Staff Page: View the staff behind CDA Adventures. Young, intelligent, outstanding and experienced staff keep this company hopping during the tourist season in CDA!
CDA Adventures shares it’s staff with its sister company Adventure Missoula and together we service the CDA area and watersheds all the way to Missoula.
We have some of the most knowledgeable river guides and exceptional staff in the area. Our staff come back every year for fishing and raft trips with our customers and we are a small family of outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy what we do along with a lot of other things too that make us perfect and unique.
View here the profiles of our River Guides and Office Staff:
View here the profiles of our Montana River Guides:
Adventure Missoula has some of the most knowledgeable Montana river guides in the area. Our staff come back every year for fishing and raft trips with our customers and we are a small family of outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy what we do working hard full time each season along with a lot of other things too that make us perfect and unique.
Jared Forsythe, Fishing Guide, Biology Teacher, Rafting Lead, and Owner
Jared grew up in West Yellowstone Montana, exploring the many fishing holes, mountains, and rivers in his backyard. Attending the University of Montana provided him with yet another great backyard–Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains and the rivers of Northern Idaho. Jared graduated from the University of Montana in Environmental Science and currently teaches high school Biology, Wildlife, and Forestry. He is our #1 fish guide and fearless leader. He has been guiding since 2002 and is one of the best Montana River Guides in the Missoula and Coeur d’Alene areas.
Sam Stockton, Montana Fishing Guide, Scratch Golfer
Sam moved to Missoula, MT from Castle Rock, CO in 2002 and decided he never wanted to leave. Sam floats hundreds of miles on the river each year in a quest for the fish of western Montana’s waters. Sam spends most of his free time outdoors whether it is on the Golf Course (Sam is a scratch golfer) or exploring the wilderness throughout western Montana’s mountains, rivers and streams. His passion is to hunt for fish and help people catch fish while enjoying one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Jake Putnam, Montana Fishing Guide
Born in Missoula, Jake landed his first fish at age 2, on the Middle Fork of the Flathead—and was hooked forever. He grew up fishing the rivers of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming; he has been guiding on the Kenai in Alaska for years; and now earns his living primarily in western Montana, and Alaska, with frequent side trips to the Missouri and occasional custom trips in adjacent states and foreign countries. Jake is known for his easy sense of humor; for being a patient and encouraging teacher; his custom flies that he ties himself, and for rustling up epic lunches. With wife Ashley and son Evan, Jake makes his home near Alberton, near some reliable Clark Fork trout and pike honey holes. With parents and grandparents in Stevensville and Great Falls, Jake’s experience on the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Clark Fork and Missouri pays off in perfect days for his clients. Jake enjoys sharing his love for swinging bugs and the beauty of Montana with locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re an experienced angler or a beginner, Jake will put you on the fish.
Alexis Murphy, Raft Lead
Alexis Murphy grew up on the South Hill of Spokane, Washington. In 2017, she moved to Missoula to attend the University of Montana. She is now a third year pharmacy student at the UM Skaggs School of Pharmacy. Alexis quickly fell in love with life in Missoula, the Clark Fork river, and all the beauty Montana has to offer. This will be her third season guiding on the Alberton Gorge and with CDA Adventures. During the long Montana winters she enjoys skiing at all the many great mountains around Missoula, especially Lost trail. When she isn’t on the river or on the mountain you can find her studying for exams, drinking strong coffee, hiking, or break dancing.
Sara Forsythe, Web/Media, Owner, Operations, Art Teacher
If you call us or email us, you’ll most likely speak with Sara. She grew up in South Dakota and originally fished with a pole, bobber, and worm and sometimes still does. She is a member of United Women on the Fly in the Pacific NW. She is the Founder of the Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) in Missoula and now works as a high school art teacher in Superior with her husband in the off season while running Coeur d’Alene Adventures and Adventure Missoula and general mom duties.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA 
Jessica Raty, Rafting Guide Jess was born and raised in Billings, Montana, and recently graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in Resource Conservation and a B.A. in Political Science. She now splits her time as an Outreach Coordinator for the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance during the week and as a raft guide for CDA Adventures during the weekend. When she’s not splashing around the Clark Fork, Jess can be found mountain biking and trail running with her dog, Indy.
Lukas Millward, Rafting Guide, Biology Student
Lukas was born and raised in Pocatello, ID. Most of my time growing up was spent on some of Idaho’s best fisheries, such as the Salmon river, Henrys fork, and the south fork of the snake river. Once it came time for college Lukas moved to Missoula, MT because it had every outdoor activity he could ask for! Lukas is currently working on his major in biology at the University of Montana and hopes to later go to medical school and achieve his goal of becoming a doctor. Some of his hobbies besides guiding include backpacking, skiing, fishing and rafting on some of Montana’s great rivers and mountains.
Naomi Wood, Raft Guide
Naomi was born in Montana and grew up mostly in south eastern Idaho. Hunting, fishing, camping and being outdoors is her whole life. She became a wildland firefighter at 18 and worked that job in the summer up till she turned 22. Naomi is a certified EMT and a has a huge passion for the outdoors and travel. She lives in a converted school bus and travels or becomes a ski bum in the winter time. Some of her hobbies include rockclimbing, trail running, fishing, and taking her dog anywhere he’s allowed to go.
Kyler Tingey, Rafting and Fishing Guide
Kyler was born in Salt Lake City, Utah but spent most of his formative years in Stuttgart, Germany. Upon moving back to Utah for college, Kyler developed a passion for all things outdoors, especially whitewater rafting/kayaking and backcountry skiing. He fell in love with Montana while driving through the state on a family vacation several years ago. Since then it has been his goal to live here. Kyler recently moved to Missoula with his wife, for her to pursue a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Montana. When not on the river, Kyler can be found wandering through mountains in search of ski lines or rock climbing at one of the many world-class crags in the state.
Andrew Forsythe, Saturday Cyr Recreation Area Lemonade Stand Owner, Fisherman, Kayaker
Andrew is seven and is the youngest of our crew. Seen around the shop on the weekends, he drives his truck down to the Clark Fork River put in to man his Saturday lemonade stand business among the weekend river rat Missoula and tourist traffic. Andrew collects rocks, loves math, skiis, and kayaks with his dad. He may be your first greeter upon your arrival at the river shop of our Montana River Guides.
Sarah Duncan, Outdoor Rec Office Manager, Customer Service, Raft Guide
Sarah grew up on the outskirts of Seattle Washington and after spending her childhood vacationing in Montana she finally decided to move here for college in 2017 to study Parks, Tourism and Recreational Management at the University of Montana. During winter she enjoys teaching people how to ski at our local ski area as well as skiing as much as possible in her free time. After all the snow has melted you can usually find her by any river floating, fishing, or trying to keep her dog out of the water.
Nick Zanetos, Carpenter, Raft Guide
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Nick has lived in Missoula for the last two years and this will be his third season guiding with Western Waters. When not on the river, Nick enjoys cruising on his mountain bike, skiing Snowbowl, and exploring the great state of Montana. In the off-season Nick works carpentry and is starting graduate school at the University of Montana in the Fall. Fair warning, if you bring up college football he won’t stop talking.