Dustin, Holly, Austin and Kaitlyn during a regular fishing outing as a family at South Lakes Park neighborhood pond in Denton, Texas. (Photo by Holly Dollar)
Urban Fishing Sparks a New Generation of Anglers
By Anietra Hamper
Fishing ponds in urban Texas neighborhoods open opportunities for new anglers.
When Holly and Dustin Dollar moved to Denton, Texas to raise a family, they never imagined that the fishing pond in the park near their suburban neighborhood would become such an integral part of their lives. It is where their children Kaitlyn and Austin both caught their first fish and where they spend time outdoors as a family.
“We love how easy it is to access the ponds that have great amenities for kids and families and provide a calmness from everyday life. From tiny sunfish, a bass here and there, to giant catfish and even a few trout in the winter, fishing the ponds has been one of our favorite things to do as a family here in Denton,” said Holly.
The South Lakes Park Pond in Denton is one of several near their home that the Dollars can walk or drive to at least once a month to fish. Having done this for years since their children were little, fishing is now just a regular part of the family’s lifestyle. Kaitlyn and Austin, who are both teenagers, now enjoy helping other kids learn the joy of fishing by helping at local catfish clinics.
South Lakes Park Pond is one of 18 urban ponds in Texas strategically placed in highly populated urban areas including Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Waco. They offer kids and families opportunities to fish without going far from home, making it easy to integrate fishing into regular school and family routines.
“Having our neighborhood ponds so close means we can get homework done, eat dinner and still get some fishing in before dark,” said Holly. “Quick and easy access is a huge factor in getting out there. We can all be fishing in a matter of minutes. Having a pond nearby also takes away from the need to plan, pack and travel to the lake.”
The urban ponds were established in 2003 as part of the Neighborhood Fishin’ program by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to provide families like the Dollars fishing opportunities for trout and catfish close to home.
“Not everyone can afford a boat or even drive out to reservoirs, but these small ponds have easy access with amenities, even for short trips, so it’s a way to stay connected to nature and have better overall well-being,” said Tom Lang, Outreach Director of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division.
A 2024 Special Report on Fishing conducted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Outdoor Foundation highlights that 13 million youth went fishing in 2023, up from 12.7 million the year prior. These numbers are critical when it comes to engaging and retaining anglers.
“Eighty-seven percent of current fishing participants fished before the age of 12, showing the importance of introducing fishing at a young age,” said RBFF Senior Marketing and Communications Director Rachel Piacenza. “We also see that female youths quit fishing at an 11 percent higher rate than male youths, symbolizing a challenge that we still have to address to insure we retain anglers and boaters for life.”
The urban ponds are helping that effort as they are the introduction to fishing for many children who live within urban Texas neighborhoods. TPWD estimates that 100,000 people a year fish the Neighborhood Fishin’ ponds. Half of those are anglers who are new to fishing, and children represent about 25,000 of those who are using the ponds yearly.
“The outdoors are for everybody. We want to help enhance these local small waters close to home for families to go out with a low cost to participate. And, they have good fishing,” said Lang.
The urban ponds are stocked 21 times a year with 42,000 trout in the winter and 118,000 keeping-size catfish, so the catch rate is great which is an important element especially for new or young anglers.
With plenty of fish to catch, that makes bait easy to find too.
“You can catch catfish on all sorts of baits like hot dogs, chicken livers, soap, dough baits, nightcrawlers and these are all easy to get,” said Lang. “These are good fish that are fresh, healthy and make a great meal for the family.”
Besides easy access to the water and plenty of fish to catch, the Neighborhood Fishin’ ponds have ample parking, restrooms and lighting making them safe for families to visit.
For families like the Dollars, getting out to catch a few catfish so frequently without having to go far to do it has had a positive impact on their children’s physical and mental well-being.
“The ponds provide low-cost opportunities for families to enjoy fishing, nature, walking, discovering the world through young and experienced eyes and stories, and just be outdoors versus seeing it in a picture in a book or on a phone,” said Holly Dollar.
Through their joy of fishing and ability to do it so often at the neighborhood ponds, Kaitlyn and Austin are engaging even more in the natural environment they grew up enjoying. They participate in clean-up projects to help protect their natural resources close to home for others to enjoy, too.
(Anietra Hamper is a career television news anchor and investigative journalist turned award-winning outdoor writer specializing in fishing and outdoor adventure. Anietra travels the world fishing for catfish and other unique species in new destinations.)
