Hell this time of year we used to jump in and noodle for them big fishes. I still have a blk & white photo of Dad's big catfish bite on his calf, and I'll try to get it posted up one of these days. That fish was one mean sob!! It tried to chase Dad outta the creek!

We used to have a helluva lot of fun going into them holes, blocking it with our body, and feelin' the bottom of the hole. If it was nice and sandy, it was likely in use. If it was all mucky on the bottom, no fish. Pretty simple to do, but you got to ignore the millions of spiders on the water and banks in yer face. More than anything we tried not to corner a beaver or a muskrat in a hole. Muskrats can bite ya like a buzz-saw, as my uncle Jerry learned.

I come from a long line of noolders, although I haven't been for many years now. Twas' some serious country fun!!! We never caught/kept more than a couple a year, and some were in excess of 40lbs.