It looks peaceful, but...

under the surface is all the excitement of big water fishing, complete with epic battles of man and equipment against the wily monsters of the deep.  Imagine a quiet, sunny afternoon you're sitting in your collapsible chair on the bank of this urban pond, daydreaming of the big fish you know lurk in the waters you have fished many times in the past three months....you know because you have hooked several of them and have caught, photographed, and released a few, and unfortunately lost a few.  Now, you're attention is drawn toward the light action fishing rod straining against the holder in which it lies; straining and flexing in a violent attempt to free itself of the rod holder and follow the 8 pound test line that ties it to the bait submerged below the mirror surface of the pond. You grab the rod and lift it up to see if a fish is actually hooked, or if 'another one got away.'  But this time the rod tip bends in a perfect 90 degree arch and the line being peeled off your reel by the unseen force  is taut with the promise of a great session. 

I have repeated this scenario many times over the last three months since discovering the urban fishing opportunities available to residents of my hometown.    Tulsa supports at least 16 lakes and ponds in local parks and water storage compounds.  Several surrounding cities; Broken Arrow, Jenks, Sapulpa, and Sand Springs also contribute to the list of good fishing holes.  Convenience is one of the main attractions for the urban fisherman...most residents are within a 10 minute drive of one of these opportunities.

My favorite pond is The Gardens at LaFortune Park.  Located at 51st Street and Hudson Ave. it is very centrally located and  well cared for by the City Parks Department.  Convenient parking, restrooms, jogging paths and lots of shade trees are some of the many features that add to the comfort.  But the main reason I like The Gardens is the fish ...not just the little bluegill and sunfish that most people see feeding around the edge, not even the channel catfish that are restocked every year and can give the casual fisherman a good fight  for their 14" to 18" average size, but the fish.....or, rather, The Fish....The Carp....the fish memories are made from....the fish that pound for pound fights as hard as any sporting fish on the planet....the fish that is an intelligent, wary adversary for any serious angler....the fish that can grow to over 3 feet in length and weigh 15 to 20 pounds, even in a small acre and a half venue....the fish I have hooked and battled on three occasions only to get it close to the bank and lose it at the last minute....the fish that calls me back for another round.....