Ep 1. Hillbilly Handfishin'

In season 1, episode 1 of Hillbilly Handfishin', appropriately titled Hillbilly Handfishin', viewers are introduced to a unique form of fishing called noodling. Noodling involves sticking one's bare hand in underwater catfish holes and pulling the fish out. The show follows a group of city slickers as they try their hand at this southern pastime with the help of seasoned noodlers in Tennessee.

The host of the show, Skipper Bivins, is an authentic hillbilly who has been noodling since he was a teenager. He takes the guests to a river and shows them the basics of noodling. The first thing he tells them is to keep their nerves in check, as putting your hand in a dark hole underwater can be unnerving. The guests, who hail from New York, California, and Maryland, are all skeptical but game to try.

The first person to attempt noodling is Steven, a New Yorker who has never fished before in his life. Skipper takes him to a hole and encourages him to stick his hand in. Steven is hesitant at first, but eventually, he does it. To his surprise, a big fish bites on the first try. Steven struggles to pull it out, but with encouragement from Skipper and the crew, he finally wrangles it out. He is ecstatic, and the crew is impressed with his first-time success.

The next person to give it a try is a woman named Patty from California. She is a vegan and is hesitant about catching and killing fish, but she decides to give it a shot anyway. She sticks her hand in the hole, and after a bit of time, she manages to pull out a catfish. Patty surprises even herself with how much she enjoys the experience.

The rest of the guests each take their turns noodling, and some are more successful than others. A man named Shane from Maryland wrestles with a catfish for a long time before finally losing it. A woman named Jackie from California finds noodling to be a bit much, but her husband loves it. A man named Al from New York is not successful at all but has a great time anyway.

Overall, the guests enjoy their time noodling, and many of them are surprised at how much they like it. Skipper, who has been noodling for decades, talks about how it is a way of life for him and other hillbillies in the area. He also explains how noodling is essential to controlling the population of catfish in the river, which can grow to be very large and disrupt the ecosystem.

At the end of the episode, the guests say their goodbyes and reflect on their experience. They all agree that noodling is not something they ever thought they would enjoy, but they are glad they tried it. The crew and Skipper are left to their own devices, catching more catfish and enjoying the southern sun. The episode ends on a peaceful note, with the sounds of the river in the background.