Casting is the hard part of fly fishing and the part nobody lets you practise, so the Urban Park Rangers solved it by building a dry course on a Mariners Harbor lawn — rods supplied, nothing living on the end of the line. You get an hour of real casting and reeling technique plus a rundown of which New York City ponds hold fish and where to stand. If you have wanted to try the sport without buying a rod first, this is where to start.
What to expect
Meet at the park entrance where Grandview Avenue meets Continental Place and the Rangers will already have rods and a practice course laid out. Expect an hour on your feet on open grass, working the cast and the retrieve, with a talk about the fish in New York's ponds folded in. No registration and no equipment of your own is needed.
Good to know
- The Big Park is at Grandview Avenue and Continental Place in Mariners Harbor, walkable from the S40 bus along Richmond Terrace out of the St. George ferry termi
- No registration is required — the Rangers take drop-ins at the entrance
- All rods, line and supplies are provided, so bring nothing but water and sun protection
- There is no pond at this park; the casting course is on grass, so wear shoes you can move in
- Good for beginners of any age, and useful if you plan to fish the city's ponds later in the season
- The park has playgrounds, courts and public restrooms if you bring kids who run out of patience
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Common questions
Do I need my own rod?
No. The Urban Park Rangers provide all rods, line and materials for this program — turn up empty-handed.
Will we actually catch fish?
No. There is no pond at The Big Park, so the Rangers build a simulated course for practising casting and reeling instead.
Do I have to register?
No. The NYC Parks listing states registration is not required, so you can simply show up at the Grandview Avenue entrance.
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