Turtles, alligators and snakes could be lurking in the depths. Taking
the proper precautions and with a little bit of training you can
reduce, if not eliminate, the chances of anything bad happening. Let's
look at some of the best techniques for noodling for catfish.
Techniques to Increase Your Success and Keep You Safe
Safety is the number one priority when it comes to noodling for
catfish. As stated before, there are other things that live in holes
besides catfish. The golden rule to noodling is to not do it alone.
There are so many different things that can go wrong that would be
disastrous if you were by yourself. If you seriously injure yourself
and can't go for help you're going to need someone there to help. Even
if the person you bring doesn't actually do any fishing you need
someone there to watch you.
Catfish can be large and sometimes so large that if you're a smaller
person they can overpower you once they're hooked on your arm. If you
get pulled under by one of these big fish you might not come back up.
Their size is not the only thing to worry about when noodling for
catfish. Catfish have many features that are dangerous not just to
their prey but also to humans as well.
Catfish can be quite aggressive when provoked in their natural
environment.
Sticking your hand into their home is a sure fire way to make them mad.
While they won't take your arm off when they bite, they do have teeth
that can be a little painful.
Wearing gloves is one of the easiest ways to avoid injury from this.
Another reason you'll want to wear gloves is because catfish can
release venomous barbs in their fins that get under your skin and can
make you sick. Wearing gloves will keep them from getting in your skin.
While most people can go noodling with no problems it's always better
to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Make the proper
preparations before leaving and if you're going for the first time,
have someone experienced on hand so you can learn as much as you can.
Remember that safety is the most important thing to remember when
noodling catfish and having fun is just as important.
To get the full "Techniques for Noodling Catfish" article you'll need to download it here.
