Catfish Noodling Spots

Ok, so you've checked out the catfish noodling tutorials from Jerry "Catfish" Rider, but the question still remains: where to go catfish noodling? As catfish noodling has continued to grow by leaps and bounds in popularity, more and more people are wanting to grab the sport by the gills - pun intended. Though most lakes and rivers throughout Oklahoma have their fair share of catfish hangouts, not all places will be as plentiful for catfish noodling as others. Areas where catfish are fond of nesting are usually places where the water is relatively still with rocky shores where they can hide. As you review a site, make sure that you're not trespassing on someone else's property and that you're abiding by all local laws that cover catfish noodling - also known as "handfishing" by some authorities. In order to meet the demand of the public, many different guided tour groups have been established by experienced catfish noodlers who would be more than happy to show you the ropes. To connect you with the hot spots, the writers at Hubpages have shared some of their tips on where to go catfish noodling as well as catfish noodling services that take individuals and groups on catfish noodling expeditions. 

Catfish Noodler Profiles: Meet Michelle Brantley

Even more outrageous than catfish noodling at times are the people who engage in the sport. In order to be a catfish noodler, you have to be very patient, very motivated, and a little bit insane. Michelle Brantley is all of the above. In addition to being a catfish noodler, Michelle is also a full-time school teacher with a Master's degree as well as a hunter of several other animals. When she's not reaching in to the murky recesses of rivers and lakes, she's looking at the world through the cross hairs. In addition to hunting wild turkey and deer, Michelle has also managed to bag herself a mountain lion. In order to read up more on her, read this article on Michelle Brantley from the Womens Outdoor News website.


In order to brush up on your skills in the off season, check out these advanced catfish noodling tutorials from Jerry "Catfish" Rider. Jerry provides in depth instruction on catfish noodling via DVD for your educational entertainment year-round! 

First Time Catfish Noodling @ The Okie Noodling Competition

In a special series of articles known as The Amateur by Spencer Hall, Hall goes on his first catfish noodling expedition during the Okie Noodling competition with a few other experienced catfish noodlers. In addition to play-by-play details of noodling for catfish, Hall also provides his own dialogue in which the catfish noodler and the catfish have a conversation about what is going to happen to the catfish after he is caught. 

For expert catfish noodling advice, look no further than the DVD tutorials by Oklahoma's own catfish noodling pioneer, Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

Catfish Noodling Essentials

Some of the basics of catfish noodling can also make noodling the most difficult. Learning a successful catfish noodling technique is all but useless if one goes out to handfish during the wrong time of day or even the wrong season. Answering many questions that may stump novice catfish noodlers are your friends from Freshwater Fishing. In their helpful tutorial, they explain some of the basics of catfish noodling - such as when is the best time of day to go noodling and why - to help catfish noodlers have a more successful day in the lake or river on the quest for the biggest flatheads. 


For in-depth tutorials from a catfish noodling master, look no further than the instructional DVDs of Jerry "Catfish" Rider. Stay safe on your next outing and best of luck! 

Check Your Laws! Catfish Noodling Legality

This past June, four Iowa catfish noodlers were arrested for... noodling! Apparently, in Iowa, you can get into some serious trouble for catfish noodling. Over 170 pounds of catfish were confiscated as well as a small boat. Up to date, catfish noodling is only legal in 12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Texas. Reasons for catfish noodlings illegal status in these other states is due to the states seeing the practice as being too dangerous or to the ecosystem. For log onto CP North America for additional details on the arrest in Iowa. 


Before you decide to go noodling, make sure you check the laws in your area to ensure you're on the right side of the law. Also before you hit the murky depths, make sure you know what you're doing with tips from Jerry "Catfish" Rider. Let the catfish noodling veteran Jerry "Catfish" Rider show you the ropes in order to make your noodling experience the most successful one it can be! 

Not Just Catfish: Some Other Things Noodlers Come Across

While catfish noodling, catfish are not the only things you will run across. There can be snakes, snakes, and other creatures hiding in the murky waters. To demonstrate this, one catfish noodler uploaded a video of some of their finds while catfish noodling. It is for this reason why catfish noodling expert Jerry "Catfish" Rider recommends that you never go catfish noodling alone or into water that is too deep. Though catfish noodling seems a little crazy in itself, there is a way to do noodle safely. 

5 Helpful Tips For Safe and Successful Catfish Noodling

Though catfish noodling has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years, it has only caught on in popularity within the past few decades. Because of this, it remains a relatively new sport to the general public without a whole lot of people knowing the ropes. In order to get started, there are a handful of very helpful tips to ensure a much more safe and successful day of catfish noodling. Presenting these helpful tips are the experts from Catfish Tips Today. For even more helpful tips on catfish noodling in the form of instructional DVDs and more, log on to the official website of catfish noodling expert Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

Channel 6 Goes Catfish Noodling

Some Tulsa, OK news personalities took to the murky waters a little while back for a news story about "Oklahoma's own extreme sport": catfish noodling. Meteorologist Dick Faurot took new reporters Laci Lowry and Tess Maune for a catfish noodling expedition. Channel 6 brought views this segment on the fun of catfish noodling. 

Whether you've never touched river water or you're a seasoned catfish noodler, Jerry "Catfish" Rider invites you to hone your catfish grabbing technique with his catfish noodling tutorials. His noodling know-how is captured on DVD for your convenience and for sale on the official website of Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

Catfish Noodling On the Radio

From the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), reporter Scott Gurian joins catfish noodling veteran Thomas Riggs  in Watonga, OK for a noodling expedition as well as joining Riggs at the annual Okie Noodling Tournament in Pauls Valley, OK. Gurian's audio story does a wonderful job expressing the attitudes of a veteran catfish noodlers as well as describing the sights and feelings involved with a catfish noodling experience. Riggs likens his catfish noodling experiences to that of a drug addiction with Gurion comparing the Okie Noodling Tournament to a joyful AA meeting where no one is ready to give up their addiction. To listen to the full story, PRX has this colorful story of catfish noodling and the culture surrounding it.

To have a leg up and hand in on the competition or just to improve your own skill, veteran catfish noodler Jerry "Catfish" Rider is pleased to provide lend a hand with some of the finest DVD tutorials for catfish noodling available. Log on to the official site of Jerry "Catfish" Rider and get started with some of the finest catfish noodling tutorials available. 

Catch and Release Noodling

Catfish noodling remains illegal in many states due to the fact that the catfish rarely has a chance to avoid capture in order to sustain their numbers. Hand fishing is so effective because the catfish doesn't have anywhere else to go. Catfish are caught in this method while they are trying to protect their eggs just like any other creature is wanting to protect its young from natural predators, such as snakes, turtles, and other fish. In order to catfish noodle responsibly, there are a few instances when a noodler or any other noodler, for that matter, to practice catch and release. Not only will this prevent making larger catfish a rare find, but it is a humane thing to do when a catfish is not very large. In addition to the ethical reasons for practicing some form of catch-and-release, the method is important to ensure future generations will have the same opportunities to wrestle a large catfish out of its hole.For additional information on catch-and-release fishing, Fish and Boat has this tutorial on how to care for fish you intend on release to minimize injury to the fish.
 

For catfish noodling tips from a seasoned veteran, feel free to visit the official website of Jerry "Catfish" Rider for advanced catfish noodling tutorial DVDs. 

"Okie Noodling" Documentary

The world-famous documentary on catfish noodling is now available for stream online and Jerry "Catfish" Rider is bringing it to you right here! See the legend himself featured in the award-winning documentary as the story of catfish noodling is explained. After the film, feel free to make your way over to Jerry "Catfish" Rider's official website to find catfish noodling tutorial DVDs and other items to help you have a leg-up on your next trip out to the lake, pond, river, or favorite catfish noodling hole. Enjoy the show and stay safe on your next noodling adventure! 

Paul Ryan: Catfish Noodling Potential VP-To-Be

Some of the readers may recall the past post on the blog about Congressman Paul Ryan speaking about his love of catfish noodling. Now the Congressman has been selected as Mitt Romney's running mate to be Vice President in the 2012 Presidential election. That's right; there might be a catfish noodler in the White House! For more information on the Congressman/potential Vice President's catfish noodling exploits, check out this write up from Filmmaker Magazine .

Politics aside, Congressman Ryan has been giving a boost of exposure in the media and elsewhere. The last person to bring the sport of noodling this much popularity was Jerry "Catfish" Rider. For more on Jerry "Catfish" Rider, log onto the catfish noodling legend's official website.

Why Catfish Noodling is Illegal in Some States

Though states like Oklahoma and Texas enjoy legal catfish noodling, there are other states where catfish noodling is illegal. Missouri, for instance, has strong catfish noodling regulations that have made the sport illegal. One of the concerns is that as the sport of catfish noodling increases, the practice has the possibility of depleting the catfish population. Though catfish noodling is legal in Oklahoma, there are ways to catfish handfish and not have a dramatic affect on the catfish population. Noodling legend Jerry "Catfish" Rider recommends a catch-and-release technique to ensure a plentiful future of catfish and fun for catfish noodlers. For more information on why catfish noodling is illegal in Missouri, read up on the official website of the Missouri Department of Conservation. For more on catfish noodling, including the importance of a catch-and-release technique, log on to the official website of catfish noodling legend Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

Noodling in the News

The world got a little further taste of catfish noodling right around the time the sport was legalized in Texas. From CBS News comes this report on the great sport of catfish noodling. 

For additional tips on upping your catfish noodling game, head on over to the official website of Jerry "Catfish" Rider for instructional DVDs on catfish noodling. Remember to stay safe and stay cool! 

Catfish Noodling Fever Spreads to Miami, Oklahoma

As catfish noodling spreads in popularity, multiple catfish noodling competitions have made the thrill of the fill of the gill more competitive than ever. Newest to the catfish noodling tournament scene is the Route 66 Noodling Tournament that took place all over Oklahoma from 6pm on June 22th and culminated with the weigh-in Miami, OK the following day. Past 1st place prize winners brought home the championship with an astounding 82 pound catfish pulled out a river in Northeast Oklahoma. To find out more about this competition, head over to Big Cat Noodling's site on the tournament. To help get ready for the next competition, be sure and visit the official site of Jerry "Catfish" Rider for instructional DVDs and other materials to help you win big the next time around! Also remember to stay cool and stay safe as you head out on your quest for your next big catch!

Catfish Noodling Deemed the Latest "Extreme Sport"

Despite many states still outlawing catfish noodling, this has not hurt catfish noodling's appeal in other states. Thanks to coverage of catfish noodling from the annual Okie Noodling Tournament in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and shows like Animal Planet's "Hillbilly Handfishin'", catfish noodling has never been more popular. As more people give catfish noodling a try, from new-comers to the sport to Congressman Ryan's admission to enjoying the thrill of the catch in the murky depths, more brave souls are wanting to give the age-old sport a try. According to a recent write up in the Tyler Paper, catfish noodling is now considered one of the newest "extreme" sports to hit the mainstream. To learn how to get in on the action with quality catfish noodling instructional DVDs, look no further than the official website of Jerry "Catfish" Rider. Look through his video collection and find out how to have the legend himself come speak at your next event! In the meantime, stay cool and safe in the murky lakes and rivers! 

Catfish Noodling on Prime Time Television

As the popularity of catfish noodling grows, more television networks are getting in on the fun with a whole slew of shows about catfish noodling. One of the newest shows to incorporate catfish noodling is Animal Planet's own "Hillbilly Handfishin'" with noodler Skipper Bivins. Though the show does revolve around catfish noodling, Skipper and his band of noodlers specialize in taking catfish noodling novices into the murky depths in search of the thrill of the catch. Animal Planet has provided their own slideshow tutorial of catfish noodling for your educational enjoyment. For further in-depth instruction, Jerry "Catfish" Rider's official website is proud to provide catfish noodling instructional DVDs and a way to schedule the noodling legend for speaking engagements. Learn from a catfish noodling pioneer to help you have a successful noodling season. 

As this weather gets hotter, stay safe by staying cool and practice safe catfish noodling practices!

The Congressional Catfish Noodler

Since the dawn of the election process, politicians have been trying to convince voters that they share a bond with their constituents from how they think to the activities they participate in. This has never been more true than when Wisconsin Congressional Representative Paul Ryan told news sources about his love of the sport of catfish noodling in interviews about his personal life.


"We walk around banks looking for holes," he told the New York Times. "And you get your hand inside the fish and they kind of - they come up on your hand. And then you just squeeze where ever you are on the fish  and pull it out. I know it sounds a little crazy, but it's really exhilarating."


For more on Congressman Ryan's catfish noodling adventures, check out this article from Raw Story. To learn from a seasoned pro, log on to the official website of Jerry "Catfish" Rider for advanced tutorials on the great sport of catfish noodling or to find out more about booking Jerry for speaking engagements. 

2012 Okie Noodling Tournament Champions

A group of Claremore catfish noodlers made history this weekend at the 2012 Okie Noodling Tournament with a 70.46 pound catfish; the largest ever caught in the famous competition. The annual catfish noodling tournament played host to catfish noodlers from all over the country as they came to Pauls Valley, OK to show off their prized mudcats. Taking grand prize was 24-year-old Claremore native Kaleb Summers. When Kaleb isn't competing, he's showing people around Oklahoma on his nature tours and even takes a few brave souls into the murky depths for a one-on-one catfish noodling tutorial. For details on the catch and the tournament, log on to this Sport Extra feature on Summers. For more on catfish noodling, technique, or hiring a seasoned pro for speaking engagements, log on to the official site of Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

The 13th Annual Okie Noodling Tournament is Here!

It's that time of year again! It's Okie Noodling time! The 2012 Okie Noodling Tournament is almost underway in beauty Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Some of the world's greatest catfish noodlers go head-to-head and hand-to-hand for the 13th time in the world's most famous catfish noodling competition. The tournament kicks off Saturday, June 23rd at Wacker Park. You don't have to be a catfish noodler to enjoy all the festivities that will be kicking off at noon. From blow up toys, a petting zoo, to face painting and a wide variety of food and beverage vendors, there is sure to be something for the entire family to enjoy. For budding catfish noodlers, there will be a children's catfish noodling clinic as well as a catfish eating competition for those who think they can put away the most catfish. Weigh in will be at 6pm and the tournament officials would like to remind all competitors that they must have their paper work in on time in order to compete. For more information, visit the Official Okie Noodling Tournament website. As always, you can brush up on your skills by checking out the products and services of Jerry "Catfish" Rider.

The 2012 Okie Noodling Tournament is Right Around the Corner!

As the sport becomes more popular, National Geographic covers the Okie Noodling Tournament for their viewing audience. Get a first hand look at the largest catfish noodling competition in the world taking place in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. For more information on this year's Okie Noodling Tournament taking place June 22nd, visit TravelOK for more information. For the finest catfish noodling tutorials and guest speaking engagements, look no further than the products and services of Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

Texas Legalizes the Great Sport of Noodling

CBS News sent one of their correspondents to Texas to see what catfish noodling was all about. As catfish noodling gains popularity from television exposure and write-ups in outdoors magazines, not only are more people getting into the age-old sport of hand fishing, but also catfish noodling regulations are loosening their grip on the sport to give more people a shot at wrangling their own catfish. For more information the perspective that CBS News reported, be sure to visit their site to check out their video report on catfish noodling here. 


Don't forget that the annual Okie Noodling Tournament is just around the corner. For more information, check out the Travel OK website.




As always, for the finest catfish noodling instructional DVDs and tutorials, look no further than the expert; Jerry "Catfish" Rider. 

5 Tips For Successful Noodling

Are you already an angler looking for a new challenge? Have you been curious about catfish noodling for a while but don't know where to start? It's definitely not as a easy as it looks. In order to get you started on the path of being a successful catfish noodler, the folks from Catfishing Tips Today have come up some of the essential ingredients to share with you on how to help you get that catfish you've always always wanted using your bare hands! For a step-by-step tutorial, check out this blog post from Catfishing Tips Today and find out where to begin. For a more hands-on (pun intended) tutorial, check out the official website of catfish noodling legend Jerry "Catfish" Rider for an assortment of DVD tutorials to get you noodling before you know it.

Okie Noodling Returns!

Just around the corner is the 12th Annual Okie Noodling Tournament back where it all began in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma on Saturday, June 23rd. Noodlers from all over the country will be coming out to compete to see who can get the largest catfish in the water. Noodling demostrations will be taking place and one of the largest fish fries will be going down for all to enjoy. For more information, log onto to Pauls Valley's official website for further details about those wishing to attend as well as those who desire to compete. To get psyched up for the event and learn more, check out the official website of Oklahoma's most famous noodler, Jerry "Catfish" Rider, and pick up any one of his instructional DVDs to give you an advantage against the competition. We'll see you there! 

Debut of JerryCatfishRider.com

You've seen him everywhere from the History Channel to David Letterman, now Jerry "Catfish" Rider shows you his own little corner of the internet dedicated to all things related to catfish noodling and beyond. Join Jerry as his hands explore the red-dirt-filled waters of Oklahoma rivers and lakes in search of the largest catfish to ever be caught by hand. Featured in magazine articles and documentaries, Jerry "Catfish" Rider takes fan and fishing enthusiasts hands-first into the exciting world of hand fishing. For more information on Jerry and his catfish noodling adventures, be sure to log onto his official website.