The Bizarre Legal History of Noodling in Texas and Where You Can Try It

Texas has had some of the most legendary strange laws. Even now, some of our laws leave people scratching their heads trying to sort out what lawmakers were thinking. In recent history, one such occasion involved the heart-pounding "sport" of noodling. Here's the bizarre history of noodling in Texas, and where you can go to give it a try.

Is Noodling Legal In Texas?

As of 2011, noodling is now legal in Texas. In case you aren't aware, noodling is when you catch catfish with your bare hand. It can be dangerous, and a serious adrenaline rush. Growing up in Oklahoma, noodling was a part of my life, and I'm glad to see the Lone Star State is now over a decade into giving it a shot.

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Before then, noodling was illegal and fines were steep if you were caught with your hand in a hole underwater. Some reports list the fine as high as $900 if you had been caught noodling while we were living in those dark times. The interesting thing is that there are some lawmakers from the time who were quoted as saying they had no idea why it wasn't legal. Some had even grown up engaging in the prohibited act.

In 2011, that all changed with Gov. Rick Perry's signature. Yes, our lawmakers devoted part of a legislative session to figuring out whether or not it's okay for you to fish with your hand.

Since then, it seems like the sport of noodling in Texas hasn't quite reached the lifestyle status that it has in my home state of Oklahoma. When I searched on Google for good spots to go noodling, I expected to find a message board somewhere with info on where the fish are. Instead, I got a list of places to get a good bowl of noodles.

Where Can You Go Noodling In Texas?

The easy answer is anywhere that you usually find some catfish. Heads up, I've heard of some places that still prohibit the practice, so you might want to check first to just make sure that everything is on the up and up. If there aren't restrictions where you're at, you're good to go.

My biggest tip would be don't go alone. You may be a loner and think that you don't have any friends, but if you mention noodling in the right circles you'll have more people wanting to hang out than you know what to do with. Noodling can be dangerous, and having several people with you can help cut down on some of that danger.

Also, wear some protective gloves. They may not completely save your finger if a snapping turtle gets a hold of you, but they will cut down on some of the damage you suffer. That's something else you need to keep in mind. The hole you're sticking your hand in may not belong to a catfish. There are plenty of stories out there of people who shoved their hand in a hole and not pulling out all ten fingers. Be smart and cautious, and use some common sense.

Keep in mind that catfish can be monstrous in size. Those buddies you made a couple of paragraphs ago are going to come in handy when you're trying to pull one out of the water. I've been with a group of guys when one of them caught a catfish that was as long as he is. It took three of us to pull him and the cat out of the water.

Now, if you're the thrill-seeking type and have a hankering for fried fresh-caught catfish, go have some fun.