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A day of noodling catfish begins by reaching into an underwater hole to see what’s inside.
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If something is inside, it’ll usually bite you. This is often the result.
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Every now and then, a catfish will be waiting in the hole, guarding its nest. If you’re quick enough, you can grab its bottom jaw when it bites your hand and pull it out.
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Once you “have aholt” of the fish in open water, the fight begins. This is when arms get skinned, fingers get broken, and cuss words get used.
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Flathead and blue catfish can weigh upwards of 100 pounds. This one is around 40.
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If you really want to get a thrashing catfish to the bank or boat with your hands, you’d best learn some good holds. A hand in the mouth and a hand under the gill plate work best.
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Some folks have made a business of grabbing cats. Pictured here are Marty Jenkins (foreground); Fostana Jenkins (background, right); and Michelle Brantley taking still shots for the next Girls Gone Grabblin’ video.
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There’s no denying a big flathead is a picturesque critter.
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Flatheads are great to eat, but we (and most noodlers I know) release them most of the time. This past June, we caught the same marked flathead from the same hole three days in a row.
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Likely catfish holes can be found under big rocks, logs and old concrete slabs.
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We don’t let them all go, though—a fish fry must have a source.
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Being a good catfish noodler really only requires two things: holding your breath and not letting go.
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Of course, an appreciation for an apex predator like a flathead helps, too. I once heard of a noodler who caught a flathead with a 3-pound bass in its gullet.
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With summer coming to a close, the flatheads are leaving their nests and thus, another season of noodling comes to an end.
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Crazy or not, catfish noodling is illegal most places not because it’s dangerous, but because it’s so effective at catching giant flathead catfish
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