Might add as well BT, The noodling in Tx south of DFW will be over soon as for DFW and north it May go to July 15th or so if we don't see to many more 100+ days.

Thanks for info!!!

Do the fish prefer a certain side of the lake?

Only if it lent itself to having better structure. They will spawn wherever they can.

When it ends there does it end all at once or taper off. It tapers pretty steep here and if I cant go and catch a bunch I dont bother any more.

at what water temp is it no longer feasable to try to noodle?

I don't go off water temp. When I start finding 30% or so of the males guarding eggs, I move north until I get back into pairs again. Just try to do my part. I would say surface would have to be steady around 85+ though. Even then you can still catch pairs in the 15 to 30' range, below the thermocline.

What is the deepest you have noodled? (free dive and scuba)
Do you ever catch them where there is alot of people?(swiming beaches / active boat ramp) Anybody caught a fish in the DFW area lately? I went to Lewisville and Grapevine this weekend and tried some noodling. We found some holes under big rocks
but it was skunk city.

Free dive probably 12 to 14 feet, Scuba probably 35 or so. I have caught fish right under the rock or concrete that folks were sittin on. They will usually flip smooth out when they have been fishing all day with little luck, to find out they been sittin on a pair of 40's the hole time. I remember when I pulled my PB in 2008, we pulled the boat up to a brokedown sidewalk/retaining wall system. A gentleman was on his dock throwing a ball in the water for his mini pin, or similar little dog. I asked how the fishing was and he responded that they had been catching quite a few cats by the wall. My response was, Do you mind if we fish under the wall. He looked at me like a cow lookin at a new gate and said go ahead. After waiting for his little dog to get from between the boat and the concrete, and back to his dock ramp, we started looking for holes. I found a good one and got in front quick. Had buddy look for back doors and went to work. After some digging I got in and the first was the male that went 69lbs. The female followed shortly at 76.94. Needles to say the guy was standing on the concrete directly above me. He took some photos stating how hed never seen fish that big, walked backed to the dock, ripped his little dogs ramp off of it, and continued playin fetch in the yard. Still doesn't have a ramp back on the dock as far as I know. I hit lewisville sunday and did well. Had one 50+ and a few in the 40's.

Hands Only, I've enjoyed lurking and reading this thread and your other posts. Thanks for the free info. My brother came down this weekend and we spent the two mornings noodling the nearby creek trying to find some holes. Yesterday was a waste but we found some decent holes today, and I successfully caught my first fish, albeit a small channel cat, today. What a blast!

I'd like to plant some holes in a few stretches of the creek, and my brother and I have had some lengthy discussions of what we should make them out of and how we should secure them in the water. What have you found successful? Are there any threads or websites you can point me to for building some holes?

thanks in advance.
Chris
Houston area

Chris, although I am guilty myself in my younger years of placing nesting structure in the waters I fish. It however in TX is highly illegal to place anykind of nesting structure in state waters. If you guys really enjoy the sport and want to respect it and your fellow outdoorsman. Please, don't stink up the sport by breaking the law. It is anyway, half of what I love about the sport, looking for holes. Nothing is more satisfying than hunting for fish and finding good ones. That's why I love it so much I think. It's hunting and fishing all rolled into one. I'll guarantee All the lakes I have fished in TX and most of the rivers/creeks that guys there I know have fished, have plenty of natural structure. You guys will get the hang of it as you get better. If you choose to go the other way I won't be able to help. Hope you guys continue to enjoy the topic and the sport. I will tell you that from my personal experiences that creeks and rivers heat up alot sooner than lakes. The water in the lakes around DFW and south are way to warm for fish to be spawning shallow, with the exception of a few, as well as the lakes north of DFW. These will go for a few more weeks. Other than that it's pretty much done for the year there. I will give you a tip though, that will probably cost me a few of my own holes after I do. But I try to help when I can, and if it incourages you fellas to stay legal, I will. Go to bing maps, click on the birds eye view, zoom in on the lakes/rivers you plan to fish. Most of the photo images were taken last year when water levels were extremely low. You can usually zoom in and find all kinds of abandoned road bed, ramps, concrete, and rock to check out next year. Also everyone thinks of having a boat as the only way to check water temps. Next year as the warm up starts, take a simple needle thermomoter to the water you want to fish, check the surface temp, when it hits 70 start noodling. When they hit the high 80's to 90, It's as good as over. Hope this helps.

As with most of my new things to try to tfigure out Im always starting too late, ill try again nexty season . Thanks Jason for always taking the time to help newbies learn the sport.

Drawout, you live far enough north, if you get in a large body of water you should still be good for a few weeks. They will stay cooler longer than the smaller ones.

Drawout, You can still fish for channel cat if you want to practice. They spawn much longer than flats. We are still catching them here in south central texas. It will also allow you to find holes for next year. You learn more from every fish you find.

Any experienced Noodler's explain the pain threshold? What's it comparable to ?