| The first time I experienced the fear and | | | | get away. |
| excitement of watching someone noodle for | | | | Raising his right arm, which was scratched and |
| catfish, it scared the heck out of me. Noodling, or | | | | bleeding from being gnawed on by the fish, the |
| grabblin as it's called in some circles, is fishing for | | | | conquering fisherman let out a screeching rebel |
| large catfish with nothing but your hands and | | | | yell. "Oooooowahhoooo!" I later learned that this |
| maybe a pint of Jack Daniels. It's a dangerous | | | | was a semi-official yell of every red blooded |
| sport! | | | | southern noodler. |
| That day I was fishing on the Tennessee River | | | | I ran over to the two guys and the catfish and |
| for anything that would bite. About a hundred | | | | voiced my congratulations! This was one |
| yards downstream from where I sat, there were | | | | humongous fish! Grinning from ear to ear, they |
| two men looking up and down the bank searching | | | | told me that this was a little one, only about 45 |
| for something. As I watched, one of them waded | | | | pounds! It may have been small by their |
| into the water with his clothes on, and began | | | | standards, but to me it was monstrous! |
| slowly walking down the bank, feeling for | | | | I've been a fisherman most of my life, but I will |
| something on the bottom of the river. His head | | | | have to admit that despite not having lived a |
| started gradually disappearing under the now | | | | completely clean and virtuous life, I still have most |
| muddy water. | | | | of my brain cells. I'll even acknowledge that I've |
| In less than a minute the man shot to the surface | | | | never had the desire to stick my hand in a dark |
| in an explosion of water, his arm stuck in the | | | | and spooky hole under the water where there |
| mouth of an enormous catfish which was | | | | could be a catfish. There could also be a snake or |
| squirming and flopping around, fully intent on | | | | snapping turtle, not happy with an uninvited guest |
| escape. From my vantage point I couldn't tell who | | | | sticking their hands where they don't belong! |
| was winning the battle, the fisherman or the fish! | | | | In late spring and early summer, catfish spawn. |
| The fisherman was trying to stand in water that | | | | The females find a suitable site in water 3 -20 |
| was up to his neck, holding the fish close to his | | | | feet deep where she can lay her eggs |
| body, while trying to move to the bank. | | | | undisturbed. Sometimes an old tree, a brush pile |
| If drowning the man who was clutching the fish's | | | | or a hole under submerged rocks near the shore, |
| gills through the fish's mouth, was part of his | | | | can hold enough cover for the mother to be to |
| escape plan, the catfish appeared to be winning | | | | lay her eggs. After they're deposited in the bed, |
| the fight. The man went back under once again, | | | | the big male fish come in and protect the eggs |
| clutching his struggling prize. | | | | until they're hatched. This is the time of year |
| Once again they exploded to the surface with | | | | noodlers find big fish! |
| water spraying everywhere as the man and fish | | | | The sport, if you can call it that, has attracted |
| each battled for their life. I was sure the fish was | | | | quite a few participants in the last several years. |
| going to win because the man kept slipping on | | | | There is even a video out that has a catchy title, |
| wet rocks and falling back into the water, but | | | | "Girls Gone Grabblin". There are actually women |
| hanging onto the fish for dear life. The man in the | | | | who go out and wrestle these gigantic fish from |
| water kept yelling for his partner to help him! | | | | their nests, obviously not caring if they lose an |
| Finally the other fisherman carefully waded into | | | | arm or even a finger to these monsters. |
| the water and tried to help his buddy who by this | | | | I've even heard rumors about noodlin becoming a |
| time was completely worn out. | | | | Olympic event. If that ever happens, I have a |
| When the second fisherman finally figured out | | | | word of advice for anyone crazy enough to even |
| where to grab hold of the catfish with out pulling | | | | get in the water. The advice is this: You don't get |
| it out of his buddy's hands, they both were able | | | | any points for dragging a water moccasin out of |
| to bring the fish in and dump him on the bank far | | | | his hole! |
| enough from the water for him to roll back in and | | | | |