The wife had the crazy idea to go fishing tomorrow about an hour north of us. Neither one of us owns a pole nor have we been fishing anytime in the last few years; last time I went it was on a saltwater 'trip' where everything was done for me so I learned absolutely zero.

From the website of the area we are going to they state that there are brook trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.

From what I am gathering (and some minor advice I've googled) I need to go grab a 'medium action' rod tonight with some 4-6lb test line. A mixed bag of sinkers weighing .5 - .25 ounces, some hooks and some bobbers. How am I doing so far?

Other than that, I am confused by what to get as bait. We are uncertain if there is anywhere to get worms (or if they are even good for trout) so google shows things like 'power bait' being good for trout. Can someone tell me about this, and do I just put this floating ball-like stuff on a hook and cast, or do I need a lure as well with this?

Guess the easiest thing to ask is - what do I go buy that will work for a pair of total beginners, not break the bank but not be cheap crap and how do I set up the lines?

Thanks

Go buy a heavy action rod for each of you with 8 pound test rigged deep for cat fish get plenty of sinkers and hooks. Cast and let em sit.
Buy a light or medium action rig for each of you with plenty of number 10 fishhooks and bobbers and weights. 4-6 pound line.
buy bait. buy 2 pairs of needle nose pliers for removing hooks.
go fish. !

Since it sounds like your trip is a rare thing for you (fishing wise), I would just grab some ready to go stuff from walmart.

They should have some spinner rods ready to go with the line you need and some prepacked tackle box starter kits with all the weights and misc stuff you need.

You can buy bait and lures locally once you get out there and figure out what everyone else is using.

Good local tackle shops are an invaluable resource regardless of experience level.

http://takemefishing.org/

Went today and caught 2.5 trout.

I say 2.5 because I got 2 rainbow trout and she got a cutthroat that got reeled in 5 feet from land and then decided to jump off the line. Actually she got super excited and yanked the rod causing him to take the hook but she had a hell of a time.

We went to Walmart early and ran into a guy getting some bait for trout fishing and saw how confused we looked and stuck around to pick out rods, reels, line, bait and everything. Told us what to do as far as setting the line up and we went home and leared how to put new line on a reel, put everything on the line and off we went.

First fish was caught within probably 20 minutes of getting there.

Always great when you have a successful first outing.  Makes it easier to keep you coming back.

My son is 2 this Friday and has had his own rod for about a year now.  I'm really excited to share my passion with him and for him to help me teach his younger brother some day.