(Look Back with Bob Enoch - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Fishing Junket Troublesome

An item from the West Virginia Walking Beam [a newspaper of the Volcano boom days] of May 22, 1880, told what it was like for local fishermen to undertake an excursion on the Hughes River for piscatorial [fishing] pursuits.

“On last Saturday evening several members of the Ferret Co. left for the headquarters of Hughes River on a fishing jaunt, and arrived there at 5 o’clock after being thoroughly jolted up on the rough and uneven roads.

“Nothing in the line of accidents occurred to the party except when the tail board of the wagon gave way, and a large sized quart jug of coal oil fell out on the only stone to be seen for two miles either way. The boys regretted this very much as this was the only jug they had with them, but they consoled themselves with the fact that it was still daylight.

“It now being Sunday the boys would not fish … only caught a few to cook … as they would not desecrate the Sabbath. Charlie was the cook, and the dinner he set out would have tickled the palate of an epicure. Unheard of French dishes were on the bill of fare, among the most noted of which were potatoes a la fry, onions a la raw, and salt; among the delicacies for dessert were limburger, crackers and river water.

“After partaking of this sumptuous repast, they started for the classic limits of Leachtown, where they arrived at 7 o’clock, and immediately applied at the hotel for accommodations which were refused them by the proprietor, who thought they were a lot of tramps, and remarked to a bystander that they were the hardest looking set he had seen in that section for some time. The boys got on their dignity at this point and would not argue the point with him.

“As it was getting late, and being tired, they repaired to an elegant mansion nearby, which was formerly used as a stable, where they found first class accommodations and betook themselves to the soft and downy couch composed of corncobs. The boys slept well after their weary wanderings except when a hog would come and contest his right by crowding in amongst them, but they did not mind these trifles. In the morning a large goose was found sitting on the head of one of the boys who had his hair cut with John Rau’s clipper, which she was diligently trying to hatch out, thinking it was an egg. Johnnie, a well-known Baltimore drummer, woke up in the morning and commenced pulling at the end of a fishing line thinking it was the bell cord in his room at the Eutaw House in Baltimore, and remarked, ‘I will see Woods in the morning whether I can’t have my meals brought to my room. Roberts, let’s hunt another hotel.'”

From the Sesquicentennial Edition of The Parkersburg News

May 19, 1971

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“GOLLY WHIZ!” A Fish Story That Can be Proved to be True

The boys at the Ohio Valley Fishing camp, on the Steed farm at the mouth of Hughes River, made the largest catch of the season Sunday.

They have several trot lines set in the Kanawha and on Sunday, Chas. Taylor, Supt. Of the Parkersburg Mills, and Councilman Moore were running them when they found a fish entangled on one of their hooks that was more than they could handle. They hallooed to the other boys for assistance.

It proved to be a mud cat and weighed 116 1/2 pounds. A carp weighing 5 pounds and two small catfish weighing 2 and 3 pounds respectfully were found inside “is honor.” The boys were so elated over their big prize they had a big feast and jollification in which 450 persons participated. “Cute” Moore acted as toastmaster while Wilson and McCulloch ate fish for all there was in it.

Excerpt from The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

Aug. 8, 1899

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.