You also get to know more about the habitat and the geographical distribution of the catfish with adequate catfishing information. Catfish can be found, with the understandable exception of the hostile Antarctica, in all continents of the world. They stay in freshwater bodies as well as the salty ones. Most of them prefer the freshwater then the salty water.
Identification of the catfish is very easy once you are armed with the correct catfishing information. You will learn that the various species of catfish that are found in various parts of the globe are easily identified. This feature is two pairs of prominent structures located around the mouth. These are known as the barbells. Long and tiny, the barbells are similar in shape and function like the whiskers of a cat. However, they are thicker and more rubbery to touch. They have been compared with the whiskers of a cat because they are used in surveying the environment and to look out for prey and predators. They differ from the whiskers in the sense that they can also function as tactile (touch) organs. This is very important in a situation where the catfish is in turbid waters with poor visibility.
You also need to learn about the other side the catfish -their dangerous side, to complete your catfishing information. They have a hollow ray which runs along the dorsal and pectoral fins and should not be under-estimated. This is because the ray is capable of releasing stinging proteins when disturbed or for defensive purposes. This protein is used to cause disorientation in the prey or cause paralysis. Humans are also not safe because the injuries they might inflict may need hospitalization.
There is catfishing information that explains certain species of catfish are capable of releasing jolts of electricity. These types have been aptly described as the "electric fish". However, they do not have the hollow stinging ray that has been described above so they tend to rely on electricity for their defense, and sometimes on offense. These electric fish are not to be toyed with as it can release up to 350 volts of electricity.
Noodling is another special technique that is employed in catfishing. The style is somewhat different from what most anglers are used to. There is no need for the rod and heel in noodling. Instead you can make use of your hands acting as the bait for the fish. This technique is considered to be very interesting because you insert your hand into the mouth of the catfish to drag it out. Spotters should be on hand to help with the harvesting and a possible rescue in case the fish is just too large to properly handle.
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