Fly fishing is where and when you find it. To be sure there are those that plan and save for an exotic fly fishing adventure in a far off land casting to “promised as advertised” finned beauties. For me, I want to fish each and everyday as often as possible. When I am home in Arizona, my daily fly fishing desire manifests itself at one of several lakes in Arizona’s Urban Fishing Program. I recently had the opportunity of several weeks of steady work that took be back to my roots in northern New Jersey. During my stay, I was able to flick a few flies on the gloried, pristine trout waters of my youth. To my (stress) relief and pleasure, I was also able to find consistent “Big-city limits fishing” within a twenty minute drive from work.
My big city fishing was at the lake at Hudson County Park. This man-made lake is set in one of New Jersey’s most densely populated areas; to wit: Hudson County, New Jersey. Admittedly, the location, set against the New York City skyline and nestled in amongst condominiums of various size and shape, is not the most pristine of natural environments. But, as much as “Home is where the heart is”, I say, “Nature and beauty is to be found all around you, if you open your eyes to it.”
I often left the hectic pace of a day at work, drove east on State Highway 46 into Cliffside Park, cut across Anderson Avenue to neighboring Weehauken and North Bergen and found my solitude amongst the several hundred visitors to the park. I stood on its concrete shoreline and cast my sharp feathery flies into the depths of its “citified” water.
A fisherman hooked this rainbow on a black Mepps in-line spinner.
Every now and then, I hooked a leaf, twig, even a plastic bag and a discarded fast-food-seller’s soft drink cup. More to my liking, I hooked the sporadic finned citizen of the lake. Such are the basis of urban legends.
I caught & released this rainbow using a # 14 Ju-Ju Bee Nymph fished behind a # 12 Black Wooly Bugger.
It is my understanding from the local fisherman that the rainbow trout caught during February are hold-overs from a stocking that took place in November, 2010. The next time you find yourself yearning to fish, give an urban lake a try. You may not be disappointed. A word of caution though (courtesy of the Parks Department):
Until the next submission, I remain,
Sensei John
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FISHING DOJO 
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