Anyone Know how to Noodle?

reply to post by JayinAR


Ice fishing is pretty much a rite of passage up here in the frozen north.

The fish are at their best during the winter... super clean, no slime, not wormy, no smell, etc etc... and hungry as all hell !

Just bring your gas-powered ice auger (two foot deep ice), and the thermal undies.

reply to post by CranialSponge


It's the same down here. Fish caught in the winter even taste better. Catching them is a little tougher though. I am primarily a bass fisherman. In the winter I have found the ONLY way to go is with a bass jig and a SUPER SLOW presentation. If you slow it down enough you can still catch the hell out of them, cuz as you said, they are very hungry.

Two feet of ice...crazy. I don't think I could handle that type of cold. I've lived in the south all my life. 30° is FREEZING to me. and it only gets that cold here maybe 15 days a year.

reply to post by JayinAR


Batting gloves or a pair of socks with finger holes cut in them. the small cuts really don't hurt. If you let go or pull back its worse damage just be flexible and hold on.

reply to post by CranialSponge


I'll be damned... salty bait for Bass you say ?

I've never caught a Bass yet ... and could never figure out why.

Catfish, walleye, muskie, rainbow trout, brown trout, jack, perch, goldeye, drum, sauger, northern pike, bullhead... you name it... but never the all elusive damn bass.


But I still think you're nuts doing this "noodling" thing.
You're arm is going to end up looking like a friggin' noodle.

reply to post by deadeyedick


Yeah, I figure that once that cat grabs hold there is no turning back. May as well grab hold and get to yankin'.

Batting gloves you say...I will keep that in mind. A buddy that is going with me (he is a newb as well) fogures that if you wear gloves, you gotta cut holes for the finger tips. Seems smart.

reply to post by CranialSponge


Seems to be the easiest way to get the big ones. I have never seen someone noodle out a cat that weighs less than ten pounds. I mean, I am sure it happens, but it is rare. The fish has to be big enough to take your hand.

Scars are no biggie to me. I am scarred up already. All over. Haha. Hell, I am not exaggerating a bit when I say I have had over 100 stitches in my face alone.

ETA: correction. 88 stitches in the face.

reply to post by JayinAR


Scarred up all over the place, eh ?

Then you really are an adrenaline junkie.

You do realize that you're going to pay for all those injuries when you become an old fart, right ?

Aches and pains in places you never even knew existed.





Take some advice from an old fart ex-adrenaline junkie !
Either that, or start loading up on a lifetime supply of Rub A535... you're gonna need it.

*cough*

reply to post by CranialSponge


Yeah. Nine broken ribs too.
Stupid stuff. But the facial crap happened in three separate horrific accidents. Mauled by a pitbull at the age of five. There go 72 stitches. Inner and outter.
Then an unfortunate encounter with a shopping cart that nearly put my eye out at the age of two. Three stitches.
Then at 18 there was the jumping on the bed incident that resulted in 13 stitches to the forehead.

The broken ribs are the real problem though. That and the early arthritis in the knees and lower back. I like to push the envelope a bit and I won't stop.

Accident looking for a place to happen, you are.

Most of my injuries were brought on by my having "fun" with dirt bikes, trikes, quads, snowmobiles, etc... basically anything with a motor attached. I was one of those "Tomboy" daredevil types, all my guy friends nicknamed me "Evel"... short for "Evel Knievel".


You are crazy... but I admire your gumption to give a try at this noodling thing.

Doesn't make you any less crazy though.

reply to post by deadeyedick


I wonder if there would be a market for snake proof noodling gloves...

reply to post by CranialSponge


Well thanks.

I figure it is a good skill to learn. That way if we are ever blasted back to the stone age, I can still catch fish after our rods and reels are gone.

Fishing line deteriorates quickly. I gotta remember the red flag, hook and stick trick. That's flippin' smart!

Oh hell, you could probably catch a catfish with a friggin empty beer can.

Those things are opportunist eaters.

reply to post by CranialSponge


And yeah, the motorbike stuff... Been there too. My worst injuries came on my bmx bike. Doing stupid ish like trying to bunny hop a tennis court net (that was a BAD idea).

Once I rolled my cousin's quad. He was so mad at me. It is amazing I wasn't killed. Always going faster and bigger. It's too bad the x games weren't around when I was a kid. I missed my calling.

reply to post by CranialSponge


That's very true!
I have heard of people finding license plates from a car in a catfish's stomach.

Never hit straight on into a ditch using full throttle on a quad hoping to come out catching some air on the other side... it doesn't work.

Damn those things are heavy when to rubber side is facing up... and your not.

Originally posted by JayinAR
reply to post by CranialSponge

 

That's very true!
I have heard of people finding license plates from a car in a catfish's stomach.

Yup.

They'd eat themselves, if they could.

reply to post by CranialSponge


Hell yes they are.
Speaking of dumb ideas, once I was on my KX125 hauling arse down a paved road. I had a brain fart and tried to take a right hand turn, at speed, onto a gravel road. Luckily I was wearing my helmet that day because at the last second I realized what was about to happen. I locked up the brakes and was thrown like a freakin' rag doll across the road and cracked the helmet on a stop sign post.

I bet the person in the oncoming car nearly crapped themselves.

Famous last words:

"Hey guys, watch this !"


I swear, I should have that carved on my epitaph.

reply to post by CranialSponge


You forgot "hold my beer."

Alright, I am out. It is late. Happy father's day, dads!