Who needs a lfs when you can catch them yourself?

[Allivymar]

Oi. Came across this site today: http://snopes.com/photos/noodling.asp

Methinks some people have WAY too much time on their hands LOL

[Rusty]

I believe those pictures were posted here some time ago. Why snopes has pictures of wels in a story about noodling, or hand fishing for Ictalurids, beats me.

There was actually a NY Times article on noodling a while back. I think it's more for the thrills than the fish

Rusty

[Allivymar]

Heh, being a NYer myself I read the NYT on a fairly regular basis, but I musta missed that one!

I'm just glad the tank is in the other room; I'd hate for my lipo to get any ideas! LOL

[Silurus]

The preferred (only?) catfish species caught by noodling is the flathead cat (<i>Pylodictis olivaris</i>).

[FatCat]

Beleive it or not they have made noodling illegal in some states along the mississippi river basin. Cant recall but i think missouri is one. Dont know why its illegal its probibally easier on the fish than hook and line fishing. Personally I think Id pass on wrestling flatheads underwater.

[Silurus]

Noodling is illegal because it is: a. considered dangerous and more importantly, b. it depletes natural stocks of catfish faster than hook-and-line fishing. The main target of noodlers are nesting catfishes. Once the guarding parent is captured, this exposes the eggs/fry to predation.

[Shawnm311]

Those are the biggest catfish I have ever seen, I would be scared to try that

[mokmu]

Shawn,'

That's only the beginning. There are giant South American and some Asian catfish which are terribly awesome.

Regards,
Mike D.

[Zack]

Shawn they dont really noodle for the catfish in the pics, those are wels from europe. Flatheads are big bot not nearly AS big.

[Shawnm311]

really the ones in south america get bigger? thats crazy have you ever seen one in person