Granddad kept his crawdads in a tub in the basement. They were covered by a wet burlap bag. He seined them in the river. After selecting his bait, he took out his long bamboo fishing pole which had a floating bob on the line, after which we went through main street to get to the river. I remember how Granddad’s friends would kid him about his possibility of catching fish.

After arriving at the Solomon River, hooks were baited and the fishing began. Granddad chewed Red Man Tobacco, so he enjoyed waiting for fish to bite. Soon I was bored and I started exploring the banks of the river, later sitting with my legs in the water which was so inviting I soon found myself getting in and having a swim.  It was better than the cow ponds in which my neighborhood friends and I were used to swimming in.

Returning to where my Granddad was still fishing, I discovered he had caught some catfish and two bullheads. By mid afternoon we returned to Glen Elder, only to be greeted by Granddad’s friends who were enjoying the shade trees in the park. They still kidded him about his luck but he saved face by displaying his catch.

Finally, arriving home, he cleaned his fish and grandmother fried them for supper. I can still hear the whistle of the passenger train as it came and left town. It was a wonderful day in Glen Elder and I still rejoice as I remember my vacations in Glen Elder with my grandparents.