Okie Noodling

[vern]

I just saw that Okie Noodling is on PBS tonight at 9:00 (Ch.2-Mpls).Most cat guys have already seen it but if you haven't then check it out. It's a good 1-hour cat noodlin' documentary! It's repeated at 3 a.m. also.

[Dirk W]

I'll second that. Its pretty funny. The only bad thing is they keep those big boys for the fry pan

[vern]

Yeah, it's a bummer. I've seen a bunch of noodling video & they butcher everything.

[icehousebob]

One of the guys on the show was complaining that someone must have been fishing his favorite spots because there was no fish left. Well, DUH! They kill everything they catch. I think the state of Oklahoma could use the services of a good dentist. And I'm not sure what language they were speaking, but they should have had English subtitles for the rest of the country. Did anyone catch the comment that they didn't keep Channels or Blues because they were sport fish but flatheads were rough fish?

[hanson]

Hey Vern-

Thanks for posting that. I never watch PBS so I wouldn't have even stumbled across it. Very interesting show.

I think it is safe to say that us Minnesotans who flathead fish have a very different perspective on the flatties than the boys in the southern states. I believe that most of the south doesn't even have limits in place on flathead cats. Jug fishing, Trotlines, Limblining, and noodling are all additional legal ways to catch a cat as well down south.

The fish are obviously much more abundant than they are up here.

45 pounder goes into the frying pan down south but is a trophy fish up here.

[Hotspotter]

Add "box-fishing" to the list.

While I think this mostly targeted channels, I spoke to a southern boy from Mississippi when I was last down there about this. They get a big wooden box with gaps in the wood slats however big they want, to target certain sized channels. Fill the thing with guts/cheese/whatever, put the top on and sink it. Come back in a few days and pull up the box loaded with fish.

The program was good, and mentioned a switch in fishing that's been taking place the last century or so. A switch from subsistence fishing, to sport fishing. I think the reason that alot of these fish go to the pan is because it's more out of necessity (stated loosely), vs. greed. They could put the fish back, but it appeared that most were not that well-off.

Too dangerous for my blood, especially the one guy noodling around old tar roadbeds. Stick your hand in, the tar crumbles and traps you while you're underwater.....that's it. The flatheads biting my hands didn't seem that bad either. Water mocasins and mad alligator snappers would freak me out however.

Joel

[IceHawk]

I also wathced the show, It was interesting to say the least those guys have some serious guts!! Can you imagine the crunch those bigger cat's put on your hand can I stress ouch!! I can just see myself sticking my hand in a hole with my luck it would be full of water mocasins. I was wondering if some of our fellow catmen have ever thought about giveing it a try? Come on Dennis,Hanson and others you can fess up Maybe we should start a noodleing cat gathering can you imagine.

[Ralph Wiggum]

You'd never, ever catch me doing it! There's just something about sticking an appendage in a hole that could harbor any number of things that you can't see and that will bite you! I'll take my rod and reel anyday!

[Duffman]

All I kept thinking while watching it was the uncanny resemblence between the son and that fiddle player in the movie "Deliverence".

[catman71]

i watched part of that last night. I love catfishin but I can't figure out why someone would want to do this? After a while I guessed out of teenage hormone frustrations...But to each his own..it certainly isn't for the dandys, that's for sure....

To be honest, when I get back from catfishing, cleaning 100 pounds of fish is last on my agenda, sleeping usually tops off a good trip for me....perhaps a BBQ brat and the Twins game...those sound better than dressing wounds you suffered from noodlin the rip-rap in the wind.....but in the outdoors there is something for everybody.........

[catman71]

one more thing to add; I have caught several snapping turtles in the past few years while catfishing and now i notice quite a few "bites" that I know now are turtles that I successfully avoid because unhooking them isn't fun. Don't they pose a threat should you stick your hand in thier face? I don't need a new nickname like "9-finger"

[Ralph Wiggum]

LOL, I've already got that nickname, although not from a turtle.

[DTro]

Quote:

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There's just something about sticking an appendage in a hole that could harbor any number of things

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umm........oh forget it

[Ralph Wiggum]

Wow, even I didn't catch that when I wrote it