shorefishing cats close to bismarck

jdinny

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Okay Nodak help a guy out.

generally as we know im a Van hook snob, but with the 3 young boys they have started a journal and are keeping track of every species of fish we have caught this year. we are at 13 species. the one they are wanting real bad is catfish i have yet to get one. yes they have even put liver, cheese catfish bait on slow death hooks when we are up fishing from the boat to no avail. we generally pull cranks so we don't catch hardly any cats though it has happened. ( might try shorefishing the hook this wknd) but i have a short day at work tommorow and would love to take the kids out on the river from shore was thinking rifle range hole but is there any other legit catfish spots ??? I the tailrace was mentioned but wanna stay real close to Bismarck

Thanks
 


Lycanthrope

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Used to catch a bunch of them North of desert boat ramp where apple creek feeds into missouri. Theres a sandbar there on the west side and we used to pull the boat up on sandbar, start a fire and catch catfish unto the wee hours of the morning. Just toss a crawler or few minnows out on the bottom after dark and it didnt take long.
 

Allen

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I wouldn't shorefish the Hook looking for catfish, I'd put the boat on the trailer and run over to Little Knife Bay. That should put some catfish on your pages. There are some good ones over there, just put a smelt or frog out on the bottom with a large bobber. I've caught an awful lot of cats fishing the shoreline within the polygon, access is a bitch nowadays. However, with the water as high as it is, you should be able to also shore fish right by the bridge.


Little Knife.jpg

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You should also be able to find some cats over where Shell Creek comes into Sak, I'm just less confident with the numbers and quality that you can find up in Little Knife.
 


Fishnboyz

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Another good spot close to Bismarck would be the Heart River by the Hwy 6 bridge over in Mandan. The pool of water should hold a lot of catfish this time of year.
 

jdinny

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Another good spot close to Bismarck would be the Heart River by the Hwy 6 bridge over in Mandan. The pool of water should hold a lot of catfish this time of year.

is this where snagzilla was caught? haha

Thanks for the replies and PM's thus far will post a picture if we have a success
 

roosterfish

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Go buy a bucket of chicken, put a big jig on equipped with said chicken, loosen up the drag so it has little tension. find a sandbar or inside bend close to any deeper hole, Give your kid a pop,throw em out and listen for the drag to start singing.
 

Migrator Man

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You just need to find a spot where the channel runs by the shore. Cast out worms or smelt on a hook and you are bound to catch some catfish.
 


Ericb

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Try any calm water with lots of vegetation. The interstate bridge north to Heskitt will produce tons of cats, sturgeon and the occasional Ling.

Your probably better off just soaking a line than pulling anything.
 

Spintix

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Shmidt Bottoms Boat dock has a hole loaded with catfish. I caught two on Friday (one being 4.6lb) and went back on Sunday to catch a 7.5 lber all channels. Also a lot of catch and release shovel nose sturgeons are being caught there. saw 2 caught Friday and 2 Sunday (1 being my own). The hole is the far right of the fishing area. Goodluck!





Okay Nodak help a guy out.

generally as we know im a Van hook snob, but with the 3 young boys they have started a journal and are keeping track of every species of fish we have caught this year. we are at 13 species. the one they are wanting real bad is catfish i have yet to get one. yes they have even put liver, cheese catfish bait on slow death hooks when we are up fishing from the boat to no avail. we generally pull cranks so we don't catch hardly any cats though it has happened. ( might try shorefishing the hook this wknd) but i have a short day at work tommorow and would love to take the kids out on the river from shore was thinking rifle range hole but is there any other legit catfish spots ??? I the tailrace was mentioned but wanna stay real close to Bismarck

Thanks
 

sierra1995

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we caught them shore fishing just downstream of the hazelton cleaning station several years years ago. no roll sinkers and floating jigs tipped with crawlers.
 

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