It's not quite official -- the bill still has to clear the GA Senate -- but the 161 to nil House endorsement of HB 301 makes it look all but inevitable that soon you will be able to noodle here in Georgia without fear of criminal prosecution. You heard that right: barring Senate revolt, noodling will soon be legal in Georgia.
What, pray tell, is noodling? According to the AJC's Jim Tharpe (I'm getting all of these bits from Jim's article in the 3 Mar 2005 print AJC article "... and with your bare hand"), that's what State Rep Roger Bruce wanted to know. Rep Pete Warren answered: "You know, what we would do when we were young 'uns. We'd reach up in the creek bank and pull that catfish out." Bruce's reply: "I grew up in Harlem. There were no creeks." I don't think this was partisan bickering -- they're both Democrats.
Not everyone knows the sport as noodling. Down 'round Savannah way, Clyo resident Eddie Browning calls it grabbing. Browning has an interesting take as to why grabbing should be legalized: "They ought to legalize it because it takes a dern fool to do it in the first place. Sometimes you come out with a moccasin or a snapping turtle. You never know what you'll come out with." According to the article, Mr Browning sticks to pole fishing these days.
Having spent my share of time in the swamps, rivers, and creeks of Florida, I have to back Mr Browning's assessment of the noodling set.
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