Red River- Ice Fishing Fargo area

[Fargo]

Hello everyone. I'm looking to get some info on ice fishing in and around the Fargo area on the Red.
I've always been a bit skeptical about walking out on the river, so before I go exploring it myself; I'm looking to see if anyone else has any advice to give or experiences to share?
Thanks to any and all who can help me to be a safer, and more productive fisherman.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Way too early yet. When I tried fishing the Red, it was late January and it was only after we'd had a ton of cold for a long time.

I tried by the Convent Landing off 52nd Ave. Didn't go near the bridge because the current gets sketchy over there. Went north a ways until I was sick of walking, punched two holes and wasted a few hours catching goldeyes.

I'm sure there are better places to fish, but I don't know them.

 

[Fargo]

I've seen some folks fishing down in that area in past years. I've never been down there myself, but have always wondered if it was worth it, and safe enough to venture out that way. I've also heard stories of guys going north of the VA, and north of Broadway as well, but I've never heard results or anything about conditions.

Thanks for sharing your experience

 

[Davey Crockett]

Was there decent action with Gold eyes ? I would like to bring my 3 older grandkids down there and have a little fishing contest between them sometime.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Was there decent action with Gold eyes ? I would like to bring my 3 older grandkids down there and have a little fishing contest between them sometime.

Yeah it was steady. The hardest part is actually hooking them. They are almost better than perch at picking a jig clean without getting hooked.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Yeah it was steady. The hardest part is actually hooking them. They are almost better than perch at picking a jig clean without getting hooked.

Thanks for that information , I just changed my mind. Haha 3 or 4 4 and 5 year olds can get pretty demanding

 

[Captainbrad]

Yeah it was steady. The hardest part is actually hooking them. They are almost better than perch at picking a jig clean without getting hooked.

put smaller single hooks on your lures and you won't have trouble hooking them.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Slack water areas can build ice as fast as a smaller lake, but a lot of snow can really screw things up. A few years back I was jigging out of my pickup door on the Red in January. Not much snow and drove on after measuring about 28 inches of ice(also saw other yahoos in pickups out there earlier).

 

[Yoby]

if you were able t do any summer fishing, you can find deeper water, slack spots or drains that have rock piles. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be careful. There is never such a thing as safe ice on the river. You have can have 2 ft of ice in 1 spot, and 2 ft away can be 6. Currents and eddies, or springs can make your day bad. Heard of a couple guys out the other day, but on my drive to work, there is still open water under the bridge S of Fargo on the Wild Rice. BE CAREFUL

 

[deleted_account]

my very best red river ice spot was still only good for 1 walleye a night and maybe a bonus sauger. followed by 100 gold eye. and that would be on a good evening. she's a fickle one that red

 

[Callem'In]

I was out on Monday evening south of fargo. Solid 12-17 inches, Current and slack water. Fishing was slow. If you want to get into fishing the Red near fargo, Shoot me a PM. I tend to fish it quite a bit.

 

[Duckslayer100]

if you were able t do any summer fishing, you can find deeper water, slack spots or drains that have rock piles. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be careful. There is never such a thing as safe ice on the river. You have can have 2 ft of ice in 1 spot, and 2 ft away can be 6. Currents and eddies, or springs can make your day bad. Heard of a couple guys out the other day, but on my drive to work, there is still open water under the bridge S of Fargo on the Wild Rice. BE CAREFUL

STORY TIME!!

Buddy and I about, oh, 8-9 years ago were fishing our favorite eye/sauger ice spot north of GF. I believe it was end of February (might have been March...spring was definitely coming up hot). Warmer day, but the ice was still plenty thick and were were chomping at the bit to get out one more time.

Sun sets and we're ready for the hot night bite we just KNOW is going to happen.

I then start to hear something. Softly at first. Just a faint trickling noise that made me pause for a second before shrugging it off and continuing to fish.

Then it grew louder. And louder. And louder. It sounded like there was water literally pouring out on the ice. I look at my buddy. He looks at me. And we snap the flip-top back on the Frabill. There's a 2-foot, gushing creek of water pouring across the ice between us and the bank. Freaked us right the hell out. We packed our crap and got the heck out of dodge.

Looking back, I don't think we were in any immediate danger. But that clenched the old sphincter just a bit. It definitely ended our desire to catch another walleye through the ice on the Mighty Red River of the North.

 

[johnr]

River ice fishing is not for me. I wish you luck and hope you stay safe.

Break through a lake, and your chances are probably only 50/50, break through the red and you are most likely fish food

 

[Captainbrad]

I really don't like being on the river ice and most of the time during the week I am alone so I just don't go because I don't want to be alone on it. With that, up north of Lockport on the Canadian side there are always hundreds of people on the river and they drive all over. I would have no issue with fishing alone up there on the river. Same river but totally different mindset I guess.

 

[Kickemup]

I used to fish the red a lot when I lived in Fargo. Never had a lot of luck until I started staying until way after dark. The night bite was always better for me. I liked 4 to 5 feet of water on the inside bends with the least amount of current possible. Please be careful the spot I used to fish would have up to 3 feet of ice but only 15 feet away would only have 10.

 

[Perchslayer]

I fish out there with my older brother all the time just I fish where the pembina comes into the red

 

[Fargo]

So, it sounds like I'm going to avoid the Red during the winter months. I appreciate all of the responses.

 

[sierra1995]

I also fished the 52nd street landing when i lived in fargo. Like Duckslayer said, lots of gold eyes. But i did manage a couple smaller walleyes. 3-5 feet.

I got some advice for fishing the red from the infamous Backwater Eddy. He told me there is no reason to go out there more than a half hour before sunset, and no reason to stay later than 1 past sunset. All he would go out on the ice with is a bucket, one rod, vexilar, some jigging spoons and minnows. He also told me he had 8 walleyes on the wall from the red river, all though the ice.

From what i found out, and what others are saying, you don't need to be scared of fishing the red, just need to be smart about it.

 

[Birchem]

Hey I Ice fish the red a ton. Pm me and let's fish sometime, I have been having great luck on the red this year.

 

[Fargoiceman]

Have questions?

I live down town Fargo, and last couple nights I fished near main ave bridge. Ice was sketchy and I missed a couple and had one on. Why don't u ever c anybody fishing the red around town and u think down town is worth fishing??