Talk of East Texas

By Charles Statman

August 7, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

My mom brought a copy of this series to me, I live out in San Jose, CA, now. It instantly brought back memories, smells, sounds of the river.

Every other year, Boy Scout Troop 201 would take a “50-Miler” canoe trip down the Sabine. I think it was really about 90 miles, and 5 days, but it was paddling and sleeping where we stopped.

I loved and hated these trips. Sometimes the river was still, you had to paddle and paddle to get anywhere. Other times it was fast enough to tip the canoe, occupants and gear. I clearly remember two of my friends left an army ‘ammo box’ full of metal tent stakes in the bottom near one of the rapids sections. We also passed buried cars, and were told be careful you don’t pop through a windshield.

Best days, worst days, summer as a teen boy, there was probably no better way to spend it.

I’m very glad to hear some of the water-mediation clean up efforts have paid off. That river is truly a gem for north-east Texas, take care of it ya’ll.

C

By Joseph Worshabi

July 30, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

I have hunted the Sabine area for the past twenty years and agree about the flooding and duck related habitat. The photos are great and what a resource!Appreciate the story and history.

I like to eat wasabi.

By Ken Roden

July 28, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this

The 4-day Sabine trip was very adventuresome and interesting. Should they wish to make another such trip I have two suggestions. The first would be to take two flat bottom boats without the motors but with plenty of paddles. Then quietly float down the river. By being quiet they can see more animals. Secondly, take a good woodsman with a chainsaw and an axe to remove the logs that cross the river. This would open up the river not only for them but for others who would like to raft the river. The section they missed was right here close to Longview. As one who has canoed the river I believe it is one of the best sections to see from the river. I’ll be reading their next adventure with baited breathe whether they take my advice or not.

By Gary Boyd

July 26, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

Great story on a great E-Texas resource. We have many things that make living in E-Tex a pleasure and drawing card,,,Wes you’ve done a great job highlighting the Sabine…

By Gary Fleming

July 25, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this

I have fond memories of the Sabine farther South in Shelby County. I was born there and hunted/fished all along the river prior to it’s becoming Toledo Bend.

By Lona Boyd

July 23, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

Growing up, our family used the Sabine as our personal recreational site. I absolutely loved it when my entire family would “snake” down the river on our bellies, just watching (and feeling) for whatever might be found. Of course, that was always in the summer when the river was low. The massive alligator gars were always fun to see in the isolated pools of deeper water. I have pictures of gars 5’ to 6’ tall that my dad, Y.D and Jesse Floyd fished out of that river.

In the fall there was the adventure of hill climbing somewhere along the steep banks of the river in the area where I20 eventually was built to cut through around Longview. My dad would tie a rope around his waist and all three of us kids were subsequently secured as we adventured up and down those banks, climbing, falling, rolling down to the edge of the bank (much to the bewilderment of Mom.)

The winter brought great hikes through the bottomlands of Tally Bottom and on rare occassions opportunities for ice skating in the low lying areas that had pockets of shallow water that thickly iced over.

Spring brought with it the rains and rising river and great boating adventures down the Sabine. As the river was on the rise we would keep watch on any nests that would be surely flooded and would rescue the youngsters before they met death by drowning. Through the years we raised baby squirrels, raccoons, owls, and even a baby vulture on one occassion.

I have fond memories of the Sabine, indeed.

By Peatus Boyd III

July 22, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this

My dad loved the river. He had been hunting and fishing on it all of his life, since the early 20’s. He went from Longview to Orange Texas on it. There was a great ramp and picnic area right under the Old Kilgore Highway bridge when I was a kid. We use to go there as a family and put the boat in for day-runs up and down that stretch.We had keys to Skipper’s bottom right there and did a lot of frog gigging in the ponds down by the river at night. On the other side before I-20 we would hunt racoon through those sloughs with Y.D. and Jesse Floyd and their dogs way into the night. It’s good to hear the Sabine is still a respected part of East Texas.

By Herman Adams Jr.

July 21, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

The swinging bridge, as i remember it from the 1960’s, was a 30” pipeline that crossed the river. It had two 2”x12” boards running it’s length and a large rope tied from the center of the span. We used to swing from one side of the river to the other, and those who did not make it, well, they got wet. One of these crossings was just west of HWY 42 off river road, and another one was back in the bottoms east of Gladewater, in the area of the old Sinclare oil camp on the Fishburn lease. This area is now off limits due to the actions of others shooting or stealing oilfield equipment. As for the structures at Gladewater, someone at the Oil Museum in Kilgore, with detailed knowledge of the East Texas oil boom could help. Do any of you remember Merrill’s lake and the oil derrick out in the middle of the lake? A lot of people used to make that 40’ dive from the platform into the lake. Some of them dove off the derrick itself, but NEVER from the top, people climbed it just for the view! We were just young in those days, and nobody seemed to mind as long as nobody got hurt…

By Herman Adams Jr.

July 21, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this

My grandparents lived in the area west of HWY 42 between Longview and Gladewater in the oil field along the river. That area has provided some of the best outdoor life anyone could ever find in Texas. Back in the late 1950’s thru the mid 1970’s that area was like a state park, fishing, camping, hunting and just exploring the old oil field was just some of the things one could do there. It seemes one went back in time anytime you went in there, other than the old gas-fired boilers that ran the pump jacks, there was only the wildlife sounds. And then there was the old lease roads all over the bottoms, one could get lost back there real easy and some did. The area along the river has a lot of history and should be a public wildlife area, but over the years, people have done the kind of things that made private owners and companies that lease the area lock it from public access. Lost is an area along the Sabine that would make the best state park in Texas, it would only need the state to rebuild one of the old oil boom camps as an attraction, complete with some of the equipment used in the late 1930’s (some of that is still in the area) and let the river bottoms do the rest. That area would be the most popular area in east texas in years, and may draw some of the people going to the casinos to come here too. Ask around to people who grew up here, about the swinging bridge over the river, some of the good times they had back in the bottoms, and about some of the stories that came out of there and you will have an idea of just what that area was and still could be if someone had the connections and the money. Now it’s just closed to the public because of a few bad people…

By Bobby Marks, Jr.

July 21, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this

In reading John Graves seminal “Goodbye to a River”, the author spoke of his three weeks of camping, fishing, and ruminating about a river he loved. Learning of a proposed dam site prompted the author’s three weeks on the river that “progress” would alter forever.

I grew up on the south edge of Longview in the 60’s, and the Sabine River bottom is forever etched in my fabric. We hunted and fished Talley Bottom, about a 10-minute drive from our house. Talley Bottom is the river bottom on the Harrison County side of the river from Estes Junction to south of Hallsville. From the time I was small, my father took my brothers and I down there to learn and experience the incredible duck hunting and fishing found in the Sabine River bottom. Spring flooding would trap bass, crappie and catfish in creeks and sloughs and we wore them out. The amazing thing about it was we practically had this area to ourselves.

Needless to say, the series on the Sabine River is quite enjoyable, and it is my hope there more generations will have the opportunity to explore and experience this great slice of God’s creation. Thanks for the series.

Bobby Marks, Jr.- Sugar Land, Tx.

By Susan Vetrano

July 20, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this

Vickie told me that you had this story coming out and I’ve read it with great interest. I loved it and the pictures made it that much better. Maybe you and Jacob should consider a letting the folks in East Texas know about the Mighty Mississippi? Take care. Great story! I

By Cliff Woods

July 20, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this

Enjoyed all you shared about your trip on the Sabine. There is nothing quite like catfishing on a Texas river like the Sabine. Also, sounds like there are plenty of folks who still enjoy the Sabine. It’s good to know a place like Yellow Dog Campground exists for people to safely enjoy the river and its surroundings.

You took me back to times my family has enjoyed fishing and camping on the Sabine, the red clay, the cypress, the sandbars, and the log jams. AND, you really made me hungry for some fried river catfish!!! They are the best.

Thanks again for sharing the trip.

By mm

July 19, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this

When I hear of the Sabine river, I think of all the copper that was stolen along it by people in a flat bottom boat a few months ago from an oilfield service company. Never read anything about it in the paper. But it cost a local company tens of thousands of dollars. They went down the river on a boat and stole copper all along a pipeline.

This should of been reported as a theft and not a criminal mischief.

By Robert

July 18, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

I have fond memories catfishing with my father down on the Sabine when I was a boy. We used to stay out there all night and fish. We used to catch some pretty nice size fish. I agree with Kay’s comments about access to the river in light of other towns in the area having waterways for the public. It sure would be a positive way to spend the taxpayers monies. Just take a look at Jefferson and how they have access to their waterways.

By Stephanie

July 18, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

Hey, I just wanted to let y’all know that this is a great piece so far with beautiful pictures. Jacob and Wes, we are glad that y’all spend your last day at camp with us and hope you had a good time. You are both welcome at Yellowdog anytime day or night! Keep up the good work. :o)

From the rednecks at Yellowdog!

By Wes Ferguson

July 18, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

We weren’t sure what to make of those big concrete things on the river near Gladewater. There was one across the water at the other bank, too. Does anybody know someone who might have an idea? Also, we’d heard about the swinging bridge from Mr. Woodall, but it’s long gone. Thanks for reading!

By foxymaw

July 18, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this

Back in the 50’s there was a swinging bridge over the Sabine…don’t know if this structure was part of the bridge or not, but we would dive off and in to the water … we were idiots back then

By Carlyn

July 18, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

This is a terrific series with beautiful photos.

By Shea

July 18, 2008 5:38 AM | Link to this

It makes me want to take a trip down there. I like the story alot so far. My husband goes there on occasion to bow fish. I never really thought about going just to see the sights. I think it would be nice tho. What is that picture of in todays article? It looks like part of an old bridge. Is that what it is? If so, how old is it?

By Kay Smith

July 17, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this

I think the Sabine River is a wonderful river, but wish there was more access for bank anglers from the Hwy 259/Hwy31 bridge. The Longview area needs a positive place for people to go, and have fun with their family. Teague Park is the only place in Longview that is not a private lake I believe. It is really just a duck pond. Even Gladewater and Kilgore have a small lake, and Tyler does too. So maybe that area could be cleaned up some for area anglers!

By Tom Dillman

July 17, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

So cool! Tom - Houston