My dad did this in the Perdenales once. Some kids came up with goggles on and said, "Hey mister, there's a big fish in this hole". Dad borrowed the goggles, went down, came up with his arm streaming blood. He tried once more before calling it quits. We went back the next day and he took a pair of welding gloves. The fish was still there and he brought it up. It was only a little one, probably 20ish pounds. When he went to throw it on the bank, it flopped and he lost his grip. You'd have thought that it was an alligator the way the people down stream started scrambling for the bank.

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Dad borrowed the goggles, went down, came up with his arm streaming blood

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And I'm the only one that thinks this sounds fun?

Not that I didn't believe you fine gentlemen, but I thought I'd ask our local ag extension agent as well.

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Yes, I would expect we do have cottonmouths in Kerr County. I personally have not identified one but I have seen them north in Mason and west in Kimble Counties

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Stakes just got higher

My linked comment is the state herpetologist, AND a PHD.

My research led me here. I laughed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aazj03F62Co

I was thinking the same thing - probing my hand in an underwater hole which may contain a snake, beaver, nutria, or snapping turtle.. No thanks!

Thats why I'd like to give it a go in the upper Guadalupe. Water clarity is good. We dont have the huge snapping turtles like they do in E TX lakes.

I don't know about the upper guad, but I have seen some huge snapping turtles in the comal...

Looks like a lot of responses from those who have never been handfishing, it's a blast.

It requires water, right?

TexasNative-

Any pointers? It looks fun. I was going to start around the concrete docks.Was really most curious about time of year

In the part of Texas I live - they call it "grabbling". I've watched guys do it successfully quite a few times. Ive tried it some - never caught / grabbed a damn thing. It does give you a funny feeling however, when a big catfish rubs along your arm.

This isn't that uncommon in South Texas. My PaPa pulled one out that was 63 pounds back in the 70's.

My grandfather used to do it on the Leon River outside of McGregor (McLennan county) way back in the day. I dont know that it had a name like it does today back then though, but it was the same thing.

Not my cup of tea personally, but i grew up on the mouth of the Brazos, San Bernard and Colorado. You don't do that type of stuff here. We have alligators.

And they used to kill cottonmouths by the dozen on the creeks and Leon at the ranch he grew up on.

Got this one after work yesterday on a limb line.