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!