Catfish Noodling Questions - Tips, Helpful Answers, Guides

by Jason (Webmaster)
(World Wide Web)

Hello catfish noodling enthusiasts!

This question and answer section is dedicated to the overwhelming amount of frequently asked questions that I often receive regarding the great adrenaline-rushing sport of handfishing for catfish.

Just about every week I receive questions through my contact page and e-mails about catfish noodling... mostly regarding information about noodling for catfish guides and services.

Sometimes, it becomes a little difficult to keep up with answering so many of your questions overall.

As always, I enjoy hearing any, and all feedback from you, so don't be shy.

If you have questions about okie noodling, grabblin', grabbling, handfishing, hand grabbing (or whatever you like to call bare handed fishing for catfish), then feel free to ask them here.

If I can't answer them here, hopefully somebody else can help point you in the right direction to give you the information you are looking for.

Helpful Resources About Catfish Noodling

Catfish Noodling Tips - This section offers cool information and helpful tips about noodling for catfish, including a fun handfishing video.

Catfish Noodling Guides - This section invites noodling guides to submit their services - guided trip information, contact information, and fees.

Catfish Noodling Guided Trip?

by John
(Georgia)

Me and my aunt are crazy and we try many things together. We want to take a noodling trip. Who can I contact to take us on a guided trip one day or some overnight trips?

Closest Catfish Noodling Guide Near South Carolina?

by Dave
(Simpsonville, South Carolina)

I'd like to know where the closest catfish noodling guide is to me. I live in Simpsonville, SC and my parents live in Westminster, SC on Lake Hartwell. We generally fish for crappie or any pan fish, however we recently started fishing for catfish and have watched many shows about noodling and would love to try it. Please help if you can. Thanks!

Hillbilly Handfishin' Noodling Guides And Where For 13 Year Old Girl?

by Jaclyn (Jackie)
(Riverview, Florida)

Hi, I'm Jaclyn, but you can call me Jackie, and I'm 13 years old. I love watching the show "Hillbilly Handfishin'". I'm on the verge of turning red neck and I think this will just put me on top. I've always loved to fish ever since I was a kid. So my question is where can I go noodling - like the state and where in the state? And are there like guides to help me for my first catch? Thanks for your help. I REALLY appreciate it :D -- Jackie

Jason's answer:
Hi Jackie,

First of all, I would like to say that you are courageous for wanting to go hand fishing catfish. There are many grown men who wouldn't even dare consider attempting this adrenaline pumping sport. Hats off to you!

To answer your questions, I have posted quite a bit of information about noodling for catfish guides and services.

Follow that link above to learn about guides, when and where you can noodle at. Keep in mind that the best times are often during the spawning seasons - usually around the months of May through July.

On that page, you'll find a few catfish noodling guides offering their services - look down towards the bottom of that page under the title that reads "Catfish Noodling Guides". However, during the fall and winter months, I don't think that they take people out on hand fishing trips. But, if see any that you like, it wouldn't hurt to try to contact any of them to see if it's possible to get on a waiting list for the upcoming season.

By the way, if you do happen to come across another guide not listed there on that page, would you please direct them to that page to submit their services? By doing so, it can help a bunch of other folks looking for the same information as you are right now. Thank you much.

Good luck and happy catfish noodling! And enjoy your conversion into a red neck... ;-)

Noodling Legal In Florida?

by Adam
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Is Noodling legal in the State of Florida? If so, are there any charters in the Tampa area? I am eager to give this hillbilly handfishing a try!

Regards,
Adam


Jason's reply: Unfortunately, Adam, noodling is NOT legal in the State of Florida.

Florida Fish and Game states that you must use a fishing rod and reel with line and a hook attached.

It seems that any type of fishing done while completely submerged in Florida waters, such as spearfishing while diving, is not allowed at all.

You can check out the Florida Fish and Wildlife website for more complete details of their fishing regulations by following this link here.

Best regards,
Jason

When Is The Best Time To Go Catfish Noodling?

by Stew-Dawg
(Gone Fishin)

I was just wondering as to when do you think the best time is to go hand fishing for catfish?

I'm kind of new to the sport of grabbling. I have fished out a few nice and big fat catfish and love it. I'm just trying to learn as much as possible, and maybe hopefully enter some tournaments one day?

Jason's answer:
The short and quick answer is during the day time in the spawning season around the months of spring and early summer. For a more complete detailed answer, check out When is the best time to go noodling for catfish?

Why Is Hand Fishing Illegal In Some Places?

by Brady Strecker
(Hoyt, Kansas)

I have been hand fishing for most of my life and I keep wondering why it is illegal. It's just another way of fishing right? But every where I go I have to read all kinds of different laws and rules on it and it gets hard to find places to go. But anyways, I was just wondering why it's illegal to hand fish in a lot of places?

Jason's answer:

Well Brady, I assume that hand fishing is illegal in many places because of safety concerns. Whether you're noodling for catfish or hand fishing for other species of fish, it is a dangerous sport.

Those states probably don't want to deal with it, but more importantly I think that they don't want to be held responsible when folks become injured, or even worse, lose their lives.

Noodlers risk being latched onto by a huge catfish and held under the water to drown to death. But in some places, there are alligators, snakes, beavers, snapping turtles and whatever else that lurk in the waters. Naturally, it's not easy to just legalize hand fishing in those areas.

Safety is usually the number one factor.