Freshwater Fish Attack!

Well, I was snorkiling in Lake St.Clair, and I came arcoss a huge hole that looked like a fish would go through. I started to stick my hand down the hole to see if I could scare anytrhing out when...Suddenly My finger is bit and i'm being pulled by a 15lb catfish! Me freaking out thwe first time I got my finger out and came back to the surface to tell my friend. Me and him went back to the spot and he stuck his hand down there, but nothing happend. I attempt it again and it bit my finger, I then grabbed it and held on for my life surfacing it and bringing it back to shore. It weighed 15lbs, not sure whart Kind of cat but it was a light brown color. I later searched some youtube videos of people catching them like this, I would definetly try this again.

Have you ever been attacked by some freshwater fish/Creature I would be fasanated to hear it!

I was 13 years old! (Now 15)

Welcome to "noodling" and catchn' cats by hand. You probably provoked a flathead into biting and thats exactly how it's done.

WOW, there's a name for it. I think I'm going to get some gloves before I do it again, I was 13 and it was pretty hard for me to grip it!

Good story- you do need to get gloves and be sure someone is with you while doing this. Not uncommon to pull out 20 to 30lb cats.

Might want to check you fishing regulations before you try it again.Alot of Northern states handpicking or noodling is illegal except for rough fish.

Wow! I'm 14 and have never noodled, but that might change one of these days...

I would prefer a rod and reel.

You'd be in bad shape if it was a 60 pounder. lol
aj

Please be careful doing this cause you never know what else is in the hole

By the way the name of the cat you cought is a "Flathead" that is commonly called a "Appaloosa"

Careful...snapping turtles can take your fingers off.

I would never do this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arkie John

I would prefer a rod and reel.

You'd be in bad shape if it was a 60 pounder. lol
aj

---

I'm with you rod and reel

Years ago the wife and I went to Southern Illinois to visit her folks.
While there her Dad says "Jhooaan(southern Illinois for John), tomorrow we'll get some catfish".
The next day as we're getting in the car, I said "wait, I'll get my rod".
He said "don't need none, I got all we'll need".
We pull up to the Ohio river, jump out, open the trunk and he hands me
a pair of hip waders and a gunny sack. Then he jumps in the river and says
com'on Jhooaan, I got one. Then he throws a 20 lb cat up on the shore.
Doing as I was told I get in the river and kinda stand there wondering what
in hell we are doing. He says "it's called hawgin, just feel along the bank for
holes and stick your hand in and pull out the catfish". Well, that seemed
simple enough. So we're hunched over walking along the bank pulling out
cat from 3-30lb. After a while we stop for a smoke. I notice his ring finger
and little finger on his left hand are gone. I said "John (his name also), what
in the world happened to your fingers"? "I guess I shoudda told ya he says,
but sometimes instead of a catfish there's a big ol snapping turtle in the
hole in the bank and that's what happens". :eek: I said "tell ya what John, I'll
be the gunny sack man and gather up the cats you throw on shore.
He mumbled something about "damn yankees" and I haven't hawged or
noodled since!!!!

YouTube has several videos of "noodling" and "grabbing"...

Interesting to watch but I'll stick to pole fishin.....

Please be very careful when noodling. I have 2 insane uncles who have found snapping turtles and snakes in those holes! One uncle has rows of scars from his hand to his elbow from where an 80 pound flathead clamped down!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ragfly Jig Man

Please be careful doing this cause you never know what else is in the hole

---

...you'd be on your way to the ER. Be careful and swim with a buddy. ;)

aj

First and also the last time I went, pulled out a 10lb snapper!:D

I've heard it called "grappling" also. Thanks, but I'll watch. Saw a video of a couple of guys throwing a 45lber in a waiting jon boat. Shredded a new pair of pretty tough lookin gloves. Don't have the inclination.

The bear trap joke sounded safer.

I know a man that took some 55 gal. drums and cut the side out of them


and filled them 1/2 full with gravel he sunk these in the lake and said the catfish

used them to spawn in . he swam down to them but he used an ole

hook thing that looked like what they used to get block ice a long time ago

it was a heavy wire hook with a wood cross handle
l

he would stick that in the fishes gills and bring them out