I began this series of articles to look at nonconventional ways to catch fish and the laws that govern each of those techniques. In the first two articles which have already appeared there were questions raised by readers of my column and I have attempted to address those concerns.

One question that I need to clear up is the status of blue catfish as they relate to Georgia fishery laws. I discussed the subject of blue catfish with Steve Schleiger who is the Fishery Biologist for Lake Sinclair. “Blue catfish are not classified as game fish on Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee” Schleiger said. Therefore there are no limits to how many blue catfish can be caught and fishery laws that apply to channel catfish and flathead catfish do not apply to blue catfish.

This week I want to look at four other nonconventional ways to catch fish in Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee. Those techniques are spear fishing, bow fishing, use of nets and noodling.

Spear fishing includes the use of a handheld spear to take fish under the water. Only nongame fish (includes blue catfish) can be taken with a spear. I do not know of anyone on Lake Sinclair or Lake Oconee who use spears to harvest fish. The cloudy water at most times would make it nearly impossible to spear fish under the surface of the lakes.

Bow fishing has become very popular in recent years. Fish may be taken with bow and arrow with certain restrictions. Only nongame fish (includes blue catfish) may be harvested. Carp and gars seem to be the most likely target for bow fishing.

Bow fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset but on Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee bow fishing is allowed at night while using lights. Arrows used while bow fishing must be equipped with barbs so fish can be recovered and the arrow must be attached to the person or bow by a line sufficient to hold the arrow and any fish that are harvested. Anyone engaging in spear fishing or bow fishing must have a Georgia sport fishing license.

The use of seines and cast nets are allowed under certain conditions in Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee. Only nongame fish less than five inches can be taken with a minnow seine and the seine must be less than twenty feet in length. Minnow traps are illegal in any freshwater body of water in Georgia. Dip nets and cast nets can be used to take only baitfish like threadfin and gizzard shad.

The last nonconventional means to catch fish that I want to address is noodling. Noodling involves the taking of certain fish by using your hands. The sport of noodling has become popular over the last few years as TV programs have documented the sport.

Only channel, flathead and blue catfish can be taken by noodling. The season for noodling in Georgia is from March 1 – July 15 of each year. There are guides that will take you noodling if you care to invest a few bucks and possibly a few fingers to the sport.

I have never been attracted to the sport of noodling since I know that things other than catfish reside under rocks, under banks and around blow downs where most folks who noodle will stick there hands. Even the likelihood that you can stick your hand into the mouth of a large catfish and come away uninjured is not very great.

I recently read where a person noodling was bitten by a cottonmouth and nearly lost his hand and some fingers when he was bitten by the snake as he placed his hand around a rock. I think I will just stick to using my rod and reel for catching my fish.

If you have any questions about these and other nonconventional was to catch fish just drop me an email. Good fishing and see you next week.

Bobby Peoples can be reached at brpeoples@windstream.net.