Hand Fishing for Cats

I know it's illegal in Missouri to hand fish for cats but it is legal one state over in OK. What's the reason for this? Is it a moral thing, unfair for the fish? Is it a risk thing safety for fisherman? I just don't get how some guys can run a trot line, and not check them for a month at time and the catfish has a dime sized hole wollered in it's heads when you look at it compared to building a box and grabbing it with your hand. If the fish gets away no harm is done when the other way around the cat is dead via starving to death, or turtle bait. Just curious not trying to raise a stink over anything.

Mo. use to let us noodle, then stopped it, just not enough interest in it, them low flat lakes in ok,tex and sippie. are best suited for it, try hand fishing on one of our deep lakes and it may be your last dip...... I did it a lot with my Dad, it was pretty scary at times, most nearly drowned on the spring river when I was 15, haven't liked going swimming much since

Can you imagine trying to hand fish for cats on the Missouri.

Missouri is known as the stream state but unfortunately many of those streams have been altered over the years. The most coveted streams for handfishing are the north Missouri streams that have been the most impacted. The biggest issue with handfishing is removing the fish from a spawning cavity. Once the fish is removed the entire egg mass it is protecting dies. Allowing this practice in streams with limited habitat would only magnify the impacts. In many of the states that allow handfishing, the catfish is not considered a sportfish. In Missouri, catfish usually rank tops among anglers. For more info on handfishing in Missouri see: Why "No" to Noodling? | Missouri Department of Conservation

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Originally Posted by MOfishmgr

Missouri is known as the stream state but unfortunately many of those streams have been altered over the years. The most coveted streams for handfishing are the north Missouri streams that have been the most impacted. The biggest issue with handfishing is removing the fish from a spawning cavity. Once the fish is removed the entire egg mass it is protecting dies. Allowing this practice in streams with limited habitat would only magnify the impacts. In many of the states that allow handfishing, the catfish is not considered a sportfish. In Missouri, catfish usually rank tops among anglers. For more info on handfishing in Missouri see: Why "No" to Noodling? | Missouri Department of Conservation

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This is why I love this board. Thanks for shedding some light on the subject. I love the television show mud cats and it's got me wanting to go to OK just to give it a shot. Maybe they could amend the law to lakes only?

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Originally Posted by beagle man

Mo. use to let us noodle, then stopped it, just not enough interest in it, them low flat lakes in ok,tex and sippie. are best suited for it, try hand fishing on one of our deep lakes and it may be your last dip...... I did it a lot with my Dad, it was pretty scary at times, most nearly drowned on the spring river when I was 15, haven't liked going swimming much since

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Thats wild Michael I had no idea you were a noodler at one point. I guess you just put those boxes on mud flats in the lake?

no on the boxes, we noodled tree root balls, rocks, nothing hand made, now down in Mississippi, I seen lots of them boxes guess it's legal down there. the conservation agency tried it on some rivers here but like I said it did not go over to well, to many reg. and not enough places it was legal to do. Now days I just buzz and buzz and tell how it use to was.

Now tell them the truth beagle that you pee your pants just a little when they bite sometimes scares the heck out of ya or so a guy told me once.

I don't know when it became illegal to noodle in MO. My grandpa and his brothers and brother inlaw used to tell stories about noodling for flatheads in the Niangua and Gasconade rivers and getting fish that were 70 lbs. and bigger.

When i was a youngster u could sit around the feed store and tell who the noodlers were by just looking at their forarms and wrist,, (all skinned up)

The Glaize Creek up past PB-1 to the Swinging Bridge and then to Rt.A ,was a popular place

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Originally Posted by old fuzzy

When i was a youngster u could sit around the feed store and tell who the noodlers were by just looking at their forarms and wrist,, (all skinned up)

The Glaize Creek up past PB-1 to the Swinging Bridge and then to Rt.A ,was a popular place

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Back when my dad and I had the jet prop we used to love to run up there and mushroom hunt.

Mushrooms......YUMMMMMM............Some fresh morels and crappie fillets would sure be good right now.

I dont quite understand why we can or can't use this method of fishing because someone decided it's classified a sport fish. What difference does it make how a fish is classified? As far as the impact on the fish, do we have a shortage of catfish? I would like to see what impact it's made in other states that allow it. I'm guessing none. Just my opinion. I would think pollution and dropping water tables and mother nature would have more of an impact on things.

the hand fishing would only impact a certain area or areas, like small streams, slow flowing rivers, and human nature being what it is, it would be over fished and these areas would no longer be able to support a population of fish to catch. big lakes, it would be hard to over fish the deep water areas, feeder creeks would get hurt the worst. on the big rivers, I do not think there would be a problem on fish populations, but alas I am not a fisheries biologist and my two cents is worth only a lick and a promise.

me and my brother and dad noodle little sac and over on pomme river and i still have scars on my forearms.. i am 60 now and iwas just a little punk back then .same way about frogging had lots of fun at that too .:cheers2

There are several considerations here that are reflected in the Code that prohibits “hand fishing”. First off, what is good for one state may not be good for another regardless of their shared borders. Many studies have shown the negative impacts of hand fishing for cats and the reality that Missouri has more anglers and anglers interested in hand fishing than neighboring states could lead to a depletion of the population. For a more detailed explanation I will refer you to the expert opinions on our website and a MOAFS article that describes the potential impacts of hand fishing cats in Missouri (SEE BELOW).

As for trotlines: 3CSR 10-6.410 (4) FISHING METHODS states that “live bait traps, hooks, trotlines, throwlines, limblines, banklines, or anchored jug lines (rendered immobile from the location where set) may not be left unattended for more than twenty-four (24) hours or must be completely removed…."

I can understand your frustration with unchecked gear. If you see a violation or know of a violation of this or any of the regulations of the Wildlife Code of Missouri I strongly urge you to contact your local Agent to report the issue.

http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations/why-no-noodling

http://www.moafs.org/newsletter/June%202011/2011%20MOAFS%20%20Hand%20Fishing%20White%20Paper.p df

Posted: 04 March 2013
-Dan Schepis
Conservation Agent
Clay Co., MO

Let me clarify what I meant when I referred to catfish being classified as a sport fish. Sport fish = desireable fish, everything else is bait or a rough fish. Sport fish can have many regulations on them. In states where catfish are not considered a sport fish, there are few regulations regarding methods or limits. In Missouri, catfish are one of our most prized sport fish. As such, we manage them to distrubute the harvest to as many anglers as possible and to protect the populations from over harvest. That's all I meant by "sport fish"