FLY FISHING SHOPS

Bentley's Outfitters is in the Tower Square Shopping Center next to Eden Prairie Center. Owner Gordon Bentley offers a wide array of equipment, apparel, flies and fly-tying materials, as well as fly-tying classes, free Saturday seminars, travel services and gear rental. Phone 952-828-9554 (or www.bentleysoutfitters.com). Open Tuesday through Saturday.

Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop is at 3394 Lake Elmo Ave. No. in Lake Elmo. Mike Alwin offers a broad range of flies, rods, reels and other equipment, regular classes on tying and casting, free seminars, and entomology classes. The shop is open Monday through Saturday. Phone 651-770-5854 (or www.bobmitchellsflyshop.com).

The Fly Angler is at 7500 University Avenue in Fridley. Chris Hansen and Scott Struif can help you with fly-tying, fly-casting and rod-building, and they offer special expertise on the Mississippi River and the area North of the Twin Cities. They are open seven days a week. Phone 763-572-0717 (or www.mnflyangler.com).

Summit Fly Fishing Company is at 940 Grand Avenue in St. Paul and packs an awful lot of fly-fishing gear, flies, and expertise into the only Grand Avenue home with a trout on the porch roof. They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 to 7. Phone Paul Mueller at 651-225-1200 (or www.summitflyfishing.com).

There are several sporting goods stores who carry fly-fishing supplies in the Metro area. However, for expert answers, a variety of product lines and candid opinions, the four shops listed are the primary resource for most metro fly anglers. They deserve your support.

Shameless Plug -- Ideal Printers of St. Paul generously underwrote a brochure version of this information. If you are ever in need of commercial printing, give a call to Howard Siewert or Bob Trevis at Ideal. You can talk about inks and paper, or you can talk about the Trico hatch and the best flies for emerging caddis. Call 651-855-1100 and ask for either fly angler/printer.