The fishing pond at Pine Nursery Community Park in northeast Bend is open to family fishing, so parents do not have to worry about sneaking a few casts on a pond intended for kids. The pond is stocked with rainbow trout, bluegill and bass. Designers with the Bend Park & Recreation District and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife took care to create a natural setting for the man-made pond, even if the parking lot and ball fields are just a few steps away. Several rock outcroppings allow anglers to access deeper water, as does a gravel walkway that juts into the middle of the pond.

Directions: From U.S. Highway 97, take the Empire Boulevard exit, head east on Empire Boulevard for 1.5 miles, turn left on Purcell Boulevard, then turn right on Rock Creek Park Drive at sign to Pine Nursery Community Park. The pond is located to the north of the parking lot.

— Mark Morical, The Bulletin