re: Is "Catfish stealing" a thing?

Yes...guilty of it as well....grew up about 15 miles from catfish ponds. Started out we would sneak in at night with rod n' reel and beer, catch a small ice chest full from time to time.....one day passed a fish market in town that had a sign saying we buy fish. Went in and asked and he said he would buy all we could catch and gave us a number to call and he would come get them.....yep we went bought a back of cheap dog food and a seine....set up at night in a corner of a pond and throw dog food to they were boiling up real good and seine two are three 150 qt ice chest full each trip. Good pay day for High School kids back then.