Apparently, “noodling” is a kind of fishing where you dive underwater, grab hold of a catfish with your hands, and then pull it to the surface. Noodling has been illegal in Missouri since 1919, but for a limited time this summer the Missouri Conservation Commission is allowing it in three rivers. From the guy in the picture:

I’ve had them clamp down so tight on my arm that I didn’t know if they’d ever let go. They have rows of tiny teeth, and when you try to pull your arm out of their mouth, they’ll just skin you. I even had one fish that tore my tennis shoe right off my foot. I couldn’t walk for a couple days. But that’s all part of it.

Why isn’t this universally popular?