|
The neon green line floated over and across the water, unfolding itself until it exposed its length and then gently snapped back in the opposite direction, curling like a snake on its side. Then it sprang forward again, until the tip of the string gently tapped the water as if it had a secret to tell. The rest of the line then spilled into the water and created a soft, sparkling wake. The fly fisherman conducted his line’s movement like a maestro, his fly rod moving in a 10 o'clock to 12:00 o'clock motion, working the line to and fro. This fisherman was not wading in a grand river or tranquil reservoir; rather, he was standing about ten yards from Highway 13 in Oakland at the Leona Fly Casting Pools. To most non-fishermen, this public park, which was dedicated in 1958, is virtually unknown. Its two half-egg-shaped pools of shallow water, which are stocked with nothing more than pond scum and circular targets, are there for anglers to practice their casting skills.
|
