Does anyone have any suggestions on how to protect yourself when noodling? Anything would be great. Thanks.

ya dont noodel  ;D ;D ;D

Use your old Nintendo Power Glove dude..

The use of gloves is arguable because there is a risk of getting your glove snagged and having your hand trapped. Without gloves you could lose fingers or have the meat raked off you hand however, so the choice is yours. I suggest going with some long sleeved kevlar gloves, but I heve never noodled... Make sure you have a partner because large catfish have killed many people by pulling them underwater. Also do some probing in the holes with a rod or stick so you dont get bit by a turtle snake muskrat or beaver. Best of luck, be safe and post some pics!

 I'm with buck.wheat on this one. First thing I thought was keep your durned hand out of anything with a mouth that large ! I always thought I would pretty much try any type of fishing........until I heard of grappling (same thing).

 Sorry to say, I know my limits boys and girls. Haven't tried it, ain't gonna try it ,nope, no way no how, just couldn't  ;D! You're a better man than I, Gunga Din...

                                          As Ever,

                                           Skillet

use duct tape

Ya, I like to see it before I go jammin my hand in its mouth!

I'd do it, I'm a small guy 150llbs so I could settle for a 50llb catfish nothing big enough to drag me under. Though I have only caught one in my entire life and it weighed 22llbs.

This old boy I know weighs around a buck fifty.  He is crazy enough to noodle.  He went down in 8 ft. water to an old hollow log stuck his arm in and a cat almost half his weight latched on.  The ole' boy about drowned.

There is NO way I would do his.  I want to keep my fingers.

3 things I would never do.

1. Swim in my lake after dark. (its gator infested days are ok)

2. Noodle (fish come to me, I dont go to them)

3. Answer my wife honestly when she asks if her *** looks fat in "this" dress! (im not stupid).

Now pertaining to #2

I cast they bite, I reel, they come to me. I light the fuse....er....um....well....they come to me.

I am NOT hunting them in an area they can breath in, and I cant....

Well after I Mr.Miagi'd that brim the other day I wouldn't think noodling would be all that bad. 4 foot of water, big catfish, gloves, and a few brews. That could lead to the "perfect" day.

and a few brews

That's the key right there.  that would be the ONLY way I MIGHT think about it.  But again......If your fingers get bit by a muskrat or turtle.  Be kinda hard to hold that brew.

3 things I would never do.

1. Swim in my lake after dark. (its gator infested days are ok)

2. Noodle (fish come to me, I dont go to them)

3. Answer my wife honestly when she asks if her *** looks fat in "this" dress! (im not stupid).

Now pertaining to #2

I cast they bite, I reel, they come to me. I light the fuse....er....um....well....they come to me.

I am NOT hunting them in an area they can breath in, and I cant....

#2 is important as is #1 but in my experience #3 comes with consequences worse than the most horrible death imaginable

3. Answer my wife honestly when she asks if her *** looks fat in "this" dress! (im not stupid).

The correct answer is, "No Honey, it's not the dress."

I have grabbled (Noodling to some) on and off for about 20 years.  The biggest I've ever hand grabbed was 63lbs.  Kind of the whole point of noodling is going unprotected head to head with the fish and see who wins.  Regardless of what you hear, I know of no one who has ever had their arm/hand stripped of skin, lost fingers, or any other such horror story.  You will get skinned & scratched up sometimes pretty bad, but no major injuries.  

Siefer:  A 50lb catfish is more than a handful.  I weigh 235lbs, & I had a 15lb blue cat jerk me off my feet and drag me under.  I was in about six feet of water.  Luckily, I wasn't in any current and was able to stand up.  However, I didn't let go of that fish.  Letting go of that fish would have brought the wrath of raggin from my buddies that I would have never heard the end of.  I would have almost rather drowned. LOL