Noodling is a fishing technique that involves catching catfish using only one’s bare hands. Rated Red’s Abby Casey explored the Tennessee River with Will Goodman to experience noodling for the first time. Here’s all you need to know about noodling.
The process is simple. It involves reaching into a body of water, typically a river or a lake, and searching for a catfish’s hiding spot, which is often under rocks, logs, or other submerged structures.
Once a potential catfish hole is located, the noodler will reach into the hole with their hand and try to entice the catfish to bite down on their fingers or hand. Once the catfish bites, the noodler will then use their grip to pull the fish out of the water. Abby and Will were able to capture a couple of 45 pound monster catfish, but you can catch them of all sizes.
Red Hot Disclaimer: noodling can be very dangerous and should not be attempted by inexperienced individuals. Catfish have sharp spines and teeth that can cause serious injury to a person trying to catch them, and the process of noodling can also harm the fish by damaging their gills or reproductive organs. It is also illegal in many areas, and penalties for noodling can include fines or even imprisonment.
