Catfish Noodling Guides By Catfishing Expert Dan

With all the catfish fishing secrets out there, noodling is one of the most popular. Here catfishing expert Dan, gives some excellent advice on this age old fishing technique!

Noodling - Adventures In Bare-Handed Fishing! 

It's an age-old fishing technique that my uncle taught me down in the Ozarks of southern Missouri - Noodling. Noodling means catching catfish with nothing more than your bare hand and quick reflexes.

No matter what you call it, tickling, hogging, grabbing, dogging or noodling, catching catfish with your bare hands is a truly man-against-nature experience! You can only imagine that this is the way our caveman ancestors must have got their fish suppers! Imagine yourself with a hand full of catfish guts, twisting and turning to dislodge that whale of a cat you got down there!

Okay, let's take a step back and ask - Exactly what is noodling? Well, let me break it down...
Step 1 - Go to a spot that is known to be popular with our whiskered friends. It also has to be at a time of year when the water is more than 80 degrees so they'll be spawning.

Step 2 - Find yourself an empty log, some tree roots, debris, a river bank, just about anywhere, and wiggle your fingers. What you're looking for is a male cat guarding his young, and when he sees something coming into his cozy little hideaway, he'll attack.

Step 3 - When he bites, get a handful of fish guts and pull. It might take some twisting and pulling, but if all goes well, you'll have that cat flappin and floppin on the end of your wrist... and you'll have some good fried catfish for supper tonight!

I know what you're saying - this is something only crazy rednecks in the backwaters would be insane enough to undertake. Surely a decent rod and some fishing gear isn't so hard to come by. What kind of maniac would plunge his hand right into the water and try to pull out a fish?

I'd say 2 things to that - first off, noodling is an old tradition, passed down from generation to generation. Second, it's a heck of a thrill, and if you try it once, you may toss that nice fishing rod right in the trash. There's nothing like knowing you caught one with your bare hand! Noodling gives you quite an adrenaline rush.

It's a great kick, and an effective fishing technique as many guys especially in the southern US will tell you. But, it's not without its dangers.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best catfish fishing information possible. Get more information on catfish noodling here: http://www.askcatfishfishing.com

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Catfish Noodling Guides Part 2

Here is the second part of our articles around catfish noodling guides. Although good catfish noodling can be productive, noodling for catfish can also be dangerous. Here Bradley gives some solid advice for anyone looking at noodling.

Noodling For Catfish 

Noodling has been around for a long time. It started when fishermen started noticing that big catfish don't swim around much, but live in deep holes or under a lot of cover. The art of noodling has been passed down from generation to generation, but only in the past fifteen years has been considered a serious sport
.
Most noodlers do not go at it alone. There is a real risk of drowning if you stick your arm in a big one's mouth. Catfish caught by noodling can weigh up to around sixty pounds. The catfish latches on and tries to get away. Noodlers report not being able to get their arm or hand out and end up in a struggle with the fish to get back to the surface. This is why some noodlers wear scuba gear when they dive. Noodlers generally have a spotter at the surface when they go down for a catfish. The spotter will help them out of the water, help secure the fish and help retrieve the hand.
Noodling is easiest in water that is shallow or at least not over your head. Spring and summer are the best times to find catfish in their nests. They spawn when the water gets up to around 70 degrees or higher. Once they lay their eggs, they do not often leave their nests.

Noodlers will generally test a hole before they stick their hand in it. They will prod with a stick to figure out if it is a catfish in there, or something else, like a turtle or a snake. If it is a catfish, they will sometimes create a barricade around the hole, lessening the fish's chance of escape. They will use logs, rocks or other people to stand close, trapping the fish in the desired area.
Catfish usually bite to defend their nests. This makes noodling a little easier. Sometimes they will just nip a finger and you will need to try to cram in your hand to grab it behind the gills. Be prepared, because catfish do have teeth. They also will spin once they have latched on. The teeth are small, but they can draw blood and break through the skin. Some noodlers use gloves, but most see gloves, small hooks or using scuba equipment as cheating.

If you want to improve your noodling success, you can create a habitat where big catfish will want to spawn. Fish attractors, such as Honey Hole Trees or Shrubs, are very useful. They create an area where catfish feel safe. They are inclined to hunt and spawn around this type of cover, increasing the population of catfish and increasing the size of the catfish. Natural cover can be more dangerous for noodlers because of the constant threat of snags. Check with your state before you go noodling, because it is illegal in some areas. Whether you find a hot bed of nests or use fish attractors to lure in the big guys, you're sure to have a great time noodling with your friends.

Brad Metzler is the owner of Honey Hole Tree Inc., an industry leader in the production and sale of fish attractors like Honey Hole Trees and Turtle Traps. Honey Hole Tree Inc. also consists of Lake and Pond Management Professionals that are dedicated to finding the most economical solutions and strategies for your fish attractant and stocking needs.

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World Record Noodling Catfish

Catfish Noodling Guides Part 1

Noodling for catfish? There are many catfish noodling guides available. Some good catfish noodling information is all you need, here in this first part of our guide, Ronald gives some great catfish fishing tips.

Have You Had a Go at Noodling Yet? No! You Desperately Need Some Quality Catfishing Information!

The first piece of catfishing information you need to know is that over 2500 species of Catfish occupy the waters of the world. These eel like, scale less fresh water fish can be divided into many families and genres. Although their native waters boast a greater number and kind of species, a considerable population of catfish has been introduced into the Pacific and the European waters.
Catfish have the widest range of size. The smallest species of catfish gain sexual maturity at only 1cm, an average catfish may grow up to 1.2 to 1.6 m, whereas the largest recorded size of a catfish is around 2.5 m in length and over a 100kg. The bigger and older catfish is always hard to find and difficult to subdue.

Catfish are named after their distinguishing barbells, which bring to mind a cat's whiskers. These long barbells hang from around the mouth area and exist in pairs, helping the creature by heightening its awareness of the surrounding. The protrusions around the mouth play a vital role when the Cat is out hunting in the murky waters. Although very similar to a feline's whiskers, they are far from decorative. The long tactile barbells of catfishes actually carry external taste buds and allow the fish to 'taste' the waters.

Another distinctive anatomical feature of a catfish is its scale less state. Most Catfish are structured with a strong and hollow leading ray which is set on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Whenever the Catfish is irritated, annoyed or frightened it automatically locks these spines into place and prepares to inflict maximum damage to its foe.

A stinging protein is produced in the process by epidermal gland cells that can be fatal to a human. Only one Catfish species namely; the electric catfish lacks the fin spine, but this shortcoming is more than made up by the existence of electrogenic organs. These potent arms are able to send out electric shocks of up to 350 volts and are crucial for warding off predators.

If the long waiting hours before the catch are not your thing, you can try your 'hand' at noodling. For your information, noodling is a catfishing practice which originated in South America and uses bare hands to catch the prey. Also known as catfisting, grabbing, stumping, tickling and gurgling, noodling has taken fishing to a completely new level.

The technique requires invading a catfish hideout and putting in your hand for 'grabs'. Once a catfish bites into the noodler's hand it doesn't let go easily giving the noodler plenty of time to fish it out. Most noodlers prefer to go noodling with a team of spotters who play a major role in alleviating the dangers posed by noodling.

The first stage of noodling requires careful study of the catfish locations. When the angler is convinced of the existence of catfish in certain shallows, they wade in carrying prodding sticks. The catfish attacks and bites the noodler's hand, when this happens, the noodler has to pull the fish out of the water. This sounds a lot easier than it actually is. The fish being in its element always put up a fight, so the noodler has to be careful not to get stung in the process.

Noodling is an extreme sport and calls for fishing teams, generally known as spotters. The spotters assist the noodler with their catch and basically work as safety measures in the face of hidden yet inevitable dangers. Wrestling a hefty Flathead cat in its own play ground is no child's play and there have been many near death incidents.

RONALD SHARP (or Ron Sharp) is a catfishing expert.
For more great information on catfishing, visit [http://www.catfishingcatch.com].

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world record noodling catfish