A first time- noodling for catfish season has been approved by state Natural Resource Commission

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WB Staff
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A first time- noodling for catfish season has been approved by state Natural Resource Commission

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A brand-new fishing season makes its debut Friday in West Virginia.

For the first time ever, people in the Mountain State will be allowed to noodle for catfish. Noodling, also known as hand-fishing, grabbling and tickling, has long been legal in the Midwest and Deep South, but has always been illegal in West Virginia.

That changed in May, when members of the state Natural Resources Commission voted to create a noodling season with a fixed opening date of June 15 and a fixed closing date of Aug. 31.

Noodlers catch catfish by feeling around in underwater openings until they touch a catfish. They then grab the fish by the mouth or gills and yank it out. The practice has acquired a cult following among daredevils who enjoy the adrenaline rush of wrestling with fish that can weigh up to 70 pounds.

The Mountain State noodling season coincides with a time of the year when water levels are relatively low and cavities holding catfish are easier to reach. The summertime season also ensures that noodlers, who often wade in neck-deep to reach prime spots, won’t succumb to hypothermia because the water is too cold.

Hand-fishing is restricted to daylight hours only, for two reasons: One, fumbling around in the water at night can be hazardous; and two, law enforcement officers can more readily police the activity.

Noodlers can’t use bait or fish attractors to entice catfish out of their holes. They also can’t use gaffs or spears to latch onto or kill their quarry.

Read the rest: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdoors/ ... 70ecc.html
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