Tag Archives: trout fishing in the Twin Cities

Finding a birding spot in the Twin Cities Gateway is always easy along the many trails.

Six different ways to explore the Twin Cities Gateway this summer

by Jess Leong, HaveFunBiking.com

With nine communities and the National Sports Center to explore in the Twin Cities Gateway Area, you will find many fun events and family activities here while visiting. From the Gateway’s southwest border where the Mississippi River flows by, the communities offer many connecting trails to spacious parks. Many along picturesque streams with lakeside outdoor fun, you will find many options for fond memories to cherish. Here are six fun experiences – ones you never want to forget.

1: Spotting Your Feathered Friends in the Twin Cities Gateway 

A birding hotspot can be found along most of the paved bike trails that meander through the parks in Shoreview.

A birding hotspot can be found along most paved bike trails that meander through the Gateway parks.

Grab your best pair of binoculars and head out on your bike – or take your car – to see the many birds in the Twin Cities Gateway Area. While robins and finches are pretty fine, we’re talking about catching sight of Blue Herons, hawk, and eagles here. Scout the area, and maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of those great raptors and more!

 2: Throwing in a Line and Enjoying the Twin Cities Gateway 

By bike or car Twin Cities Trout Fishing at Cenaiko Lake is worth checking out.

By bike or car Twin Cities, trout Fishing at Cenaiko Lake is worth checking out.

Explore the great area lakes where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and fish in a tranquil atmosphere, perfect for the whole family. Even if fishing in the Twin Cities Gateway isn’t your thing, the beautiful landscape makes a gorgeous backdrop for picnics and outdoor events.

3: Disc Golf – Challenge Yourself and Give it Your Best Throw

Looking for disc golf fun? Here in the Twin Cities Gateway Area find several scenic and challenging disc golf parks, all easy to access from the bike friendly roads and trails there.

Looking for disc golf fun? Here in the Twin Cities Gateway Area, find several scenic and challenging disc parks, all easy to access from the bike-friendly roads and trails here.

Get out there with your best buds or your family to try your hand at the many Twin Cities Gateway disc golf courses in the area. Some of the courses will definitely give you a challenge that even the experienced player will have a run for his money. Whether you’ve done it before or not, try it out – it’s fun no matter what age you are!

4: Bike the Mississippi River Trail then return on the train 

Riders on the Train & Trail Tour arrive in Big Lake, MN for their journey back to Minneapolis.

Riders on the Train & Trail Tour arrive in Big Lake, MN, for their journey back to the Twin City Gateway.

A Multi-Modal Adventure, a great experience that can fit your needs can be difficult. But, here with the areas Train and Trail Tour you can easily find a mix of trails and adjustable bike routes, it’s easy and just plain fun, with all the Gateways bike maps available! Plus, let’s not forget the scenic route you’ll take while on the Mississippi River Trail. A fun experience anytime, it’s especially breathtaking in the fall when the autumn colors take hold.

5: Explore the Farmer’s Market – Discover Local Produce and Goods

Have yoom in your bike bag to stop at one of the many farmers market in the Twin Cities Gateway.

Have room in your bike bag to stop at one of the many farmers’ markets in the Twin Cities Gateway.

Peruse what the local farms and businesses have to offer, and you may stumble upon fun surprises and foods that you might not have known existed. You thought that yellow watermelon was photoshopped? Or root beer honey was a joke? Think again! You never know what you might find there in the Twin Cities Gateway farmers markets scheduled throughout the week.

 

A fairytale come true at any age, with superb entrees and desserts, in the Twin Cities Gateway.

A fairytale come true at any age, with superb entrees and desserts, in the Twin Cities Gateway. 

So pick some activities to try in the Twin Cities Gateway this year, and have some fun!

Jess Leong is a writer for HaveFunBiking.com.

By bike or car Twin Cities Trout Fishing at Cenaiko Lake is worth checking out.

Twin Cities Trout Fishing Along the MRT

Want to Test Your Skills at a Twin Cities Trout Fishing Hot Spot?

If catching Rainbow Trout is on your list, then Cenaiko Lake in the Twin Cities Gateway is a great place to check out. This small man-made lake is located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota and is the perfect place for the whole family to fish and reap the rewards. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) stocks this lake twice a year with nine to sixteen inch trout. In the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park system, the lake is next to the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) for those who prefer to commute there by bike.

By bike or car, Twin Cities trout fishing on Cenaiko Lake is fun.

A Twin Cities trout fishing hot spot Cenaiko Lake is a fun place to fish.

Each fall, after the summer trout season ends, the MNDNR stocks the lake with Rainbows. Then, again in the spring after ice has melted, they restock the lake again. Designated as a trout lake, you can also catch Small-Mouth Bass and Hybrid Sunfish here. However, note that fishing is only allowed during the trout season. Please see the Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet for complete rules and guidelines.

Operated by Anoka County Parks, the Cenaiko Lake basin was formed from an old gravel pit where the deepest spot is 36 feet. A local fishing spot long before trout were introduced, shore fishing is accessible around the lake. There is a fee to enter the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park system, if you arrive by car. For those who choose to use a bicycle or travel into the park by foot, then the fee is waived. Connecting to the MRT you will find a paved trail around the shoreline. Along the trail you will also find  several picnic shelters and a playground to make this fishing destination a family event.

Summer Twin Cities Trout Fishing Opportunities

From the middle of April through the end of September, the entire shoreline around the lake is open for fishing. There is no boat access, but a fishing pier is available for use. The favorite bait for casting is wooly buggers and pheasant tail nymphs. See a Video of some young fishermen catching their limit.

Winter Twin Cities Trout Fishing Opportunities

Winter lake trout fishing season is mid-January (or when the ice is safe), through the end of March. For more information, visit dnr.state.mn.us.

For more information call Anoka County Parks at 763-757-3920.

Other Twin City Metro Trout Fishing Destinations

Looking for more places for fly fishing in the metro area when Cenaiko Lake isn’t producing? Learn more about fly fishing locations in the Twin Cities metro area below.

There are a few trout fishing lakes and a stream that are located in the south and west metro area. These places provide great access to fly fishing. You can also try fishing beach areas on lakes (where permitted) at dusk and dawn when other lakes are heavily vegetated.

Christmas Lake

Near Excelsior, Christmas Lake is just across MN Highway 7 from Lake Minnetonka. Water quality allows for “two-story” fish management. If you venture into the deeper waters here, you will find trout and the Bass-Panfish-Northern Pike fish community spread throughout the rest of the lake. Because Christmas is not a Designated Trout Lake, anglers can fish non-trout species during their legal seasons. Please remember trout fishing during closed seasons is both illegal and poor sportsmanship. The lake lacks shore fishing qualities, however, there is a small public access. Unfortunately, adjacent street parking is unavailable.

Courthouse Lake

In Chaska, the Courthouse Lake fish population has changed significantly in recent years due to flooding. After the flood in 1993, the lake was designated as a trout lake and a total lake reclamation was preformed. Then, in 1995, Rainbow Trout were introduced to the lake along with Brook and Brown Trout being stocked there in following years.

Holland Lake

In Eagan, located in within Lebanon Hills Regional Park Reserve, is Holland Lake were surplus adult Brown and Rainbow Trout are stocked. The water quality in the lake is excellent and trout stocked in recent years have been well received by anglers. There is no boat access and winter kill has been an issue. Thanks to the Dakota County Parks an aeration device is being used to bring up the oxygen level in  the winter.

Eagle Creek

And in Savage, Eagle Creek is at the crossroads of busy Highways 13 and 101 in Scott County.  A self-sustaining but small population of Brown Trout in the stream there requires that you obey the Special Regulation — catch-and-release only policy.

Good luck!