Swimming and Fishing in the Gilo River

When spring came around we headed straight from school to go skinny dipping in the Gila River. In 1941, when I was 7 years old, the Gila River flooded. It was about three miles wide in some places. I would go with my older cousins to the river as it receeded. We found a hole where the river current would wash me out to a shallow area where I could get out.

When I was older we would climb the narrow, tall willow trees by the river. We would get someone to chop down the trees and we would ride the trees down.

We went to fish for catfish, suckers and carpe in the river. It was fun.