Crews Search River In NE OKC For Man Who Drowned While 'Noodling'

The search continues for a man who may have drowned while noodling in OKC.

Firefighters were in the North Canadian River near N.E. 63rd Street and Midwest Blvd. on Monday, looking for a 26-year-old who went missing Sunday.

6/9/2013 Related Story: Man Drowns While 'Noodling' In NE OKC

Firefighters say the man was noodling for catfish with some friends when he went in the water and never resurfaced.

Noodling is a way a person can catch a catfish with their arm, by putting their limb into a murky hole or under a rock. The fish will often bite down while being pulled out of the water.

Due to recent the storms, firefighters say the North Canadian River is particularly dangerous.

"With the debris that is in the water and the current, it's still a very dangerous situation," says OKC Fire Chief Keith Bryant.

Firefighters are also using a boat and sonar equipment to locate the man's body. News 9 spoke Steve Gann of Noodlingadventures.com out of Duncan Oklahoma.

"There's a great risk involved," says Gann, who often noodles with his entire body below water.

Gann says people noodling run the risk of getting caught on debris in the water and not being able to come up for a breathe.

If the 26-year-old from Harrah is not found Monday, crews will be searching again Tuesday morning.