Catch fish, get pictures, weigh it, if it's under 15 pounds, eat it. If it's over 15, let it go. Big fish do not taste as good as little ones, so I will never understand why people insist on eating them. Especially at this time of the year when it is so easy to catch "eaters".

Personally I wouldn't stick my hand into a hole or barrel ,there might be one of those little turtles like u got,in my opinion please let them alone at that time of year there our future for our kids and generations to come.I don't fish for the big blues like a lot of guy but they have taken it in there hand to release those big fish,just my opinion which is nothing.

I have no problems with the noodling, it's the fact that this particular tourney is five fish each team and every fish is to be killed. Just shows me that they do not care about the fishery. Jmo

Tom, you could always rent a wake boat and jet skis for your family on tournament day!

+ 10

The same as last year...all I ever read is how they will kill all the RnR guys big fish and its not right..well the guys who r noodling now, Are the same guys that have been doing it in the same waters that someone showed them that has been doing it there for the last 20 years...I personally do not know of any lake in texas that has been cleared of all the big fish by noodlers.. Im willing to bet that the dead weight of big fish the old timers catch that live on lakes and old rivers that r not on this forum that run lines and RnR is twice as high as the dead weight of the noodlers in tx IMO

Like so many on here I fish hard! Meaning it's hard!! The prep work getting bait, keeping bait fresh. Then finding a spot that might pay off and hunkering down for 12-18 hours without a yellowcat bite. This is art and poetry at its finest fellas. To see a fish hauled out with no real skill or appreciation of a 30 year old treasure breaks my heart. I'll pass along to my kids just like my grandad and dad did to me this art we anglers call fishing, and it will not be with their hands.

I think rod and reel fishermen catch too many fish year round. And they use too many poles. No one needs 10-12 poles set up all around the boat to catch catfish. R&R fishermen should be limited to 2 poles each person. And since R&R guys fish 12 months of the year, they should be limited to no more than 100 lbs of fish each year. No one needs to keep more fish than that. There's too many R&R fishermen anyway, and they're taking to many catfish out of the lakes catching and keeping all the future big fish before they have a chance to grow bigger and become those breeders.

I know all that sounds pretty dumb, and not backed up by any scientific evidence. Does the above sound like some of the criticism being dished out about noodling? Aren't you glad I don't make the rules? And I'm equally glad some of you don't make the rules.

There is always going to be haters and people are going to complain about something. If it's not the bowfishermen one week, it's now the noodlers the next. Maybe the trotliners are next!....Who knows?

Could someone explain why its 5 fish and all FISH killed -----WHY=======NEVER HEARD OF A TOURNEY WITH ALL FISH KILLED ?????? WHY WOULD YA KILL ALL FISH EXPLAIN PLEASE??? This would help everyone understand YOUR REASONING FOR KILLIN ALL THE FISH, IT IS YOUR TOURNY ISNT IT??? YOU MAKE THE RULES DONT YA, SO IT WAS YOUR DECISON???

maybe the slot needs to be pushed limiting the number of big fish that can be kept.

Personally I'd love to try my hand at noodling one time (pun intended). I want to do it for the experience of doing it, just as I also want to go deep sea fishing for sharks someday. Of course I would release the fish to live another day. I release all fish I catch, even 5 pounders. But I think it would be fun to try it. I will always be a rod & reel guy, but I see nothing wrong with noodling so long as its not abused. Between the people fishing with rods, jugs and trot lines, these definitely harvest more trophy size fish than noodlers do. This will always be a heated a passionate debate between people who love their sports respectively.

If you think it's okay to hand fish a tournament where all fish will be killed than I guess you should enter. If you think it is wrong (which I wholeheartedly do) then stay away. Just remember, we live in a nation which gives each individual the right to do as he chooses, so long as it stays within the law. Until noodling becomes outlawed, let the noodlers noodle. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it. Just my two cents. I'm out here at the lake right now with 11 rods out trying to catch a fish. Lord help me if they outlaw that! I'd never catch a fish.

Arm chairing here,4 people per team and texas bag limit is 5 per person,and tournament is one day a year,of 5 fish total? How could it hurt anything? If the big fish population in a water body is in a hurt,would anybody choose to fish it? Just saying if there are only a few big fish in it,wouldn't you go try somewhere else? I don't even target big fish anymore (time consuming and kids are young) but like to see photos of them. And think anyone who sticks their hand in where snakes/turtles/beavers maybe are just thrill seekers/traditionalist. And I also like to see those photos too. Oh well,bitch if you may. Still legal so that's all you can do. Good luck with the tourney.

Good article.