Noodling

[powerman970]

Okay...not real noodling where you use your fingers for bait, but I guess our modified version of noodling here in Alabama.  My brother-in-law was invited to go with some friends a couple weeks ago and I laughed at him for going but I am going with him next Saturday.  These guys are hopping out of the boat and walking down the side of boat ramps to find holes that catfish will hide in.  Then they shove this homemade contraption into the hole (piece of 1/2" flexible PVC with a large treble hook tied to a piece of parachute cord then the cord is run through the pvc and on the other end they leave about a foot of slack then tie on a large washer so the cord can't be pulled through the pipe) and when they feel a catfish hit they set the hook ( by snatching on the washer) and then you hold on.  They are taking fish upwards of 30 lbs and my brother-in-law told me that when you are out towards the end of the boat ramp and have to go under water to fish the hole it is crazy!  He got drug into water over his head last weekend by a 35+ pound fish and nearly drowned before finally wrestling it in.  Anybody heard of this type of fishing and if so do you have any pointers since I will be going for the first time and he has only been twice.

[rdneckhntr]

Dont drown lol ;D

[powerman970]

I'm gonna try not to.  I understand they call this a grappling hook and that the mortality rate is actually pretty high.  We'll see how it goes.  Hell, maybe I'll get one of those Darwin awards or something.

[Other.]

Noodling seems dangerous. The catfish can drown you, you have the odds of having the catfish spiking you (not dangerous but it can hurt), and you also never know what else is in the water poisonise snakes for example. I am not against noodling it is just something I would never try. A good substitute to use if you are not a rod and line kind of a guy, much more fun then casting and waiting.

[powerman970]

Oh I love to fish.  Noodling is just an alternative way to do it.  I guess for me it is like skydiving, something I want to do just once so I can say I have done it.  If it wasn't dangerous I wouldn't care to try it.  I am an adrenaline junky and have no desire to go to rehab for a few more years.  I like fast cars, fast bikes, climbing things that are not meant to be climbed, and just maybe noodling.  We'll see.  I had a buddy that summed it up.  He does not fish and can't understand why we do. (But I let him be my friend anyways).  He said I don't care about casting for fish all day but there is something kind of cool about chasing them with sticks.

[Matt Fly]

I don't ever want hooks in the water when we have grappled a big cat.    We've blocked the hole only to have the big cat take some skin off the shin bone while blocking the escape route.    

I'm sure they perfected their technique, but a line and hook in the mix sounds very dangerous when the fish is hooked and being fought in close quarters.

Matt

[paleo]

noodleing is a blast we do it during the summer    but check your regulations here wher i am at it is illegal to use hooks or gafs while noodling