Shore fishing the Red River

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,688
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
Going to try shore fishing on the red for the first time in many years so brushing up on what I need to know. There are a lot of species that I have zero knowledge of, Are any of them good table fare besides the Cats and walleyes ? Save a goldeye for bait and release the rest ? Are there any fish that you can't keep ? Seems to me there were but I don't see it in the proclamation. Is there a small Mom and Pops bait shop around Fargo ?
 


KDM

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
9,650
Likes
1,582
Points
563
Location
Valley City
Most of the fish I caught were walleyes, northerns, drum, mooneye, or catfish. Some suckers depending on the bait you use and the occasional sauger/saugeye, but those were the mainstays. IMO, the walleyes, northerns, catfish, and drum are fit for consumption. Suckers in the spring are good as well, but we are nearing the end of that window as we speak. As far as locations, I've seen several new rip rap areas along bike paths that looked very promising for a shore bound angler and the local dams are always an option. A half a crawler on the bottom with a 12 inch leader behind a 1/2 - 2 oz no roll sinker was my rig of choice on one rod and a jig on the other. Make sure you have a very strong rod holder for your dead stick as a 20+ lb catfish will rip a rod sitting on a Y stick right into the water faster than you can say "AH SHEIZA!!" If you want cut bait, it's pretty hard to beat goldeye or mooneye for that. Use a 1 X 2 inch chunk and you should be into the catfish. Can't help with the bait shops in Fargo as too much has changed since I lived there. Sorry. Good Luck!!!
 

CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
What KDM said on river table fare, as well as technique. I found bells help because my attention span wanders while on shore.....

Bait shops in Fargo are fairly limited, but the best is Fargo Bait and Tackle - Gary is great and has by far the best bait. As for the best bait to use for cats, sometimes sucker vs. goldeye matters, night crawlers and frogs and chicken liver. The last one can be a pain, but will out fish the others while the others don't work at times.

Look me up if you want to hit the shore together sometime - I have a boat and don't do it much anymore, but would be a good time to do it again!
 

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,688
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
Thank You Thank You, Much appreciated . I don't expect to hit it real hard this week but I want to at least go scouting with my rods in hand and get a feel for it. I mapped out Fargo Bait and Tackle and for sure will pick up my bait there. Thanks for the offer Cat Daddy, I'll keep that in mind for later. I have lots of family down there so it gets to be a whirlwind with things to do. I am hoping to sneak away when the kids are in school for this time and might try some late evening fishing if the weather is ok.
 

bigcatpike

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Posts
425
Likes
10
Points
138
Both redhorse and white suckers are also good bait. Usually when I fish the river I use a weight between 3 and 5 Oz's but sometimes I can get away with a 2. The walleye, northern, catfish, sauger, and drum are the main eating fish. I like to use 8/0 circle hooks for the cats on a big lindy style rig with an 8 to 10 inch leader with a sliding style weight above the barrel swivel. Jigs and twisters and cranks will catch sauger and walleye. Just a lindy rig with a size 4 hook and crawler will catch any fish in the river. Good luck!
 


CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
Great rig description bigcatpike. I concur on all counts. Don't be afraid of big hooks for big cutbait...

No one mentioned - don't keep sturgeon. Yes, they are in there - I've personally seen but not caught a few very small ones. Also, there are eel pout, so if that's your flavor then add it to the list.

And the offer stands, but I understand the obligations. Let me know if the fam' get's to be too much when you're here and I'll sneak away :)
 
Last edited:

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,688
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
Thumbs Up Great info , You guys reminded me why I like to hang around this site. Nothing more I'd like than to follow up on this post with my grandkids holding a big old Cat. It would be a first for me and them both. My confidence has been built, We'll see how the luck goes.
 

CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
Be sure to post pics of the catch! No doubt you'll have luck - this rain brought new life into the river and feed should be on when it settles out a bit. Caught my first cat of the year Friday @ 9 lbs. They are definitely there! Water temp was 55 @ the Red/Wild Rice confluence.
 

bigcatpike

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Posts
425
Likes
10
Points
138
Quick reminder: with the circle hooks, don't set the hook. Wait until the rod is bent in half, then take it out of the rod holder and then reel the fish in. If the fish are finicky and aren't taking the rod tip all the way down, when the rod is bouncing and you see a slight bend starting to form, just leave the rod in the rod holder and reel fast and you should hook the fish that way. Caught my pb 23.5lb cat doing the reel down thing. As catdaddy said, the bells are a must.

- - - Updated - - -

And I generally have my best luck from the bank on outside bends.
 

Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
Oh the mighty Red. I have the same love-hate relationship with it as I do Devils Lake. When it's good, it is GOOD. But when it's not, you're left sobbing with a broken rod, $50 worth of lost tackle and mud on parts of your body you didn't know existed.

I'm convinced there are 10X as many snags along the southern stretches of the Red than the north. I've had horrible luck with snags in Fargo, but could manage quite well around Grand Forks with only a few snags a trip.

I usually have three rods along when I do go fishing. One set up with a 1/4-ounce cheap sinker, 6-8 inch leader and floating jig head. That's your meal ticket. Tip it with a chunk of crawler or a fathead, and you'll catch everything that swims.

Another rod I have set up with a jig and white twister, which is my "maybe there's a chance" rig. I'll flip it in the hopes of raising the elusive walleyed-pike, but more often than not it gets snagged in 5 casts or less and I go back to watching my meal ticket rod.

The final rod is a cat rod rigged with a 2-4 oz flat no-roll sinker, 80 pound power pro line, a 6-inch 20-pound leader of mono, and a big circle hook. If I'm fortunate to land a godly or sucker on the meal ticket, I'll chunk it and throw out the kitty rod for some of the sumos that prowl the Red. Set it up in a rod holder and tip it with a bell. Then wait for the sweet music. Be ready, though. I've never not had a cat hook itself after taking the circle, but they'll snag your whole setup if you're not paying attention.

After talking bout it, I just MIGHT try the Red again. This time I'll bring plenty of beer to lessen the sting of breaking rods, losing tackle and getting extra, extra muddy.
 


CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
You are SO spot on Duckslayer that I'm convinced you have been following me and narrating my adventures....I too use the same rod set ups with the same hopes. God I love to hate the Red! Key is heavier line above the leader so when it does snag you only lose the hook. And having pre-tied hooks lessens the sting when one breaks off, as long as you get the weight back.
 

Walleye_Chaser

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Posts
2,134
Likes
155
Points
293
Location
Fargo
That's also what I do CatDaddy, saving your weight and using pre-tied hooks it wayyyy faster to get your line back in the water!
 

Captainbrad

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
683
Likes
142
Points
220
Location
Grand Forks
REMEMBER: If you aren't snagging in the Red River (especially when targeting catfish) you are not fishing hard enough.
 

KDM

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
9,650
Likes
1,582
Points
563
Location
Valley City
That's one of my favorite sayings, "If you're not snagging you're not bragging"

Of course you're not bragging when you're snagging!! You're cussing like a sailor and kicking rocks as you reel in an empty line. (Eye Roll)
 


Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
REMEMBER: If you aren't snagging in the Red River (especially when targeting catfish) you are not fishing hard enough.

I used to think that, but I fished very hard in 2009 (5 days a week minimum) along a stretch of river by the north landing in Grand Forks. I got it down to where I knew exactly where to cast to avoid snags, and often made it work with only one or two a trip. If I went 10 minutes without getting bit, it was a slow morning. That was the year I won the King of the Cats championship with 177 inches (Length and Width) for my three largest channels.

If I was snagging, I wasn't catching fish...I was losing them. It was critical to get those casts just right so I could haul in those 20-pounders without getting caught up in all the garbage lining the river.

Around Fargo, I just haven't been able to find that same consistency. I typically "shadow cast" with just a no-roll sinker and no leader to get an idea of where to place my offerings. I've lost so many sinkers without even getting a hook wet it's not funny.

But I also haven't totally explored around here, either. I'm sure there's some place that isn't completely coated with trees, old Model Ts and filth.
 

Captainbrad

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
683
Likes
142
Points
220
Location
Grand Forks
Ah yes, 2009 The year that nobody who experienced it will forget. Do you realize that bite has not repeated itself since?

I must admit over time you learn where you can and can't cast to stay out of snags. I have gotten pretty good at it all things considered but when you manage 6 lines (3 people) most of the time you just can't avoid it. Last year we got on a flat bite that was virtually snag free. I actually lost a couple fish because the snell just gave way after being fished too much without a re-tie. Had to start re-tying every day. That is the perfect scenerio.
 

KDM

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
9,650
Likes
1,582
Points
563
Location
Valley City
Since we are on the subject, any of you "Cat Rats" catch anything other than channel cats and stone cats in that river?? Been told there are Blues in the red, but I'm having a tough time believing that. Flatheads....maybe, but not blues.
 

Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
Ah yes, 2009 The year that nobody who experienced it will forget. Do you realize that bite has not repeated itself since?

Oh I know it was a special year. When a guy fishing the bank can win KOTC, you know something is going on.

Still, the point is I learned the river that year, which reduced my snag-ups and increased hookups. I still believe there are less snags up there in general, as I could often experiment with new water and had a good chance of getting my rig back. Fargo, not so much.

Then again I had an evening gig four days a week, which left a lot of morning fishing hours to be had. Plenty of time to wet lines and research fishy areas.
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 159
  • This month: 133
  • This month: 114
  • This month: 108
  • This month: 102
  • This month: 86
  • This month: 82
  • This month: 75
  • This month: 74
  • This month: 74
Top Bottom