Noodling - Not Just the Preparation of a Lo Mein Dish

Because of my strong views on fishing with live bait, I have had people ask how I feel about noodling.  (Some people call it "grappling.")  For those unfamiliar, noodling is using only your hands to catch fish.  Most of the time, the prey is catfish of the blue or flathead variety.  It is only permitted in a handful of states.  Texas recently adopted it as a legal activity.  Noodling has been gaining popularity for several years in other states, like Oklahoma, due to numerous videos and reality shows on various networks.

If anyone does care about my opinion - I have no problem with it as a hobby.  I think people that want to stick their hand in a hole and HOPE that a 40-pound catfish bites it might not be playing with a full deck.  Their sanity, though, is not the question at hand.  I do not consider this "fishing" at all.  There is no bait (unless you count fingers that resemble worms).  I would definitely place noodling in the "hunting" category.  Most of the time, the participants do keep and eat their catches.  If they release them, that is fine too.  It was fun, and no real harm (to the fish) was done.

I first learned about this "sport" in a class while attending the University of Oklahoma.  The course was Geography of Oklahoma.  Toward the end of the semester, after we had used lectures and field trips to learn about the state, my professor introduced us to a documentary that, at that time, had been recently produced - Okie Noodling.  The documentary explored those who enjoyed noodling and even began an annual tradition of a tournament that I believe is still done today.  The documentary also talked about the dangers of noodling.  The obvious ones are getting bit by something other than a fish - turtle, snake, beaver (yes, beaver), etc...  The catfish itself can do quite a bit of damage to limbs as well.  It also talked about a man losing his life by getting caught in shifting concrete and drowning in only a few inches of water.  I realize that is a freak accident, but it just shows how unpredictable certain conditions can be.

All in all, I am intrigued by the mindset of individuals that enjoy this.  Who knows?  Maybe it is something I will try one day.  For the time, though, I prefer my fingers and toes just the way they are.  Although it should not be considered "fishing", I do respect that noodling has its place as a hobby. 

By the way, I purchased the documentary a few years ago and enjoy watching it with people who are not familiar with the activity.


Noodle On Boys & Girls!

Agree to Disagree

I told you it would not be long before I had another post.

I just had to share my thoughts after a discussion with a co-worker this week.  He was sharing with me his political views from a Tea Party perspective.  We discussed the Eric Snowden saga and had differing opinions.  This co-worker is definitely more informed on worldly events than I am, and I am okay with that.

Basically what I took from the conversation is that I am pleased that I do not spend time trying to keep up with every move that our government and others around the globe are making.  Do I feel like it is important to be informed? Yes - to an extent.  My reasoning - LIFE IS TOO SHORT.  If we spend all of our waking moments and mental energy worrying about government interference and playing watchdog, what time are we using to spend with our families? 

I do agree that there can be a happy medium.  I could probably take more time to study events around the world.  I used to do it as part of a job.  Some of my closest friends might say, "You used to work in the media.  You should follow current events more closely."  Here is a news flash for you.  Almost every person I know who worked (past tense) in the media have gotten away from actually following the news.  Most of them were in the business a lot longer than me.  After getting out of the media industry, it helps to disconnect by doing something you no longer HAVE to do.  It would be like a longtime In & Out employee not wanting to eat a burger for a while.

Again, I am all for informing ourselves, doing everything you can to make a difference, and standing up for what you feel is right.  However, sometimes we have to step back and think about if it is worth the time and energy that we could be spending on something closer to home.

My co-worker has my utmost respect for taking individual actions to not only be informed, but for taking steps by contacting those at higher decision levels to make sure his voice is heard.  We did agree, though, that we see things differently in regards to what might be worth our time.  I jokingly said that he might be better off moving to a smaller town like me, where his voice is bigger and has a higher likelihood of making change.  He said he would stay where he is and keep doing what he can.  I respect the passion and persistence.

New Hobbies on the Horizon - Is There Enough Time?

Yes, it has been over six months since my last post.  I have had several ideas for topics about which to write, and I have even written most of them down.  You know how it goes, though.  "Life gets in the way."

Since January, I have completed construction on a new home, moved, been promoted at work, become a landlord, spent quite a bit of time in hotels for work, and been diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome following an accident in my garage.  Needless to explain further, I have had a few things on my plate.

One advantage of the move is that I now have a new testing ground for fishing techniques since my new place has two ponds full of bass.  I would expect fishing posts will definitely pop up here and there.

Apparently, I might be tackling a new hobby or three in the very near future.  I do look forward to exploring those options and possibly writing about the adventures. 

• I was recently introduced to golf.  Golf is a sport for which I have always had a curiosity.  I had worked at several jobs with access to free golf, but I was always afraid it would take away from fishing time and finances.
• When building the new place, I always wanted to have a room with a pool table.  Well, I now have that.  I am not very good, but I enjoy the pastime.  My billiard sessions were limited following the concussion because of the dizziness that came with leaning over to shoot.   Symptoms are improving, though, so it should not be too long before my game gets better.
• For the last few years, I have struggled with ups and downs in my weight and fitness.  I lost a lot, then I gained a lot (more than once).  Last spring, I began the P90X program.  It was hard, but I enjoyed the challenge.  The visual and capability results are definitely evident.  I made it about half way through, but I stopped because of job change and injury.  I intend to start back next week after I get back from a work trip.  Having done it before should help in being able to modify the program slightly to best fit my abilities and work around a nagging hip injury.

Thanks again for reading.  Maybe the next post will not have to wait six months.