You'll need your noodling buddies to act as spotters, in case trouble strikes. If you're lucky, a catfish will swim out and, in an attempt to defend its nest or escape, will bite you. Some catfish may just nip at your fingers, but others will clamp onto your entire hand.

Can a catfish bite your finger off?

Can a catfish bite your finger off? Considering the anatomy of their teeth, the answer is no. There are a lot of catfish varieties and they are anatomically similar. They can hurt your skin, scratch it, even make it bleed, but they can't hurt you enough so that the injury is considered dangerous.

What should you not touch on a catfish?

The areas of concern in regard to being “hurt” or “stung” are the dorsal and pectoral fins. These fins are located behind the head on each side and on the top of the fish behind the head (refer to the image above).