Hello from Ennis, Montana! Yesterday we scooped everyone from the Bozeman airport before commencing the hour-long drive between the Gallatin and Big Sky Mountain Ranges through the Madison River Valley here to our base camp a few minutes outside of Ennis. This river -- the Madison -- is arguably the most famous trout river in the continental U.S., boasting tens of millions of trout within its bends. That bounty is certainly something that we will be tapping into in the coming days.
After arriving at base camp, we went over a brief casting lesson (or refresher), some knot tying, fly identification and selection, and a few other fishing-related skills that we will be working on over the next weeks. The group all got to know each other a little better, and we soon jumped into a Lillard-staple ultimate frisbee game that was hard fought, and decided by only a score. A dinner of cheeseburgers and corn on the cob waited for us back at basecamp, and we concluded the night with a short hike up the foothills to watch the sunset over this picturesque valley. We used this opportunity to outline the details of what should be an unforgettable trip.
Today we are getting licenses and hopping straight on the river. The group is shaping up well and we could not be more excited for the adventures ahead. The next update will come to you all in a few day's time, with pictures of some beautiful Montana trout!
Tight lines until then,
Dave, Max, Zach and the crew
