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.