Fred’s on the River

Port Vincent, Louisiana

This story starts with Fred Boyd. Fred was six years old when his mother died, leaving behind three sons, and one daughter. Fred and his siblings were raised by his father in Brookhaven, Mississippi.

Fred’s father was a logger, who was gone on a lot of jobs, so the kids pretty much raised themselves. Fred got his first job at the age of seven, selling newspapers, from then he moved on to shining shoes, making deliveries, stocking, and bagging groceries... In the ninth grade Fred quit school, and joined the Army.

He and his wife Elaine followed the oil boom to Louisiana, where he worked as a roustabout. He then got steady work as a boilermaker; they bought a home in Baker, Louisiana. A good friend Buddy Smiley invited Fred to visit his home town of Port Vincent.

Fred and his wife Elaine decided to buy a camp on the Amite River in 1977. In 1979 everything along the Amite River was under water twice in two weeks.

After a friend decided he was tired of cleaning up after the second flood, he sold his property to Fred. Fred then sold everything in Baker, and moved his wife Elaine, and daughter Cherie to Port Vincent. Back then there was nothing much, but Berthelot’s Restaurant, which is in the adjoining parking lot.  Fred thought with no stores, or much of anything around, anything would do good, so he opened bait shop. They called it Amite River Bait Shop.

Fred continued to work as a boilermaker, while Elaine opened the bait shop, seven days a week at six am. The little money they had went to buying treated lumber to build a pier for their new home.  The house had an outdoor cooking area, where people could barbeque, or fry fish.

   Fred found out people started staying around to visit, and drink, it didn’t take long to figure out there was more money in beer then bait.  People started saying let’s go visit Fred, so became the name Fred’s on the River.

As time went on the little bait shop was added on to, until it became somewhat what it is today.

As far as we know. One of the many things that happened were in 1983 the whole building was completely under water.

In 2001 the water reached 13’2” all you have to do is look at the water mark in the front bar to see. Unfortunately that is one of the disadvantages to living or having a business on such beautiful river. 

Fred’s was the hot spot to be, eventually it was only open on Sunday’s, but it was still the place to be. One of the things the locals like to do is sit on the deck, and watch people put in, and take out their boats, with an audience they get a little nervous. I've personally saw a brand new vehicle, along with the boat completely under water. When it was pulled up fish were jumping out of it.

In June 2005, Johnny and Susan Hatcher leased the business, and opened it seven days a week. Also we, the community and, a lot of volunteers, every year host a Senior Citizen Day to honor our elders in the surrounding neighborhoods. I'm sure you may be aware of it, just a day of dancing, good food, and visiting, and believe me they wait on it every year. It will be on May 14th this year; I think it's always a Thursday. At least for the last 27 years, actually like I said it is all done through donations from local businesses, and many volunteers, if you know of anyone that would like to contribute send them my way, we have bands that play all day, give door prizes, and feed them wonderful food.

 All was good until Hurricane Gustav hit on September 1, 2008. The back bar where you will be today was totally demolished. Please take a few minutes to watch the video in the front bar, it is about ten minutes long. We are so proud of what it went from to what you will see today, we hope you will be too.

Fred, his crew, and all our family, and friends worked day, and night to reopen the front bar September 26, 2008, on a smaller scale.  Up until that time we had bands every Saturday, and Sunday night in the back bar. We reopened the back bar March 21, 2009 with the help of all our friends, hence the saying “PEOPLE ON THE RIVER ARE HAPPY TO GIVE”

We are now open seven days a week, open from 9:00Am till 2:00 AM. We offer Karaoke on Friday night, live bands on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. You can visit our website at www.fredsontheriver.com.

And for more information on our area please visit our friends @ www.riverratrob.com or for boat tours of the Amite/Diversion Rivers see Captain Bobby @ www.TickfawWaterTaxi.com   

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