I've been craving bass fishing during the week when I'm not at the lake. The only public body of water that is close to me is a river that flows through downtown and a couple of parks. I used to fly fish in it for little bass and bream but now I want to try to catch some larger bass. It's shallow enough to wade in and I've seen some decent bass (relatively, 1-2 pounds). Any tips on fishing here? Can't imagine that it gets much pressure it's an obscure fishery.

Keep it simple, cast upstream parallel to the shore at bassy targets. 

My tip: DO IT!

Some of the best smallmouth fishing that I've encountered was on urban streams. Anything with rattles and movement (Chatterbait, Crankbaits, even rattling swim jigs) and reel in with the current like J said. 

Slower less "currenty" aim for structures in the water. Bridge pillings are excellent smally gathering grounds. Drop shots are excellent, I've had a ton of luck with a nose hooked roboworm in morning dawn color rig. 

Most of the Erie Canal is at least partly urban and I fish that all the time. It's by no means a hidden fishery so you'll probably have more luck in a less pressured fishery you're describing. 

Fish it the same relative way you would anywhere else.  Bass don't know the difference.

Urban water bodies tend to be extremely fertile and nutrient rich due to the runoff and pollution that comes from the city. If I were you, I would aim for numbers instead of lunkers because of the fact that there will probably be many smaller bass in an umanged, polluted waterway.