Well, I have to admit working on this thread got me in a fishin' mood, so I got on my Ranger boat and went to a local lake, it was a beautiful 60 degree day so I baited my hook with a shad and along came this huge, grandad bass and well... I had 'em but my fishpole broke and I got mad... And down to the bottom went old Grandad.
(I really did go fishing!)


Thanks for everyone who contributed to this thread, I've learned something now as usual have more questions than before.

Here's a roustabout version:

This was a cotton-loading coonjine song heard frequently on the docks at New Orleans by the black roustabouts that worked on the steamboat.

Catfish swimmin' in de river
Nigger wid a hook and line
Says de catfish, Lookyere, Nigger,
You ain' got me dis time.

Come on, bale (spoken) - got yuh!

Notes: From COONJINE IN MANHATTAN- 1939

-Richie