It was one of those perfect April days when the weather was warm with a cool breeze, somewhere in the 70's with the sun shining on the south sloping hillside. Kenny and Maurice sat on top of the ridge watching the men down at the creek wading and searching holes in the rocks underwater.
It was the boy's job to watch for the game warden – he seemed to show up just at the least opportune time. Noodling was illegal here in the Edge Of The Ozarks in 1940, but even though the depression was winding down, the effects on families here still lingered. Food was sometimes hard to come by, and big cats were a delicacy even if they were against the law to grab under the rocks.
The family had just gotten back last fall from a trip out west following the harvest. The brothers couldn't help but miss their older sibling, Eldon. In Washington state he had asked his dad, Ray to drive him into town one morning. He got out of the car and walked away and didn't come back. The boys had heard from friends that Eldon had enlisted in the Army and was serving in North Africa. They hoped he was OK, but missed his great tall tales to pass the time.
The men worked the rocks and holes underwater in Elk River not far upstream from the Neosho. It was a few miles south of Wyandotte, Indian Territory where the family lived, and was one of the best catfishing spots around. The Pensacola Dam was almost complete and soon this entire area would be under 100 feet of water. Many days had been spent hunting, fishing and playing in these woods and everyone hated to see it go.
They had found a few nice cats and penned them up in a little basin at the edge of the creek. Kenny and Maurice were excited thinking about frying up those fish later in the evening. They didn't even think twice when a voice behind them said “What are those guys doing?”
Kenny just replied without thinking “Noodling Catfish” – then both boys at once looked around to see the officer standing behind them. Game Warden, they both shouted in unison and then sprang up like wild rabbits and dashed into the woods.
The game warden had the authority to arrest and jail offenders of the wildlife laws in Oklahoma, but they were also part of the community. They knew how hard it was to make due with little money and what folks could raise on the farm. As he talked to the men in the river he asked “Where do you think those boys ran off to?”. Ray replied, “They're probably half way back to Wyandotte by now”.
Those big cats fried up real nice that evening and the whole family enjoyed the welcome meal. They also did a great job entertaining their guest, who was now out of uniform.
