Jots and Titles # 1370 by Eddie Trapp, February 12, 2015

From my ledger. February, Friday the thirteenth, 1987. Tommy Ingram told me he read in the paper

it was the first time in history that Friday the thirteenth came on a Full Moon. I sorta doubt that. The

guy that put it in the paper must have been confused. I took a day of personal leave from school today.

Got to the Charleston Store at 8:30 and later went to Danny Daniels place north of Vasco to a switch

cane thicket on the bank of old North Sulphur River. Cut thirty canes to use for fishing poles. Back to

the store and put fishing lines on ten of them. Decided to give some away to young fellers like Martin

Nabors, Jacob Toon, Fletcher Nabors, Matt Ingram, and Wesley Houchins. Carried fifteen of the poles

to the river at the Woodard Place at Longridge. Stuck them in the mud at the edge of the water. Lots of

beaver sign. They love to patrol the edge of the water at night and cut down your fishing poles. While

setting out poles I caught a four foot long diamondback water snake. Carried him to store in minnow

bucket and found a sack to put him in so I could use my minnow bucket. Seined minnows and perch at

Carl Worden’s pool south of Bryan Flat. Doris Goforth’s boy, William, helped me seine. Baited poles a

little before dark.

Saturday, February 14, 1987. Trimmed trees for Sherwood Toon at Enloe. Crawling all around up in a

big tree trying to knock out a lot of mistletoe before the tree is killed. Was in the tree from 9:30 to 3:30.

To the river to check my lines. On the first pole I had a ten inch long ap, or flathead catfish. Turned it

back. No fish on the others. Built a fire and sat by it under an almost Full Moon for two hours.

Saturday, February 21, 1987. River up a little. To Woodard Place at 1:30 and started floating to

Kensing. My boat was tied out in the middle so it wouldn’t turn over if we had a big rain. Had to strip off

and wade out to untie the boat. Floated to Red Branch from 2:00-3:45. Walked out north to the county

road. Eutah Chandler was at his pasture quail hunting. He carried me back to Longridge to my pickup.

Sheila and her friend, Gwenda, came at 10:30 and spent the night.

Sunday, March 1, 1987. Sheila and her friend, Jodie, came from Mt. Pleasant last night and spent

the night. In the afternoon we decided to float the river in two boats from Highway 19 to south of

Charleston. It was bank full at the bridge on 19. Sheila, Jodie, Bret, Michael, and I made the float in two

hours and forty five minutes. I carried some charcoal, a small grill, and two T bones that we cooked in

the boat. Along the way we saw three coons, several squirrels, and four deer. Bret climbed a tall tree to

look in a squirrel nest for a baby squirrel but nobody was home.

Saturday, March 14, 1987. Coach Silman and I carried some boys to the state basketball tournament

in Austin. Left at 7:00 this morning. Bret Williams, Stacy Miller, Bam Morris, Byron Bonds, Daniel

Sansing, Shawn Silman, Shawn Garcia, Gary Casey, Jeremy Anderson, and Lance Mobley. While there we

saw old friends, Mitch Williams, L.J. Coney (My dad coached L. J. in junior high at Pecan Gap sometime

around 1950.), Larry Baer, Sam Parker, and Dickie Stringfellow. Morton Indians won over Liberty Hill.

The Morton coaches wore tuxedos, a school tradition. Hillcrest beat Cleburne. Ate in Temple and home

about midnight.

Sunday, March 15, 1987. Second day of spring break. Decided to go to Red River to camp out and

fish. Went to Charleston to dig worms. Went by Cooper to invite Jason Daniels to go with Greg and me.

Picked up Jason and back to Charleston to seine crawfish. In the pool just southwest of the Methodist

church we caught enough in two drags to last a few days. To Paris and on north. Crossed Pat Mayse

Dam and through Chicota. Northwest on county and field roads to the old fish camp at Red River. They

call it the Clay Bank Camp. Set up camp about five and put out trotlines. The river is up very high. Banks

have caved off since last year. Fried potatoes and ham for supper. To bed at 9:30 under a gibbous (three

quarter) moon.

Monday, March 16, 1987. Up at 6:30 and checked the lines. Nothing, not even any lost bait.

Discouraged. Then it started raining. Back to camp and got the boys up. Rolled up trotlines. Left at 9:30

before roads got too muddy. Stopped at Chicota Store a while and snacked. From Chicota to Arthur City

then crossed Red River. At the little fish market I bought a six pound flathead catfish for $2.25 a pound

and it dressed out three pounds of meat. We talked to some old timers at the fish market and told them

about needing a place to camp and fish. They suggested us take Highway 109 east just up the road and

go to the bridge on the Kiamichi River. We could camp under the bridge and be out of the rain. That’s

where we headed. It’s the road that goes through Frogville. I had always heard there were some people

there that sit squatting like a frog on their front porch. Had little tiny heads about the size of a softball.

I think somebody just made up that story. Nice pasture land along 109. Two mailboxes had the name

Collins on them. Next week, the Kiamichi River Bridge.

Bob Hope said he came from a large family. He learned how to dance while waiting to use the

bathroom. About four of them would sleep together. When they got cold his mama would just throw

another kid on the bed.

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Author: Staff Reporter

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