William Flew on Noodling

Texas is faced with a multibilliondollar budget deficit and the prospect of thousands of teachers being laid off. However, lawmakers in the state have signalled their priorities by forging ahead with a Bill that would make the sport of “noodling”, catching catfish barehanded, legal.

Noodling, also called “hillbilly handfishin’,” is currently a Class C misdemeanor in Texas and carries a $500 (£300) fine for those caught in the act.

A noodling trip starts with a search for the underwater burrows in which catfish live. When a noodler finds a likely hole, he thrusts in a hand.

Once the catfish has sunk its small but abrasive teeth into said hand, the noodler aims to grip the creature’s jawbone, said to be conveniently shaped like a suitcase handle. The noodler will then try to wrestle the fish out of the water. An assistant noodler will often help, as the whiskered, thrashing fish can easily weigh 60lb.

However, noodling can be dangerous, particularly if something other than a catfish is in the hole. These could include snakes, snapping turtles, muskrats or even a disgruntled beaver, a species quite capable of depriving a noodler of a digit or two.

Despite the risks to human beings, it is the potential stress to the fish that led noodling to be outlawed. Only 17 states permit it, partly because animal rights activists claim it is cruel. Others believe it to be unsporting, since the fish have little opportunity to flee.

In Texas, however, the right to noodle is being framed as a civil liberties issue. “I personally don’t noodle, but I would defend to the death your right to do so,” State Senator Bob Deuell, who represents the east Texas community of Greenville, told fellow lawmakers.

Gary Elkins, who represents part of Houston and sponsored a Bill that would decriminalise noodling, has said that the current ban is an example of an over-reaching government run amok. However, he added: “I’m not sticking my hand in a fish’s mouth.”

Avid noodlers say that noodling represents an historic test of endurance and skill. Those who use rod-and-reel disagree, and argue that noodling poses a danger to catfish stocks.

Noodling is best practised in the summer spawning season after female catfish have laid their eggs in their burrows. The burrows are guarded by males whose protective instincts allow noodlers to thrust their hands into their lairs and emerge with a catch. Removing the male leaves the eggs vulnerable to other predators, critics say.

Chad Ferguson, a Texas fishing guide, told the New York Times: “The mentality of most of these guys attracted to noodling is to catch the biggest fish that they can and to keep everything that they catch.”

Noodlers disagree. Brady Knowlton, a veteran of the practice, told The Wall

Street Journal that nothing beat “the heebie-jeebies you get underwater, in the dark, with this little sea monster biting you”. He said his arm looked like “the first stage of a chilli recipe” after his first noodling experience about 15 years ago.

The Bill allowing noodling will now be considered by Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, whose position on the pursuit is unknown.