Animal Planet

Do you like a nice piece of cornmeal-crusted catfish? Yes? Well how much do you love it? Would you be willing to fly to Oklahoma, wade through alligator-infested waters, and stick your hand into a mud hole so a 65-pound catfish can sink its powerful jaws into your knuckles? We didn't think so.

But luckily for television viewers, the brave guests on Animal Planet's new show Hillbilly Handfishin' are crazy enough to do just that. Naïve city slickers (who often come dressed in heels and sometimes can't even swim) join Oklahoma-based "noodling" experts Skipper Bivins and Trent Jackson to get a taste of the redneck lifestyle. The thrill-seeking contestants come in pairs, whether they be father-daughter, husband-wife, sisters, brothers or friends, and bravely stick their hands where few other hands have gone before. Watch this video for a taste of the show:



Noodling is the art of fishing for catfish without a hook, using only your hands and feet as bait, and is a common practice in the southern United States. Flathead catfish live in holes under rocks or brush in rivers and lakes, and can be pried out after they latch onto some bait – in this case, the fisherman's body. Not only are noodlers in danger of sustaining cuts and wounds from the catfish, but there's also a risk of drowning, as catfish hiding in deep holes can pull a noodler deep under water. But the biggest threat to noodlers isn't the catfish themselves – it's the poisonous snakes, alligators, beavers and snapping turtles that also lurk in those waters.

Watching Hillbilly Handfishin' makes one wonder ... was the catfish in tonight's dinner once gnawing on a brave fisherman's hands or feet? Catfish is the leading aquaculture industry in the United States, so are we relying on thousands of brave noodlers to catch our dinners for us?

The answer is no (thank goodness). The two most popular species of catfish are channel catfish and blue catfish, both of which are heavily farmed. Farm-raised catfish are the norm in our grocery stores, so much so that President Ronald Reagan established National Catfish Day on June 25, 1987 to recognize "the value of farm-raised catfish." The wild-caught catfish on Hillbilly Handfishin' are rare and undoubtedly tasty (you should see the fish-fry at the end of each episode!), but they're certainly not what you're picking up at your supermarket.

If you've caught Hillbilly Handfishin' fever like we have, you should know that these guys aren't starting a new phenomenon. The first ambassador of the sport, Jerry Rider, became the face of noodling since his appearance on Late Night with David Letterman in 1989. And a 2001 documentary called Okie Noodling takes a close look at the practice, as well.

Hillbilly Handfishin' airs on Animal Planet on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET