As a little background, my first and only fly fishing experience was last summer with a guide is Estes Park Colorado (Rocky Mountains). I really enjoyed the river trout fishing experience, and am considering if it's something I want to take up back here in the Twin Cities.

My questions would be, what is the trout stream situation in and around the Twin Cities? Would I find enough quality public locations within say a 1-2 hour drive to make a good go of this hobby here at home?

Also as a beginner I really have no info on equipment. What should I start out with without breaking the bank? Is a rod in the 4-5 weight range what I'd be looking for? How much should I expect to spend on equipment to get started?

At some point I plan to make a trip out to your shop to get even more info, but I thought this message board would be a good place to start.

thanks!
-Mark

Hey Mickey,
Welcome to Minnesota and the Fly Angler.
You're in luck, there's good fishing here! Both Minnesota and WI have good trout fishing. The fishing in MN is in the SE corner of the state. The fishing in WI is closer to the Twin Cities and just as good or better. I work in the Store most weekends and will be glad to share the informantion I have.

As for your equipment, a five weight would work well for you. We can out fit you at a very resonable cost. I say 5 wgt because, a five works very well for panfish as well. Every lake, well almost every lake has panfish. They're fun to catch and I bet you have a fishable lake withing 10 minutes of your home.

Best,
Brian McFly