Catfish from the Satilla

[Tom]

 



Member Sid's brother, Rodney, and Steve with a string of Satilla Catfish.

[crtreedude]

Wow, nice fish!!!  8)

[submarinesailor]

Did they catch them on the Big or Little Satilla.  If it was on the big, where they above or below Woodbine.  If below, they weren't too far from my old house. 

I killed more snakes in that river than I caught fish.  Boy was it deep and fast below Woodbine.  And black, that was some of the blackest clear water I have ever seen.  Miss the fishing, but not the bugs.

Bruce

[Tom]

I don't have the whole story.  I sure wish Sid would get on here and tell it.  I think he is waiting for me to do it.  If he sends me another email I'll echo the story.

[beenthere]

Those catfish look the size that I saw in a video, and the guys were wading and diving in water, and apparently noodling those catfish to nibble and take their hand. They'd come up with one on their arm and walk it over to the boat.

Maybe others have seen such a fishing technique. A few bloody tooth marks on the upper arm seemed to be the only hazard....beyond drowning... ;D ;D

[beenthere]

Found the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LksuKTD8y0o&feature=related

[okie]

I was wondering if those were caught on pole or noodled myself. Round here this time of year noodling is about the only way to catch the bigger flatheads, middle of august pole fishing picks up though. 3 Years running now the rivers have been out of their banks during prime noodling time though  :(.

[beenthere]

When catfish noodling, do they use a bait in their hand to get the catfish "caught" ??  Appears to be some white goo when they finally release the fish in the boat.

[Don K]

From what I have read they feel under overhangs, logs, etc. and stick their hand in the mouth and when they bite down, it is on. From my personal experience, the white goo is a slime that is secreted from the fish. It will cover your fishing line when pulling one in. Rather sticky.

Don

[SwampDonkey]

That's quite a string Tom! The guys must be planning on a big fish feed. I've never eaten catfish and only caught one in my life. It was only about 6 or 8 inches long and really dark colored. They look almost alien with those 'whiskers'. ;D

We have done it (noodling) for chubs along the banks of small narrow streams. They don't bite, we just grabbed them. A chub will live where a trout can't even get enough oxygen or the water is almost stagnate. Old beaver ponds around here turn into chub rearing ponds. A brook trout needs flowing water and gravel bottom to be healthy. Good eating for otters as my beaver pond has both. ;D

[Tom]

I don't have the story of the fishing trip yet, but most catfish around here are caught on pole or trot-line, and baited with everything from soap to shrimp to chicken parts.

[Mooseherder]

I don't have the story of the fishing trip yet, but most catfish around here are caught on pole or trot-line, and baited with everything from soap to shrimp to chicken parts.

Oh Yeah! :D

http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=167282&zoneid=164

[okie]

No bait is used when noodling. The female lays eggs in underwater cavities and the males sit guard on the eggs. The females that havent layed yet need coercing to get them to munch on your hand, but the males see you as a threat to the eggs and are pretty vigilant in keeping you away from them.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  You build boxes called "catfish coffins" and put them in the water about 3 ft deep.  The catfish go in there to spawn and sleep.  You wade along the river and reach in and see if any one is home.  If you listen to the tape you hear him say about the box in the water.  My GrandPa Barnes one time reached into a hole in a bank and kept going under water.  My Dad and Uncle finally went to help him before he drowned.  Seems he reached in and grabbed a Snapper by the head and it pulled his hand into the shell.  He was afraid to let go because it could take his hand off.  They got it to the boat and shot it with a pistol.  It crossed the gin scales at 90 lbs.  We ate on that thing for weeks.
  Most of my big cat fish come on jugs while floating the Arkansas River.   About time to take a trip if it will quit raining.

[fishman]

Arky, we had around 7 inches, the river has risen 4 foot today, corps has issued warning flows will exceed 100,000,  we been going couple times a week and xcatching plenty, give me a holler if you get down this way and we set a good float up   Bill

[ARKANSAWYER]

  We are looking for around the full moon of Sept for a good float.  River is going to have to come down some and slow down or we will be in Little Rock before the jugs hit the river.