Mayberry, NYC

This was the perfect summer image - two young boys standing lakeside preparing to fish in dappled late afternoon light. The scene made me feel like I was in the archetypal small town - transported to Mayberry. A Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the park is the perfect respite from the hustle and concrete of the big city - the Tuileries gardens of Paris, Hyde Park in London or Sheep Meadow in Central Park. For many, fishing is relaxing and a way to connect with the outdoors. Fishing in New York City is not as uncommon as one might think. As I wrote in a previous posting about the shore of NYC, 4 of the 5 boroughs are islands or part of islands - there are over 500 miles of shoreline - rivers and ocean. The waterways surrounding New York have become much cleaner so there is quite a bit of fishing in the various waterways around the boroughs and in the various lakes in the larger parks such as Central park and Prospect Park (Brooklyn) where this photo was taken. Yes, some of the fish can be eaten but there are health advisories regarding recommended species and number eaten on a weekly or monthly basis. And my understanding is that fresh water fishing is catch and release only. Enjoy your Sunday - sorry, no treatises today, I think I'm going to take it easy :) ...