Dad catches a few noodling, but more by accident than anything. They get blue once in a while as well. Most of the time the channels they hit are in small holes in hard mud banks. Good luck!
Branden
Branden
can you noodle for channel cats
was wondering if channel cats hole up like flat heads? if so can you noodle for them? what are the best places to look for them(on mud flats or drop offs)?:cool2:
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If the game laws within your state allows it, channels can be noodled the same as blues and flatheads. They all share the same habitat. But, before you get to noodling, are you really sure you want to do it? I mean, really sure?
You can noodle them but most likely it illegal. And besides that the channel cat behaves much different than flatheads. They won't lay around and let you get ahold of them like a flathead. I have caught a few one was trapped in a stack of concrete the other was furiously defending its home and I mean this fish maybe 3lbs made men cry LOL!
Ryan, welcome to the forums. Like mentioned above, make sure it's legal on the waters your looking to noodle. Here on the Missouri there's an open season in the month of June. I've done it for three seasons now and absolutely love it. My rule of thumb I personally live by though, is if it's big enough to noodle, it's to big to keep.
I've never come across a channel though. I would almost think finding a channel big enough to be noodled would be far and few between. A trophy size channel around here where I live is around 16 to 18lbs. Maybe their bigger where you live. Let us know how it turns out for ya!
J.
I've never come across a channel though. I would almost think finding a channel big enough to be noodled would be far and few between. A trophy size channel around here where I live is around 16 to 18lbs. Maybe their bigger where you live. Let us know how it turns out for ya!
J.
I have noodled many channel cats in FL rivers back a few decades. Got some quite large, 25lbs +. Got started when I was diving hunting for artifacts and fossils.
As I learned about the reason they were willing to give their life without fleeing I developed such a respect for the animal I quit doing it.
Remember pulling a large male (thought it was a momma at the time) out of a hollow log. He would not wiggle so as not to disturb the golden mass of eggs he was covering, until I got him out of the log. Then he exploded into twisting and got free. The next thing that happened surprised me. He was clear and free to swim away, but instead he went right back into the small opening in the side of that log to cover those eggs. The water was clear in that river and I layed there for a while watching him in that log. I left him there and that was the last time I ever noodled.
As I learned about the reason they were willing to give their life without fleeing I developed such a respect for the animal I quit doing it.
Remember pulling a large male (thought it was a momma at the time) out of a hollow log. He would not wiggle so as not to disturb the golden mass of eggs he was covering, until I got him out of the log. Then he exploded into twisting and got free. The next thing that happened surprised me. He was clear and free to swim away, but instead he went right back into the small opening in the side of that log to cover those eggs. The water was clear in that river and I layed there for a while watching him in that log. I left him there and that was the last time I ever noodled.
One thing you need to know about noodling for channel cats, they will bite like the dickens. I have seen them more than once bring blood. Wear gloves and it won't hurt so much.
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