Blue River Fly Classic

Blue River Fly Classic
A One Pattern Fly Event

Friday, January 9, 2009

The Casting Pool

About two minutes from my prairie homestead on the prairie ocean is a place I go to cast a fly line and all that involves. I call it the casting pool. The casting pool is a narrow and long streamflow that gently and serenely makes it's way to a confluence with other waters.

Unlike the casting pools at Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops this one is within the beauty of nature. The main reason I like to come to this place to cast is because of the people that come here for various reasons and add to the appreciation of the outdoors. Some people come to take their daily walk or take their dog on a daily walk. Some come to paint a masterpiece or finish a novel. Some come to meditate and practice their discipline. And then, there is the fly-caster who comes to practice or simply enjoy part of the beauty of being a fly-caster.





If the casting pool has a proper name I do not know what it might be. Speculation would lead me to believe it would have to be called Vendome Stream or Flower Park Stream. The casting pool is the result of an artesian well flow that has been flowing since I was a kid and even earlier than my existence. At one time this area was private property and show-cased one of the most popular swimming pools in Oklahoma - the Vendome Pool.

When the Vendome Pool was in operation it was the place to be when I was a kid. You could swim all day, lay on a sandy (man-made) beach, dive off the high board, slide down the slide, meet girls, and later in the evening you could play billiards above the shower and towel area. Later on a steak-house was added, rock bands were hired to play, and it was simply a hot place to be. I'll never forget the rock band called Wheatstone Bridge. They were a Oklahoma grown band and they imitated Grand Funk Railroad...actually they were better. Also during this exciting time of my youth the Bellview Plunge was in operation and it was touted as the largest swimming pool in Oklahoma. Both owe their fame and existence to the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer. In the 1970's both pools closed and the Vendome was acquired by the National Park Service becoming a part of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

A fly-caster can come to this place and not worry about hooking a fish because they're are none. This stream simply flows on it's way to join Travertine Creek and then shortly after that the two together join Rock Creek. It's a web of nature. I don't know exactly what it is about casting that relaxes me so much...I just know that it does. And I know that I wouldn't feel nearly as relaxed casting at some fly shop, Bass Pro, or Cabelas compared to the comfort I get when I'm at the casting pool here on the prairie ocean.




1 comment:

farmergreen said...

I can understand the relaxing achieved by the fishing you do. As an avid Cat fisherman I too injoy just layin on the bank and watching nature go by waiting on the nibble but not caring if it comes or not. just being outdoors is enough.