|
|
|
They pull of their red breeches, or their long strip off Stroud cloth, and wrapping it around their arm, so as to reach the lower part of the palm of their right hand, they dive under the rock where the catfish lie to shelter themselfs from the scorching beams of the sun, and to watch for prey: as soon as those fierce aquatic animals see that tempting bait, they immediately seize it with the greatest violence in order to swallow it.
Then is the time for the diver to improve the favorable opportunity: he accordingly opens his hand, seizes the voracious fish by his tender parts, has a sharp struggle with it against the crevices of the rock, and at last brings it safe to shore.
Noodling, Hogging, Grabbling, Stumping, or Dogging. Whatever you call it. This is the most primitive style of cat-fishing known. You don't need any rod and reels, nets, or boats, or bait. Unless you consider your hand bait. I am positive that you all have heard of the story's of guys drowning from grabbing ahold of a big ol-cat. This is and can be, a very dangerous way to fish. I have even heard it nick-named as extreme fishing.
It is possible for one to lose their life doing this. I would suggest that you don't attempt this type of fishing. If you decide that you have got to try this, keep in mind of the dangers involved with this so called sport. A catfish weighing almost half your weight can keep you from reaching the surface of the water. Most guys that do this, do it in shallow waters, no more than waist deep. It would also be a good idea to wear gloves while doing this.
Catfish have sandpaper-like teeth, that can scrape or shred your skin. When noodling you are searching in holes in the banks or in hollow logs, old maskrat holes, where ever a big ol-catfish, snake, or turtle may be lurking. During spawning season is the best time to do this and when you are done. Hopefully you will still have four fingers and a thumb. But most importantly, your life.
This is not a sport for the faint of heart, and occasionally the fishermen die. A nineteenth-century report described men that would strap a graff hook on their arm and dive for catfish that congregated beneath the dam on the Kansas River. In 1884, one of them went down and came up a hour later -- a drowning victim himself.
Now if you are still brave enough to search in holes and rock crevices or hollow logs. Those are the places that you will find em. But the closest that I will ever come to grabbing a big ol-catfish will be when, I land him with my rod and reel and a dip net. In many states it is illegal to noodle and others have a variety of restrictions. No matter the regulations, you should limit your harvest, protecting this vulnerable resource to the ancient method of fishing.
