Until I got onto Google this morning, I thought the Casting Pond in the Lower Arroyo Park was unique to Pasadena. Nope. It's the location of the Pasadena Casting Club, a founding charter member of the Federation of Fly Fishers, "a 43 year old international non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through Conservation, Restoration and Education."Our local club was established in 1947 with 33 members. Now there are 300, but I've never seen anyone casting there. Don't tell the fishermen, but the only people I've seen using this pond are dogs chasing sticks.
I must not have been there on a Sunday. The website says, "The Clubhouse is open Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., under the supervision of a Board Member. This is the time and place to sit around and talk fishing, to practice casting in the Club's Casting Pool or to browse in the Library with its large collection of fishing related books and videotapes available for members use."
It can't be easy to be a fisherman/person in Pasadena. It's not like we're the land of many lakes. But we've got a casting pond, and Sunday's the day.
It's noon and I just remembered: Father's Day! I remember it late, with a pang. I've made no plans with my father today, who is long gone. The casting pond would be a good place to go with a dad, I think.
23 comments:
Beautiful photo -- such a tranquil scene! Perfect place to sit on one of those benches and ponder this amazing setting. At first I thought the casting club was some sort of organization for professional casting call directors. This club sounds like more fun though!
A beautiful, idyllic photo.
Pasadena and a casting pond....theres a joke in there somewhere.
Great picture the reflection is nice. I would love to hop in right now.
A good idea to go there in your mind with the memory of your father. Maybe I'll do the same. My father taught me casting when I was young, down in Miami, where he lived.
Meet you at the Pond?
Petrea-this is an absolutely gorgeous photo.
You keep getting better and better!
You got me with the title of your blog before I ever saw the photo-I expected to see a long line of expectant extras at some casting office.
This reminds me of where I used to vacation in Ontario. Lilypads littered the water, toads everywhere... and unfortunately, mosquitos.
Well Petrea, I looked at the description, and I do know what's it's like to lose someone.
I lost my grandpa right before my 18th birthday; he was 77. A month after my 18th birthday, my dog died from kidney failure; he was just a month shy from 12 and I still have his remains kept on my window sill. Then just last yea, I lost my great granny to Alsheimers; she was 98.
Well, Katie, like Jim says, there's a joke in there somewhere. But I overslept. Couldn't come up with it. Having been to enough casting offices, I prefer the tranquility of the pond!
Hi Benjamin, I love your profile shot. Which one's you? (Kidding.) You come from a city that's high on my list of places to visit.
Would love to meet you there, Dina. Maybe I'll stop by and think of both of our dads.
Diva, you know how to make a person's day!
Lindsey, I wondered about the mosquitos. You know we expect them around standing water in summertime. Surely they have a plan in place for that, or the pond is filtered in some way. I saw nary a bug. Maybe today's a good day to send some vibes out to your lost loved ones.
I have never been fishing, but I imagine that I wouldn't be too good at it; staying quiet for a long period of time is not my idea of a great time.
We do live in a land of many lakes--in Michigan you are only 6 miles from water no matter where you are! The Casting Club members would have fun!
OK, here's the joke.
The movie "Free Willy" was originally "Free Lilly," but the part was rewritten for a male. Why? Because the original orca refused the producer's invitation to his casting pond.
Bonus: She was doubly insulted when she learned the part paid only … scale.
This is like a beautiful painting. There was a school of artists known as the Hudson River School.They painted scenes from the Hudson River Valley here on the east coast. Your photo reminds me of them.
Ha! Same here, Christie, I'd never manage it. You and I can go have a cup of tea while the rest of the gang catches fish.
Casting pond. Bernie, that was good. The scale part...not so much. But I love "Free Lilly."
Speakin' of which: Lily, thanks for making my day.
A very restful image. Beautiful reflections in the water.
SPECIAL EDITION FOR CHUCK PEFLEY!
Petrea, your posting brought back memories of practicing my fly casting in North Pond of Lincoln Park. The attached link has a great areal view of the pond and of the Peggy Notebaerd Science Museum. If you're ever in Chicago you should stop by the museum and visit their butterfly haven. Hundreds of colorful butterflys fluttering around. A real treat.
http://home.comcast.net/~geoffrey.williamson/northpond.html
Great link, David! For anyone who tried it and was missing letters, just ad tml at the end, you'll get it.
You know, David, sometimes I miss Chicago with such a pang. Those photos of Lincoln Park just did that to me. June is Chicago's most beautiful time.
Perfect solution, Petrea. I really truly thank you for giving the fathers some thought.
Awesome photo.
On Saturday I saw two men practicing fly fishing on the little island on Del Mar & Lake.... clearly an Orvis employee selling a rod. We thought it was so funny at the time, living in a desert and all, but now I know!!
;)
one for dina, and a different one for cindy in pas., which would be more like :}
Look at the wonderfully perfect reflections! an idyllic spot.
Thanks, Andree.
I went to the pond Sunday, Father's Day, with my dad, uncle, sister, and daughter. It was an awesome day. My dad takes so much joy in creating a great lunch for us. So although it was Father's Day, it was his pleasure to make a great tailgate lunch for us. He also bought the fishing rods and taught us how to cast. There were other people there casting and fly casting (not sure of the term). Joggers, runners, dogwalkers, and horseback riders came through and exchanged pleasantries. I remember going fishing with my father when I was much younger, around 25 years ago, so I never realized how serene and relaxing it is to be in that kind of environment. My sister and I really had a wonderful time practicing and learning all sorts of new things. I'm putting together a slide show to document my experience with my 65-year old dad.
Ayesha, when I read your comment I thought, "It sounds idyllic." And look, the last comment on this post was exactly two years ago, and that was the word he used.
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