Catfish noodles

In this article we are going to be looking at making noodles to catch catfish. This type of rig may not be legal in all areas, so check the local laws before you do anything.

Buy some noodles from the local china-mart. The noodles might be seasonal, and should be found in the swimming pool supplies. So far I have only found the noodles in 2 colors – blue and pink.

Cut noodle into 8 inch lengths

Get some 3/4 inch PVC pipe, caps and some PVC glue

Cut PCV pipe into 9 1/2 – 9 3/4 inch long sections. 9 3/4 seems to work better then 9 1/2.

Glue cap on 1 end of pipe

Insert PVC pipe into noodle until cap comes into contact with noodle

Drill a 1/4 – 5/16 inch hole in the end of the pipe sticking out past the end of the PVC pipe



Wrap the outside of the noodle with whatever color duct tape state law requires the noodle to be. Since I live in Texas, the noodle must be white, so I wrapped the noodle in white duct tape.

Texas state law also requires that I write a date, my name and my address on the noodle. Just for something extra, I also write my phone number. Just in case I lose a noodle, I hope the person who finds it calls me and lets me know if there was a fish on the line.

After making up 6 noodles with PVC pipe, I think a good length is to cut the pipe 1.75 inches longer then the noodle. If the noodle measures 8 inches long, cut the pipe 9 3/4 inches long. This gives you 3/4 inch to glue the cap on, and 1 inch to protrude out of the noodle.

I was using just a noodle for my drop lines. While I was at the deer camp a few weeks ago a guy told me about using PVC, so I decided to make a few up and see how they do.

In theory, when the catfish pulls on the line, the noodle is supposed to stand up. Hopefully this will make the noodle easier to grab from the boat.

For the hooks, I plan on using Circle Hooks.

Circle hooks have a bend at the end of the hook. In theory, if the fish swallows the hook, its supposed to come back out out of the stomach and hook the fish in the mouth. As opposed to the typical j-hook getting stuck in the stomach of the fish and injuring the fish.

Instead of tying the string to the hook or noodles, I tie a loop knot on both ends of the string. Insert the loop through the hole in the PVC pipe, thread the other end of the string through the loop, and then pull tight.

Do the same thing to the hook. Thread the loop through the eye of the hook, loop the end of the knot over the hook and pull.

When you are finished, it should be just about impossible for the knots to work their way loose.

One set of circle hooks I am using, the eye of the hook is too small for the large trot line string to go through it. For this noodle, I added a 70 pound safety snap and swivel.

Post your comments in this forum thread about How to make noodles to catch catfish.

Friday and saturday

Friday evening:

Spent a couple of hours friday charging the battery to the boat, after a few tries the boat finally cranked up.

Got on the treadmill for an hour friday night:
10 minutes treadmill
10 pushups
5 minutes treadmill
10 pushups
5 minutse treadmill
15 pushups
5 minutes treadmill
15 pushups
5 minute treadmill
15 pushups

repeat for 1 hour

Saturday Morning

Got up, got my shower, getting ready to pack the gear up and head out on the boat

Good weekend coming up

Looks like this is going to be a good weekend - weather is supposed to be nice, gonna get a haircut, and maybe even go to a movie with my wife.

This evening when I get home from work the boat needs to be uncovered, battery charged, and gas cans filled up. Saturday morning my wife and I are supposed to head out to the Angelina River to do some exploring, fishing and take some nature pictures.

Either Saturday evening or Sunday, we are supposed to go see "The Eagle", which is showing at the Jasper Twin Cinema.

First signs of spring are here

It looks like the first signs of spring are here. The wind is more out of the south then out of the north, the song birds are back, the first blooms are starting to appear, and the days are getting longer. Old man winter is losing his grip.

Before long it will be time to plant the garden, go camping, hiking, and go fishing on the river. Getting back out on the boat is one of the main things I'am looking forward to - taking my kids fishing and camping and my wife and I going fishing.

Last summer my son and I went on 3 camping trips along the river, hopefully we will do at least that many this year, if not more.

Thoughts on gun control

Gun control is always linked to socialism, communism, monarchy, or some other kind of oppressive government.

How many people were killed in car accidents last year?
How many people were killed by firearms last year?

But we are not going to outlaw cars and car shows?

Lets just all panic because someone shot an elected official in Arizona. But when little Suzy fell into a pool and drowned, I bet the local news barely mentioned it, much less the world news.

Talk of gun control after an event is nothing more then reactionism.

If someone commits a crime with a firearm – punish that person. But do not burden law abiding gun owners with more restrictions. To quote a scene from Red Dawn – “if a fox steals a chicken, you do not punish the pig.”

The world is full of bad things, whether its mercury in the tuna, lead in the drinking water,,,,,,, the world is never going to be a perfect place.



We already have plenty of gun laws on the books, enforce the ones we have first.

With self governor comes self responsibility. Those that can not use their rights without harming others, should have their rights taken away (prison), but do not punish the majority for the actions of the few.

Look at the people that get convicted of assault or even murder. Chances are they have a record a mile long, and chances are the state had a “3 strikes and your out law” somewhere on the books. So why are they on the streets to start with?

With prisons already overloaded, where is society supposed to put repeat offenders? That is, until they commit the most violent of crimes – and then its too late.

A few weeks ago there were some murders in Beaumont Texas. Come to find out the suspect had a record so long, they must have installed a revolving door on the jail just for him. Between early release, and reduced prison terms, this guy was in and out of prison like it was a candy store. The question I have to ask was “why”? Why did it take the guy murdering someone before he was sent to prison for life? Maybe because prison is not a warehouse? Prison is not for people who “might” harm society. We have to wait until the deed is done, and then we do something.

I firmly believe that people have the right to protect themselves, their family and their property.

I also believe the people have the right for armed rebellion – but only as a last resort. If it was good enough for the militia and George Washington in 1776, its good enough for us.

The protest in Egypt, and the calls for the government to step down going on right now. How much different would it be if the people were armed? I think things would be a lot different.

Timinin square 1989, things might have turned out a little different if the citizens had been armed.

What makes Egypt and Timinin square so much different then the American Revolution? The Americans were armed.

2 days at the camp

My 2 kids and I went to the camp for the weekend and had a great time. We planted a bunch of oak trees, a plum tree and a peach tree.

While we were at the camp I spotted a large pen oak tree that had blown down during a recent storm. This means that the kids and I will have to go to the camp, get the chainsaw and cut up some firewood.

Survival food preps

5 easy survival food preps that just about anyone can do. Honey, canned goods, peanut butter, nutritional drinks and canned fish only to name a few.



What are the requirements for a survival food prep?

Nutrition content
Calorie content
At least 1 year shelf life
No special storage after opening / or, serving size so that the whole thing can be eaten after opening
No special cooking requirements -- open and eat, or heat and eat
Something your family normally eats
Considerations for special diets
Price