Why noodling is not necessairly fun

[AwShucks]

Todays paper had two deaths reported. One by a guy noodling without any type of flotation device. 27 years old and he didn't make it...
Second by another young man who just went swimming. Got tangled up in old fishing line with a hook. No way to prove it, but I'd bet it was heavier than a normal line...I know I have no reason to suspect it, other than what I have personally seen, but I'd almost bet it was something like 50 to 80 pound test line that a person couldn't break so they just cut the line and he got tangled up in it. I'll see if I can post the stories...These articles were published in todays edition of the Daily Oklahoman.

Man drowns in Arkansas River in Sequoya County
Buzz up!FROM STAFF REPORTS
Published: August 9, 2009

MULDROW — A man drowned Saturday in the Arkansas River when he became entangled with old fishing line while swimming, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

Tracil D. Lemley, 34, of Fort Smith, Ark., was swimming about 20 feet from the river's north bank about 1 p.m. Saturday when he was caught in the old line and a hook, troopers said. The incident occurred near Muldrow in Sequoya County.


Oklahoma man dies in noodling accident near Isabel

Published: August 9, 2009

IDABEL — Authorities this morning recovered the body of a man who was swept over a dam in the Little River near Idabel while he and two others were noodling, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.



Christopher Dale Chapman, 27, of Idabel and a companion were caught in a current and swept over a low-water dam about 4 p.m. Friday, troopers said. They had been hand-fishing for catfish west of the dam on the river's south bank.

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Chapman disappeared under the water, but the other person made it to shore, the patrol reported. Chapman's body was recovered around 6:20 a.m. today about 250 yards from where he was last seen.

Chapman was not using a flotation device, troopers said. The others were not identified.

[Dirtdobber]

Both of those rivers can be rough if you don't know them. When I was young I lived in SE Okla. and you can get in trouble fast in Little River.

[ra8643]

I just want to thank everyone on this board for always making points in the posts about safety. I have decided to wear a lifejacket from now on when running my lines, have re-spaced my drops to 5' and now have a knife on me.

Safety has become my #1 priority from now on......

[Catmanblues]

What an awesome post Lawrence! Thanks for the post an reminders on just how dangerous a sport can be.

[mcseal2]

You can never be to careful, I never go anywhere without a knife, especially fishing. I team rope and work as a full time rancher, and I know how quickly any kind of rope can get you in trouble. When fishing rivers with current over 500cfs I always have at least 2 people in the boat and all the required PFD's. Rivers like the Missouri I won't fish without another experienced fisherman along who is used to dealing with a boat in current. I carry a leatherman multi-tool when running lines, a knife with a pocket clip, and have a knife mounted in the boat by both seats. That way when you leave one laying where you used it to cut line/bait etc, there is still at least one within reach.

[Grimpuppy]

Fishing is by far the most dangerous sport in the world. More anglers die each year than any other sport. If something doesn't look or feel safe, then it probably isn't. At some point, most people have taken a chance that they shouldn't have. Most of us got away with it, and most of us knows someone that didn't. You can do everything right and still end up in a bad situation. When you make bad decisions, that just increases the chances of being in a bad situation.

[Catfish_Scooter]

Todays paper had two deaths reported. One by a guy noodling without any type of flotation device. 27 years old and he didn't make it...
Second by another young man who just went swimming. Got tangled up in old fishing line with a hook. No way to prove it, but I'd bet it was heavier than a normal line...I know I have no reason to suspect it, other than what I have personally seen, but I'd almost bet it was something like 50 to 80 pound test line that a person couldn't break so they just cut the line and he got tangled up in it. I'll see if I can post the stories...These articles were published in todays edition of the Daily Oklahoman.

Man drowns in Arkansas River in Sequoya County
Buzz up!FROM STAFF REPORTS
Published: August 9, 2009

MULDROW — A man drowned Saturday in the Arkansas River when he became entangled with old fishing line while swimming, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

Tracil D. Lemley, 34, of Fort Smith, Ark., was swimming about 20 feet from the river's north bank about 1 p.m. Saturday when he was caught in the old line and a hook, troopers said. The incident occurred near Muldrow in Sequoya County.


Oklahoma man dies in noodling accident near Isabel

Published: August 9, 2009

IDABEL — Authorities this morning recovered the body of a man who was swept over a dam in the Little River near Idabel while he and two others were noodling, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.



Christopher Dale Chapman, 27, of Idabel and a companion were caught in a current and swept over a low-water dam about 4 p.m. Friday, troopers said. They had been hand-fishing for catfish west of the dam on the river's south bank.

Chapman disappeared under the water, but the other person made it to shore, the patrol reported. Chapman's body was recovered around 6:20 a.m. today about 250 yards from where he was last seen.

Chapman was not using a flotation device, troopers said. The others were not identified.

Noodling should be banned anyway.. you have to go underwater and dig around for a hole while at the same time your holdin' your breath all that long when you could just cast out bait on a r&r and wait peacefully.. Its just pure ease and common sense to not noodle "grab":cool2:

[mintaka]

Another thing about it , you don't know whats in those holes. I've heard of several people who get attacked by snakes , large turtles , and others.
Or even worse there was a guy on Hooked who came up with a cigar in his mouth , spitting out water the color of sweet potatoes. He may end up with a disease for this.

[Big Sam]

Trot-lines are very dangerous for all involved:ooooh: Old timers will only have their "hands" on the line when running them and setting them. The pressure on the line is very dangerous & can put a hook in your hand and pull you straight out of a boat & it's over....and most folks dont even think about it...there are way too many left out in the water..when people get tired of running them they just leave them there for someone in trouble swimming to get hung on...or a prop.....or a life:wink:

[AwShucks]

Noodling should be banned anyway.. you have to go underwater and dig around for a hole while at the same time your holdin' your breath all that long when you could just cast out bait on a r&r and wait peacefully.. Its just pure ease and common sense to not noodle "grab"

I just can't agree with this as a blanket statement. As long as each states game laws allows noodling then it should be accepted. The decision to noodle is your choice, but I can't hold with someone who doesn't want to participate in the sport banning it for other participants. I understand everyone has an opinion.

I also think noodling is probably just about as safe as fishing from a boat. How many people have drowned by falling out of the boat? Want to ban them also?