Sherry Chandler » Noodling Out of Season
Noodling Out of Season
The New York Times discovers the fine art of noodling:
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The real risk in noodling, which involves sticking your arm into a catfish nesting hole and yanking out whatever swallows your fist, is not in getting caught doing it out of season, but in reaching too far into the hole and getting snagged by spiny fins.
Just consider the case of Gov. Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky.
A year ago, after being accused of illegally forcing Democrats out of state Civil Service jobs and giving the jobs to political loyalists, Mr. Fletcher, a Republican, dismissed the charges as little worse than noodling in March. (Noodling is legal only from June 1 to Aug. 31.)
…
As a Republican running the executive branch after such a long period of Democratic rule, Mr. Fletcher faced an unusual level of pressure, especially from rural Republicans. Many accusations center on the state’s transportation cabinet, partly because in poorer regions of Kentucky, there is no political capital more precious than state positions as road crew supervisors or backhoe operators. The jobs pay well, are relatively secure and require limited qualifications.
Thurston “Fuss” Poe was a master at catching fish with his hands. He was my father’s lifelong hunting/fishing/drinking/dancing buddy and I thought he hung the moon. When I was 4 or 5, he’d let me ride on his back through the deep holes of Eagle Creek. In water up to his neck, he’d probed under the ledges cut in the rock and clay by the current. He was slow and easy and very often pulled out a nice catfish. And if he ever got finned, he didn’t tell me about it.
When I asked how he could get a fish to sit still long enough for him to grab it, he didn’t say a thing about it swallowing his fist. He said he tickled ‘em.
A difference in style, I guess.
As for our boy guv, he’s above all this wallowing in the mud banks. He prefers the fishing style of kings:
“I like fly-fishing, myself,” Mr. Fletcher said with a chuckle. “Noodling is risky if you don’t want to get stung by catfish whiskers.”
Maybe he ought to try less fist and more tickle.
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14 Comments
1. poppysmatus replies at 20th June 2006, 12:27 pm :
I infer that the reason there is a season for noodling is to protect fish during their breeding cycle so stocks don’t become depleted. Main reason for all hunting and fishing seasons, nicht wahr? So if wee Oinie doesn’t think noodling is much of a crime then that betrays his typical Repuplican/rightwing/probidnis/anti-environment bias. He has nothing but contempt for the rights of the common man so long as HIS elite get theirs, out-of-season if nessa.
2. Elle replies at 21st June 2006, 3:35 am :
This “noodling” thing is fascinating, slightly disgusting and hilarious all at the same time. I’m also sure I didn’t understand it completely, but I enjoyed it all the same.
3. Charlie replies at 21st June 2006, 10:19 am :
An out-of-season noodling violation can be a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by 30 days to six months in jail and a fine. I assume the penalty for repeat offenders would be greater.
Fletcher has obvioulsy never noodled for catfish — they may have whiskers, but the whiskers don’t sting.
I’d like to take Fletcher noodling for snapping turtles. Makes catfish noodling seem sorta tame.
4. Charlie replies at 21st June 2006, 11:00 am :
“That dog won’t hunt,” “noodling out of season,” “frog walk him out of town,” (I’ll admit that I don’t know what that one is) for some reason politicians like to use language of the common, rural person to make themselves seem common, and rural. One of the best ones I’ve heard came from West Virginian Clyde See when he ran for governor against Arch Moore. See said, “I’m going to skin him and put him on a board.” See was referring to a pointed wooden board that trappers stretch fresh hides on as they catch animals. See lost the election against the powerful Republican incumbant Moore.
It’s hard for me to believe they even have a season for “noodling.” Noodlers are not coming out of the woodwork. At least not here in Greenup County where turtle noodling is most common.
Getting back to the real point, though, if Fletcher broke the law in his administrative policies he deserved to be indicted. There should be, and I think, in some case are, special, harsher punishment for those who break the public trust. –charlie
5. Charlie H replies at 21st June 2006, 12:18 pm :
Frog walking — cowboy lingo, a form of mild bucking not likely to throw a rider.
6. MW replies at 21st June 2006, 4:58 pm :
This sounds like one of those sports that someone came up with after a couple of drinks.
As for Fletcher, what he did was much worse than fishing out of season. Also, illegal activities are still illegal, no matter how minor they might be. As an elected official, he has an obligation to uphold the law, and to set and example. If he can’t be trusted to do that, he has no right to be in office.
7. Deane replies at 22nd June 2006, 3:33 am :
Back to noodling- is “noodling” a Kentucky word? I have never heard/read of someone somewhere else doing this activity. (I assume the activity itself is done elsewhere.)
8. sherry replies at 22nd June 2006, 9:34 am :
I defer to our two Charlies, Deane, to answer your question. Even though my childhood friend caught fish with his hands, I don’t remember ever hearing the word “noodling” until Fletcher used it to dismiss the charges against him.
9. sherry replies at 22nd June 2006, 9:46 am :
Noodling for snapping turtle: Once upon a time, Charlie, my dad and some friends were having a sort of fish-cleaning party that included a case of beer. Somehow among the catch was a big old snapping turtle, which Daddy considered really good eating. (Tastes like chicken.)
Cleaning a turtle is a lot of work for little return but they had got that job done. And my dad looked over and saw the head lying there with its mouth gaping wide open.
The imp of the perverse struck.
And maybe a quantity of Oertle’s 92.
“I wonder if he can still bite,” said Daddy, and stuck his index finger in the gaping mouth.
The turtle could still bite.
Sometody had to cut the turtle’s head off Daddy’s finger with a knife.
It was a sunny day. We didn’t figure it was going to thunder anytime soon.
10. Charlie replies at 22nd June 2006, 10:46 am :
That’s a good one. And the thunder thing must be universal too. Everyone around here knows that if a snapping turtle bites you it won’t let go until it thunders. I have sent a probe to the state of Georgia to see if they know noodling there. charlie w
11. Charlie replies at 22nd June 2006, 2:39 pm :
My source in Georgia, (who happens to be my younger brother, and a newspaper guy) sends this message in response to my inquiry about noodling. I don’t know whether to laugh, be disgusted, or run out and buy a pair of chest waders. –chas w
It’s very much used outside of Kentucky. This is a story we pub lished in 2005. As you can see, noodling is on the rise across the country. I saw a PBS program about noodling in Oklahoma.
NEW LAWS COMING SOON: Noodling, other laws, take effect
Byline / Source:
JAMES SALZER / Staff
Email:
jsalzer@ajc.com
It will be perfectly legal starting Friday to wade into a Georgia stream and grab a catfish for dinner with your bare hands, if that’s your thing.
12. sherry replies at 24th June 2006, 6:13 am :
Thanks, Charlie, for this information. I have read that sportsmen are beginning to join the call for conservation and environmental protection and if I were going to jump into most streams in the country today, I’d want ‘em considerably cleaner than they are. Kentucky has a particularly egregious record, especially in the eastern coal fields.
13. Sherry Chandler » N&hellip replies at 24th June 2006, 7:09 am :
[...] — e e cummings e-mail Sherry Recent Comments: sherry: Thanks, Charlie, for this information. I have r [...]
14. Sherry Chandler » T&hellip replies at 10th December 2007, 8:05 pm :
[...] And read the discussion here back in June 2006. [...]
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