It will be noodling time soon! 2024

I can't wait...There is nothing like pulling a 40+ pound cat out from under a boat ramp with your bare hands.  Anybody else share in this craziness?

Ever grab a snake?

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Ever grab a snake?

Or a big snapper ?

I've never tried it but I'm tempted.

It's one of those things I don't actually wanna do, but I wanna be able to tell everyone I've done it  ;D

My biggest thing is I fear snakes so I don't know if I could ever cowboy up and try it.

I had friends that lived on the river that did it when I was younger. I tried, but I wasn't a good enough swimmer to do it effectively at this location. We did it under a small falls in 6-8 ft of water, it was hard with the current and having to dive and hold your breath. You had to do everything by feel, it was hard enough just to hold your position.

Snakes and turtles need to breath, so its unlikely you'll find them in a catfish hole. I'm sure a big flathead would eat most water snakes if given a chance. I've never heard of any problems or run ins with snakes or turtles specific to noodling.

I've never grabbed anything other than a fish.  At least not yet.  We do all our fishing under boat ramps and we don't just reach in.  I use 10' flexible PVC pipe with parachute cord and 10/0 treble hooks.  That way I can reach way back in the hole with the pipe and the fish will just maul it.  When the fish gets out to the hole he will always manage to get himself stuck and that is when we go down (with gloves on) and lip him and drag him out.  The only thing you have to watch for is that big a$$ treble hook.  I took one in the side of my knee and had one rip my shoe last year.  I think I'd rather fight a snake than that hook.

I've always wanted to go noodling. But it's illegal in our state!!! SUCKS!!!  

You fellas are crazy

GitRDone, check the laws and make sure.  It is illegal in most states to fish with your hands (at least that is what I have been told) but if you use the PVC rig I described it is no longer fishing with your hands.  A game warden is actually the one who told me how to get around the law when I started doing it.  If you are interested I will go into more depth explaining the rig I use and how we do it.

If you want to make the drive to Alabam I'll be happy to take you out sometime.  Just let me know in advance as our weekends fill up pretty quick and the best time to go is generally beginning of May through the end of June.  Bigger fish usually come earlier in May before the females have spawned out and left the nest.  BTW we always catch and release I will not allow anyone to keep a fish if we are in my boat.  We can actually catch the same fish week after week and that is very helpful when you are taking people out 2 or 3 times a week.  We know which ramps hold big fish and which ones are holding smaller fish for the kids to tangle with.  Also some of the holes we fish are in 1 foot of water where some of them are in 8-10 foot of water.  There is nothing like being 8 foot underwater and almost out of breath when you get a hit.  BETTER HURRY!!!!

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GitRDone, check the laws and make sure. It is illegal in most states to fish with your hands (at least that is what I have been told) but if you use the PVC rig I described it is no longer fishing with your hands. A game warden is actually the one who told me how to get around the law when I started doing it. If you are interested I will go into more depth explaining the rig I use and how we do it.

Explain away!!! I'm ALL ears!

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If you want to make the drive to Alabam I'll be happy to take you out sometime. Just let me know in advance as our weekends fill up pretty quick and the best time to go is generally beginning of May through the end of June. Bigger fish usually come earlier in May before the females have spawned out and left the nest. BTW we always catch and release I will not allow anyone to keep a fish if we are in my boat. We can actually catch the same fish week after week and that is very helpful when you are taking people out 2 or 3 times a week. We know which ramps hold big fish and which ones are holding smaller fish for the kids to tangle with. Also some of the holes we fish are in 1 foot of water where some of them are in 8-10 foot of water. There is nothing like being 8 foot underwater and almost out of breath when you get a hit. BETTER HURRY!!!!

Will that offer still stand next year? I'll have my truck and liscense by then and I'd REALLY like to make it out there! What part of Bamma do ya live in?

Assuming I'm alive and kicking that offer is good every year.  I love to introduce people to noodling and see the look on their face when they hang that first 40+ pound fish.  I live about 20 minutes east of Birmingham in Leeds.

The rig we use is a 10' piece of  1/2" CPVC, the flexible kind.  Run an 11' piece of parachute cord through the pipe and attach a 10/0 treble hook to one end and a large flat washer to the other end to keep it from pulling through.  This will leave you approximately 1' of extra parachute cord hanging out of the pipe.  If you grip the pipe about 3' from the end with your left hand and grab the flat washer with your right hand and pull it around to your left hand you can bow the pipe almost double.  This is the position you fish in.

Find a boat ramp and hop out (shoes are extremely important) and walk around the edge of the concrete ranp feeling with your foot for holes under the ramp.  When you find one go underwater and hold onto the edge of the hole with your free hand while you SLOWLY insert the bent pipe into the hole.  When the fish hits let go of the washer and give a little jerk on the PVC to set the hook.  Drag him out to the edge of the hole and sometimes he comes out sometimes he doesn't.  If he doesn't you usually need 2 people, one to hold the pie and the other to go down and dig the fish out.  When he comes free he will leave that hole in a hurry so your buddy better have a good grip on the pipe.  Don't try to hang onto him or you could end up with a big a$$ treble hook in your hand.  Just let him go and fight him with the pipe.  We usually just drag him up the ramp onto the bank.

BTW a good sandy or pebble bottom is usually the best.  A muddy bottom sucks and rarely holds many fish.  Keep in mind that these fish are bedding and release them close to the same ramp where you caught them.  I have shot some video of us doing it and even have footage of my 11 year old catching a couple.

I honestly think I may make a trip all the way to Alabama sometime just to experience this.  8-)

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I've never tried it but I'm tempted.

It's one of those things I don't actually wanna do, but I wanna be able to tell everyone I've done it ;D

My thoughts exactly!

"I remember one time back in '08 when I was noodling around and wrestled up the biggest catfish you ever saw... "  

C'mon Penguin.  Seriously I will take anyone that wants to try it.  I enjoy watching someone learn as much as I enjoy doing it myself.  We actually kicked around the idea of starting a guide service for noodling but I am afraid that would take the fun out of it.  Not to mention the liability if you got someone hurt.  I also like the idea of making friends not customers so we just take as many people as we can and introduce them to something we love.

PowerMan, I'll be there next year! We'll talk about it more when it gets closer............I'm REALLY looking forward to it!!! Thanks!!!

I have seen people noodling on TV and wondered if the population of big cats decline in some lakes.

I don't know if overall it hurts the population or not but I do know that it doesn't hurt it when I go.  CATCH AND RELEASE!!!  These are spawning fish and I would not even consider keeping one.  I'm sure some people keep a few but who really wants to eat a 40 pound mud cat?  

Not a problem GitRDone...You let me know when you are ready.

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I'm sure some people keep a few but who really wants to eat a 40 pound mud cat?

Exactly!!! The big ones aren't any good at all for eating!! The good ones are all under 10 lbs.

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I'm sure some people keep a few but who really wants to eat a 40 pound mud cat?

Exactly!!! The big ones aren't any good at all for eating!! The good ones are all under 10 lbs.

You have obviously never ate the belly meat off of a 40lb flathead!  You take that meat, trim and clean all the bad stuff off and I will guarantee you its the best piece of catfish you ever eat! ;D

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I can't wait...There is nothing like pulling a 40+ pound cat out from under a boat ramp with your bare hands. Anybody else share in this craziness?

If you would ever like more of a challenge I know where there are gator holes and I need them noodled out .

Thre biggerones often loose lots of their teeth so it may not hurt too bad ;D

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I can't wait...There is nothing like pulling a 40+ pound cat out from under a boat ramp with your bare hands. Anybody else share in this craziness?

NO THANKS! I know a guy who does that stuff. He reached into a hole filled with old rusty barbed wire (lets just say, the pic's were not that pretty). He's lost 3 fingers due to snapping turtles, and has been bit a lot of times by snakes.

By definition you are not actually noodling then? Every show on noodling I have ever seen it is done with their bare hands.

I have always wanted to try it myself. Looks like it can be quite an adrenaline rush.   Good luck to you.

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