Best Way to Drop a Line

The Urban Fishing Program officially celebrates its 20th birthday this year, a spin-off of an earlier "Fishing in the City" program. "If people can't get to the fish, we'll bring the fish to the people," says Game and Fish Program Manager Eric Swanson. You've still got to catch your own, but Swanson and company will even show you how do to that. "It's about convenience, and this program fulfills that concept." While there are a dozen participating lakes in metro Phoenix, surveys of angler participation rank Tucson's three waterways in the Top 5. "Lakeside, Kennedy and Silverbell lakes attract the most attention," says Swanson, "regularly drawing an estimated 16,000 folks who like to wet a line." A fourth body of water, the 10-acre Sahuarita Lake south of town, opened for angling and sailing last year. Five acres of tree-lined parkland surround the lake. "It won't be long before Sahuarita is a tremendous success," adds Swanson.