PlanetCatfish.com

Abstract
Catfish injuries to the upper extremity following fishing activities are common in the southern United States, especially because noodling is commonplace in this region. Noodling is when a fisher will stick their hand into an area where a catfish is guarding its eggs and grab the catfish by its mouth. Different mechanisms of injury, including envenomation and spine embedment, can occur and ultimately lead to different patient presentations, including the retention of foreign bodies or infection. Literature reviews of catfish injuries primarily report the retention of foreign bodies within soft tissues, infection, and envenomation. We present the first case report of a patient who sustained a ring finger proximal phalangeal physeal injury involving the growth cartilage caused by a penetration injury from a catfish barb. A novel method for safely extracting these barbs with no subsequent growth arrest or range of motion limitation is also presented.

[After noodling,] A 13-year-old boy presented to the emergency department after running on a wet surface and falling onto the catfish that he was carrying; the boy subsequently landed on one of the barbs located on the catfish. ... a barbel [sic] penetrated the proximal phalangeal physis of [the] patient.

Viktor Jarikov wrote: ↑15 Aug 2022, 21:23 Thank you Eric!

Not so much a noodling victim but slip and fall. Could happen to anyone regardless of the way a catfish is procured.

To me rings of the proverbial running with scissors. Don't run with catfish ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, haha...

Viktor Jarikov wrote: ↑16 Aug 2022, 03:01 Right, I understood. What I am saying it'd no different if he caught the cat on rod and line, or by cast netting, etc. It's a slip and fall injury, not a noodling injury.