The Driftless Fly Fishing Company

The operation is built around a small brick and mortar storefront in Preston, a bluff country town of a few hundred people, and it marks thirteen years working the southeast Minnesota Driftless. Mel and Ruth lead the crew, and a second phone line is published so callers can reach Mel directly for current water conditions instead of going through the store. An apartment sits above the retail floor and is let on its own terms at $99 a night, $400 a week or $800 a month, furnished with wifi, coffee, towels, cooking pans and utensils, and a flat screen set up for streaming. Stay and play packages pair those nights with days on the water, including a standing offer of a free night when two full days are booked, which makes the business as much a lodging base for visiting anglers as a guide service.