivers. One thing I always notice about experienced anglers is how they mend to keep their fly in the feeding zone, they tend to place their mends rather than throw them. My mom laid down butter-smooth mends to keep her fly working as long as possible in every run. It was fun to watch and learn from. I chose to stick strictly to dry flies. I just wanted to watch the fish eat. But once again, my mom out-fished me, staying busy landing fish pretty much all day.

Camp life was equally top-tier. Each late afternoon, we’d round a bend to find our gear already waiting, tents pitched, the bar set up, appetizers available, and the camp kitchen firing on all cylinders. Swapping stories, laughing with our new group of friends, drinking whiskey from a tin cup, clouds of caddis hatching from the trees, and watching the evening light wash over the canyon walls is the kind of magic you can only find on a multi-day float.

The Crew Who Made It Happen

Trips like this are driven by the scenery and the fishing, but they’re defined by the crew running the show behind the scenes.

Mitch King ("B Team" Trip Leader): Steady, kind, and patient, Mitch sweats the small stuff so the guests don’t have to. Originally from Dallas but a Montana local for over 20 years, Mitch knows the canyon's water, people, and history inside out. When he’s not on the Smith, he guides the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Missouri, and Blackfoot then pivots to bird hunting at Sharptail Lodge come September 1st.

Jacob Tanner (Guide): Safe, calm, and hard working. A Georgia transplant who moved to Montana for the fishing and hunting, Jacob is the group’s resident engineer and woodworker. He can fix any piece of equipment on the river and keeps everything running seamlessly, including the legendary camp shower brought out on Day 3. Jacob also guides on the Blackfoot, Missouri, and Clark Fork.

Koahl Deshazer (Guide): Patient, hilarious, and a rock-solid leader, Koahl is an amazing guide and one of the finest humans I have run across in the industry. A Missoula native and former middle school teacher, he guides the Flathead, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, and Smith professionally, while donating time each year to guide nonprofit trips on the Big Hole and Beaverhead. This entire trip came together because of him.

Jacob Loran (Guide): The undisputed next generation of world-class Montana guides. Raised in an angling family, Jacob has been running Montana rivers since he was a kid. His father, Joel, is a top notch fly tyer and legend on the Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers. Smart, caring, and ridiculously skilled, he treats every guest with the same deep respect. Whether they’re a titan of industry or a humble fly fishing travel agent, Jacob's steady presence and devotion to his craft come across when you fish with him. Pay attention when you’re in his boat, you will learn something.

Eli & Jude Owens and West Gardner (The Camp & Freight Team): Eli, our camp chef, crew chief, and dutch oven wizard, kept us fed with fantastic meals every morning and night. His brother Jude is one of the most skilled boatmen on the river (and a lethal washers player—seriously, don't bet against him). West, the newcomer on his first trip with the outfitter, was incredibly hardworking and attentive to every guest's needs. Together, this team kept camp running like clockwork.

A Trip for the Books

My favorite night had to be our last one. The group was in high spirits after an incredible day on the water. We kicked things off with cocktail hour on the riverbank, snapped a group photo, enjoyed a fantastic outdoor dinner, played a friendly washers tournament, and settled in for some quality campfire time.

That’s when things got “Western” with a capital W.

We knew storms were in the area. We had been watching them roll through the distance during our float. What started as faint, rolling thunder miles away quickly escalated into heavy winds. Mitch looked at me calmly and said, “We’re just going to get everything buttoned up. We got this.” I stumbled to my tent in the dark, zipped down the rainfly, dragged the cots toward the middle, and climbed into my sleeping bag just as a roaring spring Montana thunderstorm pounded through the canyon. The limestone walls amplified every sound, making the storm feel wildly intense. I quickly realized my mom was awake, too. It was a thrilling, slightly unsettling experience—rain slamming against the canvas, sudden flashes of lightning, and loud, echoing booms that shook the ground beneath us.

I looked over and asked my mom if she was scared.

“No,” she replied. “Are you?”

“A little bit,” I admitted. “But this is where the real adventure begins.”

We lay there in silence for about 45 minutes while the storm hammered our camp, finally drifting off to sleep once the skies cleared. The next morning, we woke up to a different kind of thunder. A few ruffed grouse had wandered into camp, filling the quiet morning with their signature low, drumming call. It was a night and a morning I’ll never forget.

By the time we reached the private takeout near Eden Bridge (a massive upgrade from the chaos at Camp Baker), five days had blurred into a seamless memory of campfire laughs, towering limestone walls, and productive fishing. Sharing a bucket list river like the Smith is an incredible experience on its own. Sharing it with my mom, watching her experience the river, make fast friends with everyone in sight, and out-fish half the canyon is something I’ll hold onto forever. Montana gave us incredible fishing, but the time spent together on the water is what made it unforgettable.

Stand Up for the Smith

The Smith River is an irreplaceable natural wonder affected by a complex web of stakeholders. If you care about and love this place, we encourage you to advocate for it.

Montana Trout Unlimited: Conserves, protects, and restores Montana’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

Smith River Habitat Project: Improves wildlife habitat and rangeland along the Smith River corridor through invasive plant education, research, and cooperative management.

Meagher County Stewardship Council: Shepherds efforts to safeguard and enhance the natural resources, culture, and economic interests of Meagher County for the benefit of current and future generations.