noodler

A second-generation hand-grabber, or "noodler," Lee caught his first fish barehanded at the age of eight.

In the Monster's Maw 1997

To boot, Keely Crook brought in the biggest fish for a woman noodler at 32.6 pounds and the biggest stringer for a woman at 86.8 pounds.

68.6-Pound Cat Set Okie Noodling Tourney Record 2009

The noodler brings the fish to his or her chest, elbows facing straight out of the body for strength, and wraps his or her legs around the fish's tail to immobilize it.

Long Arm of the Law Penalizes Texans Who Nab Catfish by Hand Ana Campoy 2011

But most important is controlling the tail, Mr. Webb says, which is usually done by the noodler wrapping his or her legs around the fish.

Long Arm of the Law Penalizes Texans Who Nab Catfish by Hand Ana Campoy 2011

As the fish lunges forward to bite, a noodler tries to get both hands into the fish's mouth and grab the bone in the lower jaw shaped like a suitcase handle.

Long Arm of the Law Penalizes Texans Who Nab Catfish by Hand Ana Campoy 2011

Except the occasional noodler who gets a finger bitten off, or drowns after getting his body stuck in the murky hole while trying to shove his arm down a catfish, which, frankly, seems like as good a way to decrease the surplus population as any.

Animal Planet's 'Hillbilly Handfishin' ': Using the old noodle 2011

If the fish is large enough, the noodler can hook his or her hand around the fish's gills, then you yank out your arm.

Animal Planet's 'Hillbilly Handfishin' ': Using the old noodle 2011

It would have been neeter if it was caught by a "noodler."

102-Pound Blue Cat Should Break Virginia State Record 2009

Usually a noodler has at least one spotter who helps bring in the fish, which seems like cheating but apparently isn't.

Animal Planet's 'Hillbilly Handfishin' ': Using the old noodle 2011

It would have been neeter if it was caught by a "noodler."

102-Pound Blue Cat Should Break Virginia State Record 2009