Noodling Catfish!
Wow. I had no idea how much adrenaline would be pumping when I went hand-fishing with Marion Kincaid and the crew from the Swamp Donkey Noodling Team in Oklahoma. If you get a chance, I’d highly recommend taking a trip to hang out with these guys for a weekend on a muddy lake having a true bucket-list adventure of a lifetime!
Find Marion Here | Find Swamp Donkey Here
I thought it would be helpful for future Noodling Rookies like myself to brush up on their Oklahoma Noodling Terms before you go on a Noodling Adventure trip. So here goes…
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Hanfish’n – (English = Hand Fishing) – verb.- a redneck synonym for noodling and probably the most ancient term for the technique. “Wanna go hanfish’n on sar’day”
Sumbit – (English = Son of a B****) – 1.) Adverb. The slang term used to describe the feeling you have after losing a huge catfish. “Sumbit, I lost the sucker.”
2.) Noun. The catfish that just escaped your grizzly bear grip and shot out of d’hoe (see below). “I can’t believe that sumbit got away”
Gashdang Sumbit – (English Gosh Dang Son of a B***** – 1.) noun. You’re buddy that you trusted with your life who stole your favorite holes after taking him hand fishing. “That Gashdang Sumbit been checkin’ my hoes!” – Duck for cover if you hear this phrase. It’s about to get ugly.
d’Hoe – noun. (English = The Hole) noun. The breeding nest of a catfish. It could be a natural hole in a rock or fallen tree or a hole bored into a man-made object like a boat ramp. “Get yo’ a** down there and check d’hoe”
Leggit (English = Leg It) – verb. The process of sticking your leg in d’hoe to see if there is a fish. This technique saves you the time and energy of diving down to check d’hoe with your arm. “He’s all d’way in d’back. I’m gonna hafta leggit.”
Thumpin (English = Thumping) – verb. The act of the catfish violently flailing in d’hoe (see above) using the structure of d’hoe to vibrate or jerk. “Oh hell yeah, he’s in thair. I feel him thumpin’”
Blockdahoe (English = Block the Hole) – verb. The technique of using your foot and leg to prevent the catfish from escaping before you can stick your hand in to take him. “You better not let him out, get yo’ leg down there and blockdahoe.”
Sweepdahoe (English = Sweep the Hole) verb. – The technique of running your arm in “the hole” as deep as possible and sweeping from right to left to try to locate the sumbit (see above). “He’s in thair, I feel him thumpin’. Go downair and sweepdahoe.”
Runt fur life (English = Ruined for Life) adjective. – A description for someone who will never be the same again. “Hell yeah, we got some monsters in this lake. We’re runt fur life.”
He Throttled Me (English = as sounds) – verb. When the noodler’s hand gets moderately attacked by the sumbit (see above.) When the attack intensifies it is known as “He gave me the thunder.”Run my Leg (English = As sounds) verb. The technique in noodling where your buddy has found the hole and blocked the exit with his foot. In this technique you place your hand just above his knee and follow his leg until you can feel the opening of the hole. Then you quickly stick your hand in d’hoe (see above) and wait to feel the thunder. Don’t worry, if he’s there, he’ll throttle you. “I feel him thumpin. Now, run my leg and sweepdahoe and wait for him to throttle ya.”
