Jerry & Carole

Jerry Hughes is a native Idahoan who made his first rafting trip in 1963. 2019 is Jerry’s 54th year of working in this region as a professional guide. Jerry played football for the University of Idaho Vandals and also earned a Bachelor Degree in Business and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Idaho. Past member of the Idaho State Bar.

Carole Finley was raised in northern Idaho. Carole is an experienced river guide, and has worked in the river outfitting business for 43 years. Carole holds degrees in History and Economics from the University of Idaho. Company Finance Officer and master at heavy duty commercial style sewing in the Hughes boat shop.

Guide Staff

Colin Hughes

Grew up on the river.  Started “officially” working with the company at age 14 and has over the years taken on more responsibilities.  Colin, 27, is now the Vice President and Operations Manager of HRE. 2019 will mark his 15th year working on rivers in the west for the company.  He is a proud University of Idaho graduate in Conservation Social Sciences with an emphasis in Recreation, Resources and Tourism.

Other hobbies include Snowboarding, upland game bird hunting, and fly fishing. Colin would love to guide you fly fishing for cutthroat trout on the Selway River & the Middle Fork of the Salmon River or for bass, rainbow trout, & sturgeon on the Salmon River Canyons.

Bob “Buzz” Brunzell

BS Physical Education and Masters in Sports Science. Coached 28 years and taught Senior College Prep English 36 years. Coached an 8 man football State Championship team at Cambridge High in 1982. 2019 is Buzz’s 41st year guiding with Hughes.

Tony Herold

Broken hand in the batter’s box ended what should have been college baseball opportunity, turned him to river guiding and has been at it for 18 years. Bachelors Degree in Outdoor Recreation from U. Idaho. Top notch fishing guide, and office internet ace.  Tony lives in Stanley, ID is an EMT & volunteer firefighter, and works in the construction industry.  He is world-class on a snowmobile.

Josh Edmunson

Well versed in many occupations including carpentry, working with his father’s custom home business, big game hunting guiding, personal training, and whitewater rafting guiding.  Josh and his father run a custom wood sawmill.  2019 will mark Josh’s 11th season guiding with HRE.

Hardy Bender

University of Alabama graduate in Computer Sciences.  Comes from family history of whitewater rafting in the West.   High energy, and always positive.  2019 is Hardy’s 5th year guiding with Hughes.

Ben Frey

Played collegiate level lacrosse while studying History at the University of Idaho.  Avid fisherman!  Lives in McCall, Idaho. 2019 will be Ben’s 8th season working on rivers in the west and 4th season guiding with HRE.

Joey Filmanowicz

Joey began work with Hughes as a warehouseman.  2019 will mark his 3rd year with HRE and his second season as a full time guide.  He currently resides in Boulder, CO where he attends University of Colorado.  Joey enjoys creating pottery & tie die, rock climbing, fly fishing, rafting, hiking, and other outdoor activities.  Joey is an amazing source of exciting new recipes for custom menus and special dietary needs/requests.

Mike Anderson

Collegiate baseball player at Lewis & Clark State College in Lewiston, ID, Expert fly fisherman, avid outdoorsman, and literary nut!  He is a great guy that you will surely get a kick out of.  2019 will mark Mike’s 6th season guiding in Idaho and 1st with Hughes.  We are excited to have him on board!

Hunt Paddison

Great boatman with experience on the Selway & Salmon Rivers!  Excellent and enthusiastic fisherman.  Another University of Idaho alumni to add to the roster.  Hunt is a great addition to the team and we are very excited to continue working with him for many years!

Gus Schubert

Loves big whitewater!  Experienced on the Selway & Salmon Rivers.  Versatile! He will fish you, take gear or run the paddle boat.  The only problem with Gus…he’s a University of Montana Griz!

Sara Sweeney

Works with many outfitters.  Great to have on the crew!  Sara is good to go on the Salmon River Canyons, Middle Fork Salmon & Selway!  Great to have her on the crew when it works with her busy schedule!

Hugh Cooke

Bachelor and Master degrees in Business Management and Recreation Administration. Previously worked in national operations with the US Ski Team. Assoc. Director of alumni Relations U. Idaho, and adjunct faculty member in Parks and Rec. Served on NBC Sports staff past three Olympic Winter Games in ski racing broadcast booth. Third decade guiding in Idaho, nearly 20 years on the Hughes Crew.

Ashley Hughes

Masters Degree in Counseling from & General Studies Degree from the University of Idaho, culinary School, Seattle Art Institute. High school v-ball and b-ball gal. Won National Outdoor Recreation Award for FFA, also rowed crew for Washington State University. Grew up on the rivers. Runs the best river kitchen in the business.  Ashley fits in a few trip trips each year to her busy schedule as a practicing counselor both in private enterprise and in the school system.  She is a culinary ace when she in on a crew

Mike Woodman

Retired teacher, basketball & football coach in the states of Idaho & Montana.   Mike has worked with HRE for over 25 years.  He is an avid hiker, fisherman, and outdoorsman in general.  He is a graduate of Great Falls University.

Martin Moore

Colorado State University alumni. Currently, Contracts Manager for Scientech, an engineering consulting business. Idaho resident since 1988. Daughter Kelcey is a student at Boise State University. River guide since 1979. Started with Hatch River Expeditions guiding on the Green, Yampa, Colorado and Middle Fork of the Salmon Rivers. Guiding with Hughes River Expeditions for 28 years.

Steve Wassmuth 

Steve is a retired educator and has guided during his summer breaks from teaching for nearly his entire career.  Steve is a Grangeville, Idaho native that we fortunately have had opportunities to work with over the years and look forward to working with more.

Mike Wassmuth

A Grangeville, Idaho native who has guided for over 30 years.  Great to have mike on the crew.  Hope to have him on more trips!

Ryan Mcnamara 

Our Hughes River warehouse guy.  Ryan does everything from working around the warehouse in between trips to swamping.  We hope to get ryan trained in to guide in the future!  Currently working toward his degree in Ecological Management & Restoration at the University of Montana.  Expert skier, avid outdoorsman, and all around good guy!

“The Hughes Cavalry”

Alumni who we call on to save the day.

 Jon Totten

Jon is a guy you are sure to enjoy.  Jon has fun, works hard, and loves backcountry and rivers.  Worked at North Idaho College teaching Outdoor Recreation and now guides summer trips with the Hughes Crew in addition to being a partner on a Caribbean Sailing company LTD Sailing.  We hope Jon will be able to be a “guest-guide” for a couple trips each summer!

Chris Guarino

Chris has landed a job of his dreams.  He is a graduate of the University of Idaho.  Chris is a fabulous basketball player and enjoys rafting, hiking and traveling internationally.  We hope to have him work the occasional trip when it works out for him.

Bob Madrazo

Retired teacher/ special education director/ alternative schools principal. Bob, throughout his educational career, worked closely with emotionally disturbed and “at risk” students. Holds numerous educational degrees and credentials. Played college football. Races in sailboat regatta’s throughout the Caribbean in the off season. 32 years guiding with Hughes River Expeditions. Ace fishing guide.

John “JC” Cole

World Traveler and received a BS from U. Vermont. High school biology, chemistry, ecology, and geology teacher for 27 years. Coached high school football, girls basketball, swimming & track. Developed Sun Valley Community School outdoor program, and was academic director for Sun Valley Ski Education Association. Idaho river guide for 40 years.

Doug Rigby

Grew up in Challis, ID. BA in Philosophy at Boise State University. Guide since 1986. Veteran river guide on all Idaho rivers. Married and living in Boise with wife Mary, a family physician and graduate of Cambridge High School.  Working full-time in the building trade.  We hope he can make it out for a couple of trips each season!

Bob Sevy

Long time Idaho river guide/outfitter, and friend. Boats a couple of trips annually with Hughes. River historian, and fantastic fly fishing guide.

Eric Nichols

Computer Systems Degree Idaho State University. Computer technician St. Lukes Hospital in Boise.

Justin Erickson

NAIA All American Wrestler. Currently working for U.S. Food & Drug Agency from his home office in Idaho.

Kevin Trainor

Bachelors degree Dartmouth, and Juris Doctorate U. Idaho. College rugby. US Marine Corp Viet Nam photo pilot. Commercial pilot, married to Linda (RN) 40 years, two grown daughters who love to raft. Guide since 1985, with HRE since 1999.

Ben Warren

Bachelors in Education Boise State University. Played football for the Broncos. Owns and operates a tax preparation service. Ace fishing guide and member of Hughes Crew since he was a teenager.

Julien Patrick

Council, ID. Julien Works part time on the Hughes Crew when he isn’t busy with his family’s drywall contracting business. Biggest smile on the crew! Julien likes “river time”

Matt Cox (& dog Shadow)

Currently attending College of Southern Idaho where he is majoring in Elementary and Special Education. Recently married with a new little baby girl, Amellia. In the off season, Matt stays busy working as an independent fence contractor.

Norm Klug

College and semi-pro football, fought three years with Black Belt Karate Studios, Chicago. High school PE, Chemistry, general science teacher. School administrator Clarkston High, WA. Football, basketball and track coach. Masters Degree PE LaCrosse State University, and School Administration degree Washington State. Co-owner Personal Perspectives Northwest. 20 plus years on the Hughes Crew.

Gary Klug

Played Division III college football and baseball in WI. Forty three-year career in education with PhD in physiology from WA State U. Held teaching and research appointments at University’s of Colorado, Konstanz (Germany) and Oregon. Retired from U of Oregon as Head of the Human Physiology Department. HRE guide for almost two decades.

Captain Tom “Wolfie” Wolf

Met Jerry in 1978 on the Middle Fork. Started working with Hughes River in 1985. Currently guiding June to October at a fly out lodge in Alaska and spending winters in Puget Sound area saltwater and freshwater guiding.

Ryan Honsinger

Mechanical Enginnering U. Idaho. Hughes Crew MacGyver for 8 years, we all wondered if anything would work after he left. Using his degree in SLC. We miss you Ryan, come back for a trip here and there.

Ryan Diehl

Bachelors Degree in Outdoor Recreation from University of Idaho. Played football for Idaho Vandals.  Masters Degree in Outdoor Recreation from Utah State University. was the Director of the Outdoor Recreation Program, Montana State University.  Now owns and operates his own small business, Wilder Farm Inn, in Vermont!

Scott Wolter

University of Colorado – Bachelor of Arts – Geography. Lives in North Carolina, and works with Environmental Systems Research institute. Wife Helen, son Jackson, and daughter Kat.

Mark Tabor

Living in Cambridge, ID and managing and care-taking the Selway Lodge with his wife Marge from April to October of every year.

Frank V. “Skipper” Jones

Contractor extraordinare.

 

Hughes Crew Remembrance

Traves Olson

Offensive lineman for Idaho State Bengals. Finance Degree ((ISU) and MBA from Boise State. 18 years on Hughes Crew. Married to Julie Robertson, and Dad to wonderful twin daughters – Brooke and Sarah. Worked winters in Chile as a fly fishing guide for 5 years. Travis was a terrific river guide, and a much loved friend of the Hughes Family.  He passed due to brain cancer.  Traves will always be part of the Hughes Crew and fondly remembered by countless river guests and friends.  We miss the “Big Guy”.