Noodling / Hand Fishing = Strictly hands only

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bigcountryok

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As many know, it’s a common practice when noodling to use a stick or pole to check holes with. For those who don’t know, you put the end of the stick in the hole and see if something bites, then if there is a bite, you go in with your hands. I had heard word that OK Game Wardens were going to start issuing citations for this practice based on the fact that you're not just using your hands.

An email to the ODWC confirmed this. Just a heads up for my fellow noodlers as the season approaches.

The rumor is that on the show "Mudcats" there were a couple of guys using sticks that resembled a cane (with a large hook at the end) only the hooked end was sharpened. I saw the stick in question and could see how it may be used to pull fish out illegally. Based on this the wardens were instructed to strictly enforce the hands only fishing. So possession of anything other than your bare hands while noodling is considered illegal.
 

r00s7a

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Thanks for the tip. I hate those shows that sensationalize noodlin, I wish they'd all go away. I've used sticks before, not to get a fish to bite it, but just to get it out of the back of the hole where I can get a handle on them.
 

AllOut

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Hiding from all you crazy people!!!
yeah noodle at night...everybody knows GW will be asleep.

Has nothing to do with him being asleep, just makes it easier to hide it. Not just from GW but from other noodlers, keeps secrete holes secrete.
But they have to sleep sometime don't they.

The way i see it, I use the stick to feel in the hole to make sure what I'm after is a fish and not something I don't want. Then it becomes hands on, It's a safety type thing. Safety First above all else, even if that includes a ticket for something there isn't even a written law against. Sure the regs say "hands only" but it says nowhere that it is illegal to use a stick unless it has a hook on it (ropes or poles with hooks attached, from the regs). I've spoken with a few GWs in the past and have been confronted by some about using sticks. Every time they said, No technically it isn't illegal but just use good judgement on how you use it.
 

Jared

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Has nothing to do with him being asleep, just makes it easier to hide it. Not just from GW but from other noodlers, keeps secrete holes secrete.
But they have to sleep sometime don't they.

The way i see it, I use the stick to feel in the hole to make sure what I'm after is a fish and not something I don't want. Then it becomes hands on, It's a safety type thing. Safety First above all else, even if that includes a ticket for something there isn't even a written law against. Sure the regs say "hands only" but it says nowhere that it is illegal to use a stick unless it has a hook on it (ropes or poles with hooks attached, from the regs). I've spoken with a few GWs in the past and have been confronted by some about using sticks. Every time they said, No technically it isn't illegal but just use good judgement on how you use it.

"the way I see it" doesn't give you a pass. the law reads as follows: Noodling: the taking of fish by use of hands only. Title 800 10-3-5 (e) Possession of hooks, gaffs, spears, poles with hooks attached and/or ropes with hooks attached while in the act of noodling, shall be proof of violation of the "hands only" law.
It means: if you have any of the above items in your possession while in the act of noodling that is prima facie evidence of the violation. If you have a "feel stick" and you are caught using it, it is then a violation of "hands only".
Nothing about this law has changed. The enforcement directive has changed from being liberal on the use of "feel sticks" to strictly hands only.
 

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