# Noodling



## physhstyx

Any one know if noodling is legal in Texas?


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## WT427

Nope, noodling isnt legal in Texas, according to a PBS show on noodling. Why, are you crazy enough to give it a try?


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## asolde

*.*

Is there anything in the fishing regulation about noodling I read through it real quick and didn't see anything?


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## Channelcat

*Here's the key*

_Game fish may be taken only by pole and line, except as otherwise provided in this guide._

*Noodling is not listed, so it ain't legal. TBill*


asolde said:


> Is there anything in the fishing regulation about noodling I read through it real quick and didn't see anything?


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## JettyJumper

Channelcat said:


> _Game fish may be taken only by pole and line, except as otherwise provided in this guide._
> 
> *Noodling is not listed, so it ain't legal. TBill*


does that mean it aint legal for private waters such as tanks and creeks that one owns???


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## TXPalerider

If you own the tank, you can probably get away with just about whatever your heart desires. But, if the stream is a navigable waterway, regardless of where it is, I'd not do it.


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## Mud Skipper

*I am pretty sure it is illegal.*

But on a funnier note, I worked my way through college as a Cardiovascular Tech doing EKG's on the night shift. I went to this one guys room and we strike up a conversation about fishing. He proceeds to tell me about all the giant catfish he has noodled over the past 40 years. It is a pretty interest conversation as I attach all the electrodes to his chest, then I go to put the electrodes on his wrist. Imagine my surprise when this guy only has two fingers on one hand and 1 finger on the other hands!! I almost fell over laughing. He kept bragging how the game warden never caught him! Maybe not, but it sure looked like a couple of alligator snapping turtles had caught him a time or 7!!!!!!!!!

Andy


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## NightTrain

Mudskipper,
Dat's a goodun ...I can relate to old guy's tellin'tales @ the hospital...I work nights as a Respiratory Therapist.Looks like after ya git the first couple bit off,you'd catch on,don't it?


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## asolde

I don't think catfish is considered a game fish, however I do agree that noodling is not listed in the fishing regulation. I think this question is better left to a game warden. Any game wardens around?


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## Channelcat

*Catfish are game fish*

look on page 36 of the 2003/2004 hunting and fishing regulations. As far as the noodling in a private tank, I would guess it's legal. The stream, I agree.....ask a game warden.



asolde said:


> I don't think catfish is considered a game fish, however I do agree that noodling is not listed in the fishing regulation. I think this question is better left to a game warden. Any game wardens around?


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## Freshwaterman

what the **** is a tank......yall mean a pond?......or you got like a big aquarium with cats in it...lol


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## TXPalerider

Yellarcat said:


> what the **** is a tank......yall mean a pond?......or you got like a big aquarium with cats in it...lol


You say *"y'all"* but, not *"tank"*??

Where you from anyway???


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## Mud Skipper

*Yellarcat!*

I understand totally, moving to Texas I had to learn a whole different version of "*******". I am from Missouri and a pond is a pond - in Texas a pond is a tank? In MO a tank is a big metal tub you fill up with water from a well. In Mo a creek is a crick, in Texas it is a bayou? In Houston a bayou is a large ditch that overflows everytime it rains!

Nighttrain, we used to work real close with the RT's. We drew the blood gases and calibrated all the monitores and lines. Pretty cool job for a college kid, but not enough $$$ to stay after college.

Take care all,
Andy


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## bslittle79

My grandfather used to go "Underbanking." Some of the guys you see on TV are feeling in traps. My older family members used to actually grab, feel, under the banks of creeks south of Halletsville, TX. I watched my grandfather to it when I was young enough to barely remember, but never seen him catch one. They would also reach their legs under the banks and feel for the cats. The stories go on and on. Old timers did what they had to do to eat. or for entertainment. They didn't have the internet u know...Just wish I was older then, to be able to walk down the creeks underbanking or checkin lines with him...some aren't as lucky as others. I grew up thinking my family was the only crazy one's out there until I met ole "Catfish" Kramer in college and seen the TV shows about noodling.


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## JettyJumper

Yellarcat said:


> what the **** is a tank......yall mean a pond?......or you got like a big aquarium with cats in it...lol


just where did you come from? up north, eh? oh and whats a pond? they dont have them in Texas is what I have heard (no pun intended)......BIG J


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## Freshwaterman

I aint got nuthin against Texas......but to me tank sounds allot more yankeeish than pond does.........I was born and raised in Alabama, and lived in Missip, for 2 years......I have met ******** from all over and even a few from Texas guess we all talk alittle different.......as for noodling, I always heard it called grabbling....I done it a time or two, but never actually grabbed one........I dont see anything wrong with this method of catfishing, and I know its gotta be a rush, exp. since you might die doin it......I just dont like seeing all of those big spawning cats taken from their beds.........I think this is one reason why catfish are so hard to over fish or wipe out so to say, due to the fact that catfish can be extremely hard to catch while spawning and most of the time impossible to even get a bait too, and with noodling these fish can be more easily caught, but I dont think it will ever become a problem in most area's......due to laws, not many grabbers left, etc.


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## NightTrain

I've seen videos of noodlin' and it was entertaining as all-get-out,but, to actually take part?...I don't think so.Maybe 10 years ago.I'm a big ol' boy and ain't skeered of much ,but,when my hands look like hamburger after a night out on the lake,now,I can imagine how they would be after wrestlin' with those buggers IN the water!!Wooooo....


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## asolde

*Legal States for Noodling*

Found this on fish-n-friends.com hope this answers our question.

http://www.noodlersanonymous.com/pages/1/index.htm


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## fishomaniac

Texas is traditionally a cattle-oriented state. When someone digs a pond usually it is to provide water for the cattle, so it is called a stock tank, or just tank for short. What we refer to as "ponds" are naturally occuring, not created. Hope that clarifies things for our out-of state friends.


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## Hawkeye

I have heard the term "stock tank" used and always had the mental image of one of those metal tubs, we use for watering horses, beside a windmill with a pipe running into it supplying fresh water... It sounded odd to have catfish in a "tank" but I figured, what the heck.... it's their "tank" and if they want to put catfish in it, then it's their business... figured it would get a little crowded in there...what with the size a bluecat can grow to and all... I also wondered what it was they were feeding those catfish.... had to be a pain in the neck to travel out to the "tank" every few days with some trout-chow to feed fish...

Now I understand exactly what you guys are talking about... so, how big is a "tank" and how does it get filled with water? Rain? Water pumped into it from a well? 
Thanks for the clarification Fishomaniac.... I know I'm a dumb Yankee... around here, we water cattle in ponds, most of them "natural" or beaver-dam created... some of them are man-made by damming up a creek... and some of them are dug.... most run an acre or two.....


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## fishomaniac

They can be anything from big puddle to lake in size. Usually you dig it out and pile the dirt on 3 sides, the downhill sides, and leave the uphill side open so the rain runoff can fill it. Of course there are a lot of variations, depending on the layout of the land. And Yankees aren't dumb. It's not your fault you lost the Civil war!


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## WT427

We generally only stock channel cats in our tanks. Along with bluegill, largemouth bass and crappie if your tank is deep enough to beat the hot summers. Forgot to add that some people put deer feeders in their tanks filled with catfish type dog food. It's not unusual to pull a 10lb. cat out.


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## JettyJumper

heres my tank...


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## Hawkeye

That's a nice, peaceful looking spot ya got there JettyJumper. I'm a little jealous that I don't have a tank in my back yard. I do have a river that flows past the place... mebbe I should get out there and take a few pictures of what they call a "scenic river" here in Virginia.... We didn't lose the war, BTW... it's not over yet.


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## JettyJumper

my babies.... last years spawn i believe.... just stocked the tank w/ 2-4 lb bass 2 years ago...JJ


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## fishomaniac

LOL Hawkeye!


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## Hawkeye

That's a nice eatin' size bass, if I've got the size perspective right... looks like he/she could use a little bit more to eat, but I'd still fry 'em up and eat him anyway... All these pictures of water and fish are making me get all twitchy about wanting to go catfishin... got any catfish pics JJ ? This is, afterall, the catfish forum, and it just wouldn't be right to post a picture of a BASS without posting one or two of some catfish.... even a link to that world record those boys caught a few months back would do 'er....


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## Hawkeye

fishomaniac said:


> LOL Hawkeye!


Well... the war isn't over. It's being faught on different terms of engagement, but there's still a war going on... Liberals VS Conservatives is the hottest skirmish right now... this fall's going to be an important battle in the war... no matter which side you (everyone) come down on, it's important to get out and vote... I imagine I know how it will go here in Virginia and in Texas, but there's a lot of ground to be won elsewhere... those "blue" states from 2000 have me worried.... too many left-leaning voters on the coasts of this great nation to suit me.... but enough about the Civil War.......


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## JettyJumper

Hawkeye said:


> That's a nice eatin' size bass, if I've got the size perspective right... looks like he/she could use a little bit more to eat, but I'd still fry 'em up and eat him anyway... All these pictures of water and fish are making me get all twitchy about wanting to go catfishin... got any catfish pics JJ ? This is, afterall, the catfish forum, and it just wouldn't be right to post a picture of a BASS without posting one or two of some catfish.... even a link to that world record those boys caught a few months back would do 'er....


I beleive it was a 13" bass...not sure of the weight though. And yes they need mo' to eat. My uncle is gonna let me sain (sp) his tank tommarow after I go catfishin. I'll get y'all a pic of some nice cats I catch. last time I was there at his tank...first cast:13# flathead 2nd cast:14# flathead 3rd cast: 12# op.,,,,,,,,, and the rest were around eatin size or bigger. all cought on sour corn on a treble under a cork...(hardley ever use a cork). but it worked.....later dudes.....JJ


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## JettyJumper

the last pic is my fish-gitter-mobile.......JJ


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## fishomaniac

Nice place you got there JettyJumper. I imagine that fishgitter turns into a deergitter come winter.


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## JettyJumper

fishomaniac said:


> Nice place you got there JettyJumper. I imagine that fishgitter turns into a deergitter come winter.


thanx dude!........can't forgit the turkey-gitter. LOL


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## Kutter

Heres a nice deer huntin gitter. Just not much room for haulin your deer back.


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## Hawkeye

I'm thinking that you can probably haul the deer home in zip-lock bags after killing it with one of those weapons...


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## JettyJumper

Kutter, you could wipe out all the deer in the wrold with that bad arse machine. Nice rig you got there.....JJ


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## fishomaniac

Good Gravy Kutter! I bet you catfish with hand-grenades! LOL!


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## Hawkeye

fishomaniac said:


> Good Gravy Kutter! I bet you catfish with hand-grenades! LOL!


 Around here they use Dupont Spinnerbaits (dynamite) instead of hand-grenades... for the most affective fishing you've ever seen... next to shocking, of course.


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## NightTrain

_DAGGONE,KUTTER..._NO WONDER YOU AIN'T BEEN POSTIN' MUCH!!

(uhh...just 'tween us,is sumpin' fixin' to go down dat I don't know 'bout?)


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## Kutter

Well, here in MO they have just begun allowing conceal carry and I have been busy tryin to figure out how to shrink that 4 wheeler down a bit.
:headknock:work::headknock


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## NightTrain

Kutter said:


> Well, here in MO they have just begun allowing conceal carry and I have been busy tryin to figure out how to shrink that 4 wheeler down a bit.
> :headknock:work::headknock


Kutter,
Naw,I'M thinkin' the some bad things gettin' ready to cap off,and you got the scoop,bro...:help:


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## Kutter

Hmmm, think I'll just sit back an watch.


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