"A BOAT RIDE "
FOR A LOT OF
YEARS JOHNNIE AND I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON CADDO LAKE.
DURING THE TIMES WE WERE DOWN THERE WE HAD LOTS OF COMPANY. THEY
WOULD COME STAY A WEEKEND WITH US OR SOME TIMES LONGER. WE ENJOYED
THE COMPANY AND ALWAYS FEED THEM ALL THE FISH THEY COULD EAT. WE
ALSO LIKED TO SHOW OFF “OUR” LAKE. IF IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY
HAD EVER BEEN TO CADDO THEY WERE IN FOR THE SIX-BIT TOUR.
WE WOULD START
THE DAY OFF WITH A BIG BREAKFAST OF FRIED FISH, SCRAMBLED EGGS,
GRITS, BISCUITS, GRAVY AND HOME MADE JELLY, WITH ORANGE JUICE AND
MILK OR COFFEE TO DRINK. AFTER BREAKFAST I WOULD SEE THAT WE HAD
TWO FULL TANKS OF GAS IN THE BOAT. WE WOULD PUT AN IGLOO ICE CHEST
OF DRINKS AND SANDWICHES IN THE BOAT AND ASK IF THEY HAD THEIR
CAMERA. THEN WE WOULD BE OFF FOR THE TOUR OF THEIR LIFE.
WE WOULD HEAD
NORTH OUT OF TUCKER’S CAMP UP ALONG THE SHORE LINE, UP PAST BIG LAKE
CAMP TO HARRISON BAYOU. WE WOULD DUCK INTO HARRISON BAYOU AND
FOLLOW IT AROUND TO RAG ISLAND, WHILE WE WERE IN HARRISON BAYOU, I
WOULD TAKE A PATH THOUGH THE LILLY PADS WHERE THE WATER WAS ONLY
ABOUT 18 INCHES DEEP. THE WATER WAS VERY CLEAR AND I WOULD SHUT OFF
THE BIG MOTOR AND USE THE TROLLING MOTOR TO MOVE ALONG SLOWLY AND
QUIETLY SO WE COULD WATCH FOR FISH. WE WOULD SEE LOTS OF SUN FISH
AND ONCE IN AWHILE A CHAIN PICKEREL. ONCE WE SAW A 4 FOOT GAR.
THEN WE WOULD RUN
PAST RAG ISLAND TO OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND. IF THE LILLY PADS WERE IN
BLOOM, OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND WOULD LOOK LIKE A BIG FIELD OF SNOW
BALLS. I WOULD STOP FOR AWHILE AND LET THEM TAKE SOME PICTURES.
THERE WERE ALWAYS A FEW DUCKS IN THE BACK SIDE OF HARRISON BAYOU AND
WE WOULD SEE THEM AS THE BOAT SCARED THEM UP. THEY WOULD CIRCLE
AROUND UNTIL WE LEFT AND THEN LIGHT AGAIN.
AS WE MOTORED
THROUGH OLD FOLKS PLAYGROUND WE COULD SEE A FEW FISH IN THE CLEAR
WATER. ONCE IN A WHILE WE WOULD SEE A GAR OVER FIVE FEET LONG.
THERE WERE LOTS OF MUD HENS (COOTS) FEEDING HERE AND IT WAS TIME FOR
ANOTHER PHOTO STOP. THEN WE WOULD RUN DOWN TO GOOSE PRAIRIE AND CUT
THROUGH STAR DITCH TO THE OLD RIVER BED. WE WOULD RUN UP THE RIVER
PAST THE “DALLAS CADDO CLUB”, JOHNSON’S RANCH, AND THE LAST RESTING
PLACE OF “MISS EMPIRE” (THE BOAT DAD MADE BACK IN THE 30’s). WE
WOULD STOP AGAIN FOR PICTURES OF THE HOUSE BUILT OUT IN THE LAKE UP
IN CYPRESS TREES. IT USE TO BE A BEER JOINT AND YOU MOTORED UP TO
IT IN YOUR BOAT AND TIED UP TO THEIR DOCK. WHEN YOU WENT INSIDE
THERE WAS A LONG BAR WITH TALL STOOLS. THE MAN THAT RAN IT ALSO
COOKED AND SOLD HAMBURGERS. I CAN REMEMBER GOING IN THERE WITH DAD
AND MR. JOE AT LUNCH TIME WHEN WE WOULD BE FISHING. DAD AND MR. JOE
WOULD HAVE A BEER AND I GOT A COKE WHILE THE MAN WAS COOKING OUR
HAMBURGERS. THERE WERE ALWAYS BIG BOWLS OF POPCORN ON THE BAR.
BUT THAT’S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.
AFTER THAT STOP
WE WOULD GO UP PAST “CURLY’S CAFÉ” (WHERE WE WOULD GO FOR FROG LEGS
ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS) INTO THE GOVERNMENT DITCH. WE WOULD TURN RIGHT
INTO “OX BOW” AND MAKE THAT BIG CIRCLE. WE WOULD ALWAYS SEE PLENTY
OF SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS ON THIS CIRCLE BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE EVER
CAME THIS WAY. THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER PHOTO STOP. OX BOW CAME BACK
OUT INTO GOVERNMENT DITCH JUST BEFORE THE RIVER. WE WOULD TURN
RIGHT INTO THE RIVER AROUND DEVIL’S ELBOW, INTO ALLIGATOR BAYOU.
THIS IS A TWISTING CREEK CHANNEL THAT RUNS FOR ABOUT TWO MILES WITH
LOTS OF TWISTS AND TURNS. IT IS LINED WITH GIANT CYPRESS TREES THAT
HAVE SPANISH MOSS HANGING ALL OVER THEM. IT IS ALWAYS SHADY AND
DARK BECAUSE THE TREES OVER HANG IT FROM BOTH SIDES. YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU HAVE JUST STEPPED BACK INTO PRIMEVAL DAYS AND YOU MIGHT MEET A
DINOSAUR AROUND THE NEXT BEND. I ALWAYS STOP THERE AND TURN OFF THE
MOTOR. YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL THE SILENCE.
WHEN ANYONE TALKS
IT IS ALWAYS IN HUSHED TONES. AS THE BOAT DRIFTS ALONG WITH THE
CURRENT WE WATCH THE BANK AND SOME TIMES WE SEE AN ALLIGATOR LYING
IN A SUNNY SPOT, SUNNING HIMSELF. THIS IS WHERE WE SEE MINK ALONG
THE SHORE LINE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THE BIG BLUE HERONS IN THE
SHALLOWS LOOKING FOR A SMALL FISH. THE SPANISH MOSS IS TO THICK TO
SEE THEM BUT WE HEAR LOTS OF DIFFERENT BIRDS UP IN THE CYPRESS
TREES. WHEN THE BOAT DRIFTS TO CLOSE TO ONE OF THE HERONS HE WILL
FLY UP AND DO A LOT OF SQUAWKING TELLING US OF HIS DISPLEASURE AT
BEING INTERRUPTED IN HIS SEARCH FOR HIS DINNER.
AFTER A LITTLE
WHILE I CRANK THE MOTOR AND WE RESUME OUR TOUR. BY THIS TIME WE ARE
CLOSE TO WHERE KITCHENS CREEK COMES INTO ALLIGATOR BAYOU AND WE TURN
INTO IT AND RUN UP IT TO CLINTON LAKE BY WAY OF WHANGDOODLE PASS.
WE PASS THROUGH HAY RACK AND JUDD’S HOLE AND RUN INTO WHISTLEBERRY
SLOUGH. WE GO THROUGH A SMALL OPENING IN THE TREES INTO JOE MOORE’S
HOLE AND UP CLINTON’S CHUTE. WE RUN ABOUT A MILE UP THE CHUTE TO
GOAT ISLAND. I TURN OUT OF THE CHUTE AND GO TOWARD THE ISLAND.
WHEN WE GET CLOSE TO THE SHORE I TURN OFF THE MOTOR AND TIE UP TO A
LARGE CYPRESS TREE WHERE THERE IS SHADE. WE HAVE BEEN GONE FROM
CAMP ABOUT FOUR HOURS BY THIS TIME. SO WE BREAK OUT THE SANDWICHES
AND DRINKS AND HAVE LUNCH.
WHILE WE ARE
EATING LUNCH I TELL A LITTLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CADDO LAKE. THE
LAKE WAS FORMED BY A SERIES OF EARTH QUAKES IN DECEMBER 1811 TO
JANUARY 1812. THESE WERE THE “NEW MADRID” QUAKES THAT OCCURRED ON A
FAULT LINE RUNNING DOWN FROM TENNESSEE THROUGH MISSOURI, ARKANSAS
AND TEXAS. THESE EARTH QUAKES WERE SO STRONG THEY MADE THE WATER IN
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RUN BACKWARD FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THEY CAUSED
THE GROUND HERE WHERE CADDO LAKE IS TO SINK SEVERAL FEET AND THE
CYPRESS RIVER AND ALL THE CREEKS FILLED THE AREA WITH WATER MAKING A
CHAIN OF LAKES. AT ONE TIME CADDO WAS CALLED FARRY LAKE AND BEFORE
THAT SODA LAKE. ACTUALLY CADDO IS NOT ONE LAKE BUT A WHOLE CHAIN OF
SMALL LAKES CONNECTED BY LITTLE WINDING CREEKS AND CHANNELS. THERE
WILL BE SMALL OPENINGS IN THE TREES THAT WILL LEAD YOU FROM ONE
PLACE TO ANOTHER IF YOU KNOW WHERE THESE OPENING ARE. THERE ARE A
LOT OF LITTLE POCKETS OF WATER THAT ARE NEVER FISHED BECAUSE NO ONE
KNOWS HOW TO GET INTO THEM OR JUST DON’T KNOW THEY EXIST.
I HAVE SPENT 60
YEARS EXPLORING THE “OUT OF THE WAY” PLACES ON THIS LAKE AND HAVE
BEEN IN MOST OF THESE PLACES. MANY OF THESE PLACES I DO NOT TAKE
ANY ONE, NOT EVEN JOHNNIE. IF I EVER GOT BACK IN SOME OF THOSE
POCKETS AND MY MOTOR QUIT ME I WOULD NEVER BE FOUND, EVEN BY AIR.
THE CYPRESS TREES AND THE SPANISH MOSS ARE SO THICK I WOULD NEVER BE
SEEN FROM THE AIR. MY BOAT IS TO BIG TO PADDLE AND THERE IS NO WAY
A PERSON COULD WADE OUT OF THERE THROUGH THE LILLY PADS, MOSS AND
MUD.
BACK IN THE
MID-1800’s THERE WAS A BIG LOG JAM ON THE RED RIVER. THAT BACKED UP
THE WATER IN CADDO LAKE SO IT WAS DEEP ENOUGH FOR STEAM BOATS TO RUN
UP THROUGH CADDO FROM SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA TO JEFFERSON, TEXAS.
FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS JEFFERSON WAS AN INLAND PORT THAT SHIPPED COTTON,
TIMBER, AND FARM PRODUCE DOWN TO SHREVEPORT. THE STEAMBOATS WOULD
RUN FROM SHREVEPORT UP TO SWANSON'S LANDING IN CADDO AND TIE UP
THERE FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING THEY WOULD CONTINUE ON UP
THROUGH CADDO INTO THE BIG CYPRESS RIVER AND ON TO JEFFERSON. A LOT
OF PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE THE BOAT AT SWANSON’S AND GO INTO MARSHALL.
MR. SWANSON BUILT A RAILROAD TO CARRY PASSENGERS AND GOODS FROM THE
LANDING TO MARSHALL.
WHEN HE GOT THE
TRACKS BUILT HE BOUGHT A FLAT CAR, ONE PASSENGER CAR, AND ONE BOX
CAR, BUT DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY AN ENGINE. HE WOULD PULL
THE CARS INTO MARSHALL WITH A TEAM OF MULES. THE SIX MULE TEAM
WOULD PULL THE RAIL CARS UP A HILL AND AT THE TOP SWANSON WOULD SET
THE BRAKES. THEN HE WOULD UNHITCH THE TEAM OF MULES AND LOAD THEM ON
THE FLAT CAR. THEN HE WOULD RELEASE THE BRAKES AND LET THE CARS
COAST AS FAR AS THEY WOULD AND THEN SET THE BRAKES AGAIN AND HOOK
THE MULES BACK UP TO THE CARS AND LET THEM PULL THE CARS TO THE NEXT
HILL.
AFTER WE ATE OUR
PICNIC LUNCH WE WENT ON UP THROUGH CLINTON’S CHUTE INTO CARTER’S
LAKE. THEN I WOULD GO THROUGH ONE OF THOSE LITTLE OPENINGS IN THE
TREES THAT WAS A SHORT CUT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT. IT LEADS
BACK OUT TO THE RIVER. WHEN WE GOT IN THE RIVER WE HEADED BACK DOWN
STREAM TOWARD HOME. WE WOULD PASS SOME BOATS ON THE RIVER. THEY
MIGHT BE TIED UP ALONG THE SIDE OF THE CANNEL FISHING OR JUST BOAT
RIDING LIKE US. WE WOULD WAVE AND THEY WOULD WAVE BACK. WE WENT BY
THE MOUTH OF PINE ISLAND POND AND TURNED INTO MOSSY BREAKS, RAN BY
TAYLOR ISLAND, INTO JACKSONS ARM. FROM THERE WE WENT THROUGH RED
BELLY, HOG WALLOW, AND TURTLE SHELL.
WHEN I LEFT
TURTLE SHELL I WOULD GO THROUGH DRAGOVER PASS AND BACK OUT INTO THE
RIVER CHANNEL. DRAGOVER PASS IS SO NAMED BECAUSE IT IS A SHALLOW
PASS THROUGH SOME TREES THAT CAN ONLY BE USED WHEN THE WATER LEVEL
IS AT OR ABOVE NORMAL. IF THE WATER LEVEL IS A LITTLE LOW BOATS
WOULD HAVE TO BE DRUG OVER A VERY SHALLOW SPOT TO GET TO THE RIVER.
BY USING THIS PASS THROUGH THE TREES WE SAVED ABOUT THREE MILES
GETTING BACK TO THE RIVER. AFTER WE WERE BACK IN THE RIVER WE WOULD
RUN DOWN STREAM TO TOW HEAD AND OUT IN TO BIG LAKE. AS WE PASSED
TOW HEAD THIS DAY THERE WAS A BOAT TIED TO A TREE AND THEY WERE
FISHING. JUST AS WE GOT EVEN WITH THEM THE WOMAN IN THE FRONT OF
THE BOAT JERKED HER POLE UP AND LANDED A NICE WHITE PERCH. I
STOPPED THE BOAT AND LET OUR GUEST TAKE A PICTURE OF THE LADY AND
HER FISH.
THEN WE WOULD CUT
ACROSS BY TWIN ISLANDS AND INTO TUCKER’S CHANNEL AND HOME. ALL THIS
WOULD TAKE ABOUT SIX HOURS AND WE WOULD BURN ALMOST TWO WHOLE TANKS
OF GASOLINE. THIS TOUR NEVER GOT OLD FOR ME. I ENJOYED IT AS MUCH
THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT AS MUCH AS I DID THE FIRST TIME. WHAT I
ENJOYED MOST OF ALL WAS WATCHING THE PEOPLE THE FIRST TIME THEY WENT
ON THE TOUR. I ALWAYS TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS “GOD’S” LAKE, HE MADE
IT, MAN DIDN’T. TO MY KNOWLEDGE I HAVE NEVER TAKEN ANYONE TO CADDO
LAKE THAT DIDN’T FALL IN LOVE WITH IT. MAYBE NOT THE WAY I LOVE IT,
BECAUSE TO ME IT IS HOME. TO OTHER PEOPLE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL,
UNUSUAL PLACE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY.
CADDO LAKE IS
GETTING SO MUCH PUBLICITY NOW THAT A LOT OF THE PEACE AND
TRANQUILITY HAVE DISAPPEARED. THERE ARE 100 BOATS NOW TO WHAT USE
TO BE ONE BOAT BACK IN THE 30’s AND 40’s ON THE BIG PART OF THE LAKE
ANYWAY. BUT THERE ARE STILL LITTLE SECRET POCKETS THAT I CAN HIDE
IN THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT. BUT EVEN THESE ARE GETTING FEWER
EACH YEAR AS OTHER PEOPLE EXPLORE THE BACK PLACES IN THE SWAMPY END
OF CADDO.
TO ME CADDO LAKE
WILL ALWAYS BE GOD’S LAKE
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