Not the case. If released, the male will return to the nest just like any other fish that lays eggs in a stationary spot. If you've ever sight-fished for largemouth or crappie, its the same thing. You can catch them and let them go and they will return back to their nest. If you drag a female out of the hole, and she hasn't laid yet, she will find another hole with another male and deposit her eggs there. Female cats (just like any other nesting fish), will deposit eggs in several different nests over the course of several days. Bass and crappie do the same thing. Now if you keep the female, that could potentially have an effect. I'm not good enough to have any impact on them whatsoever yet.

The same argument was used against sight-fishing for bass and TPWD did a study and reported that the impact was minimal.

The bass are released almost immediately in the same area. These fish probably were not released in the same area and looks like several hours at least later.

I'm only speaking for fish released right then and there. I don't know what would happen to fish transported away from their area of the lake.

That's my only concern, some of those flats look like they have been pretty stressed. I'm usually neutral on how a man catches his fish, R/R, jug, or hand, I even think its ok to keep a few real big ones if you want em, but if your planning on releasing them it should be done quickly with minimal stress.

Evidently hasn't hurt the population in Oklahoma. Looks like they still catch a bunch of big ones up there. Im assuming the majority of fish caught while noodling would be males since they are the ones that stay behind to protect the den. Unless you get lucky and find both of them in there while they are fertilizing. It's not automatic though, even if you find a fish in a hole. I've found a total of about 16 fish and have only caught 5. Some fish blow out, others hide so far back you can't get to them, and a few will actually bite your hand.

I'm sure my catch ratio will go up as i get more experience, but alot has to go right to catch a big one with your hands. And i'm sure there's been guys doing it here since looong before it was legalized.

The Noodling tournament on Tawakoni will have some problems since there is already a Noodling tournament being put on that weekend.

I think that the eggs will go ahead and hatch since they have already been fertilized, it's just that Big-Daddy Flatty won't be there to keep the other fish from eating them, and if another pair moves in the hole they may be fine, but if not the perch will get some revenge I guess!!!

Sorry guys, had to actually work today and was out of pocket. The fish in the picture were dealt very little stress. If you have caught alot of flatheads, when I explain you will realize this. The longer a flathead is out of water and deals with the lack of oxygen, they turn yellow. Thats where the nickname yellow cat durived from. You will notice that all of the fish in the picture are very dark and still have there camo on. That is because the fish were placed on the dock and photod. The females were imediately released there after and they swam away with alot of vigour. Most of the eggs that are in a hole after you pull a gaurding male will be eaten by perch and other speceis unfortunately. That is why I recomend to everyone that I teach to noodle to quit once they start finding eggs. Contrary to popular belief, and for the guys that won't read over the hole post before firing questions, Most fish will be in the holes paired for weeks or even a month before the water temp gets stable enough for the female to lay. She then leaves and the male gaurds the nest. The time that lapses between this and the fry leaving is only about a week. Therefore, unless you are hitting the same holes all the time until late in the season, you will not be destroying any hatches. All the fish you pull early in the season have not laid yet and will very shortly be replaced with another pair. As for the maternity ward out there that keeps preaching that we are doing damage by keeping females during the spawn, I will say the same thing I've said over and over. One female gone is one female gone, whether from my hand in may or your rod and line in Dec. All the eggs she will have laid that year and for the rest of her life are gone as well. The other topic about size that keeps coming up is that we should keep only small fish. In defense to this I will help with the math. I have heard several different formulas on how many eggs per pound a female will lay. I have not thoroughly researched it, nor will I show ignorance by claiming I know. What I will do however is offer a simple scinario. Lets say it is one egg per pound. If I keep one 50 pound female I just killed 50 eggs, if someone else keeps 10 @ 5lbs, which is very common with other means of take, you killed the same amount. Not only that but you kept 10 fish from getting to 50lbs. What a shame. I guess this will be the same argument that has went on thru the ages with deer, bass, and any other species. Some guys kill small bucks because they say they eat better. Some guys wont kill does because they are killing future bucks. Some guys like me gripe because guys kill small bucks we pass up in hope to see them become my next b&c. And some guys preach to kill all the does you can. As I've said before, If the tournament anglers could catch catfish off of the nest the way folks do sightfishing with bass. Just to pull down a couple c notes and have their claim to fame, there would be alot less said about pulling catfish off the nest. They would want their tackle sponsership, and boats, and picture in the paper with the big trophy to feed their egos. Same as we like to feed ours by growin a pair and takin a photo with a giant that we had to physically wrestle into submission. Just my thoughts.

Stinkbait, remember that if we pull a female she has not laid. Also a new pair will use the same hole. I have holes that we can pull 60 fish over 30lbs in 45 days, and that is in a body of water that is only 1200 acres. Been doing it for 6 years and the fish haven't slowed down yet. The first time we quit at the end of season a pair gets to spawn. The nest is never done with as another fish will use it. Also, it is a fact that only a small portion of large flatheads even get the chance to spawn in a given season due to lack of holes in the body of water. I guarantee, if I were to start not finding fish when we went back I would be the first advocate to outlaw my own sport. No matter how intense the rush.

Very well spoken ! A++

Does a cold front this time of year effect the noodling ??

As for early season I would say it could. The water temp in the shallows will be the only water warm enough to spark interest. As temps continue to warm and move deeper due to light penetration and wave turn over, I would say not really. Once the surface temp hits the 75 to 78 mark. We start finding fish as deep as 20'. I doubt the temp change would have an adverse affect at this point. Also I have never seen a fish abandon a nest after pairing with a female. No matter what the cost. I have found fish dead on numerous ocassions, still in the hole, after a sudden drop in water level. Not concrete data, Just how I feel after years of journals and paying attention. Hope this helps and good luck.

How long does the season last? How shallow are these fish holding in the lake right now you look for holes close to bank?? Kinda lost went today but didnt really seem to find but two holes big enough to hold a fish bigger than prob 3 lbs that could fit in them. Is creeks or coves better than points or just where ever a hole can b

Romney, I'm not sure which lake you are noodling on, but right now we are finding fish as shallow as 10 inches and as deep as 8 feet. If you find a hole right now and it has the right type of bottom, there will probably be a fish in it. This full moon has them fired up!

The season will last until the water temp gets too high to incubate eggs. The females that didn't get to lay will simply absorb the eggs back into their body. Bullet is correct on the bottom thing. If you will read above thru this post, you will see where we have dealt with most of these questions. And yes whereever you find a hole is where you fish. I have found them just about everywhere one could be. see post above. It may be frustrating at first to find the holes. Thats another reason I love the sport, it's hunting and fishing all rolled into one. Once you find a hole that is a good one though, it will be good to fish year after year. And once you pull a fish you can go back later and catch fish from the same hole. Just remember, its always a good Idea to CPR big females. Not ilegal to keep however. Just use your own discresion.