This post is going back in time a bit, but worth it. Derek Goldman and Joe Goertzen floated the Smith River May 29 through June 2 and, in spite of rain, had a great time. The two main wrinkles were: trying to stay dry and fishing was not so good.

Derek said, “the Smith was blown out (1,800 cfs!) and not fishing well; same for the tributaries. Oh well. It rained three of the days, but not all day so we were able to dry things out. Still a great trip and Joe caught some fish.”

Derek took the photos of Joe on the Smith. Joe Goertzen, pronounced GURT-zen, is a Missoula artist, businessman and owner of Goertzen Adventure Equipment – “handmade in Missoula.”

Goertzen Adventure Equipment combines vintage appeal with modern creativity. Like your favorite pair of jeans, Adventure Equipment gains character with use and is rugged enough to pass on to your grandchildren. His company takes great pride in the design and construction of their products and strive to produce one-of-a-kind and ultimately useful equipment.

An added advantage in buying from them is the excellent service and product support. If you have any problems or need alterations, they will repair all of the products in a timely manner.

Joe welcomes custom orders and  ideas you may have for innovative products.

To contact Joe:

Email: contact@joegoertzen.com

Phone: (406) 546-0061

Location: 1029 Edith St., Missoula, MT 59801

Derek Goldman is field representative for Montana Audubon; he is working out of Missoula. He has been concerned about Montana snow pack, water levels and climate change. To read more about Derek’s work and how you can speak up about climate change concerns, visit our blog post titled, “Montana Audubon and guides and outfitters speak up about climate change concerns.“