Red River

[5 X Master Angler]

If anyone is going to fish the Red River on Saturday,  I sure would like to know whats bitting.  Are the cats or the drum bitting?  I am going on Sunday and would appreciate any info!  Thanks guys!

[Hammer Time]

Well I pulled just about everything out on Saturday Walleye , drum , burbot, bullhead and the guy next to me had a perch which blew me away. never saw one caught there. Guy next to me hooked into a fair sized cat. Saw some silver bass landed. So it looks like everyone is hungry..  Right on!!   

[5 X Master Angler]

Well I pulled just about everything out on Saturday Walleye , drum , burbot, bullhead and the guy next to me had a perch which blew me away. never saw one caught there. Guy next to me hooked into a fair sized cat. Saw some silver bass landed. So it looks like everyone is hungry..  Right on!!   

We caught everthing you listed except the perch.  We also caught a gold eye.

[Water Wolf]

What time of year would you guys say is prime time for big cats on the Red River, and where would be the best
place to angle for them.?

I have always wanted to tangle with a catfish and was just curious as to the best time and place to do so.

WW

[Big B Muskie]

I have had good luck on river road near the golf course (larters) My best days have been in early June in a a boat between lockport and where the floodway dumps in. Shrimp works well for me. I have also had good luck with live frogs and a trebble hook in the mouth. If you put two trebles through the mouth they will not get off. 

[maw31]

What time of year would you guys say is prime time for big cats on the Red River, and where would be the best
place to angle for them.?

I have always wanted to tangle with a catfish and was just curious as to the best time and place to do so.

WW

selkirk or lockport. or both

[hoghammer]

The whole Red is good for cats. I have had great sucsess right at lockport about 50 yards from the bridge. If you are in a boat look for the deeper holes and cast into them. If you are going for cats dont take your walleye rods. Go with heavy action rod and reel with at least 20 lb test. If you use lighter gear it will take forever to bring in the fish and that stresses them out big time. I soak my shrimp in wd40 overnight and it works great. Get whole shrimp with the heads on. You can get a box of frozen shrimp from superstore for under $10.00   

[TrophyHunter]

Guys if you want to consistently catch big cats you need to gear up use a heavy set up like hoghammer says but forget the shrimp  For the monsters use big chunks of fresh cut bait like suckers or goldeyes. Shrimp will work but you'll be messing with small cats and  drum too. Bigger baits = Monster cats think about it a big channel will eat whole goldeyes like popcorn 
This 39" was the biggest of 30 cats caught one day last season in the red on fresh cut goldeye.

[Hammer Time]

Unfortunately I do not possess a boat and fishing from shore by the locks blow's. More snag's and crap then i care for. I caught a 43 inch cat on the docks in Selkirk last year. Good thing I added an extension to my net. Wife caught a monster as well but could not land it. Net would not reach the water.  A few years back caught a biggie beside thel bridge between east and west Selkirk. No doubt about it they do concentrate by the locks for a kilometer out. Thats where I would set up camp if I had a boat and was targetting the cats.

[fly-in]

Guys if you want to consistently catch big cats you need to gear up use a heavy set up like hoghammer says but forget the shrimp  For the monsters use big chunks of fresh cut bait like suckers or goldeyes. Shrimp will work but you'll be messing with small cats and  drum too. Bigger baits = Monster cats think about it a big channel will eat whole goldeyes like popcorn 
This 39" was the biggest of 30 cats caught one day last season in the red on fresh cut goldeye.

I do find that a heavy is a bit to stiff for me, I like a medium heavy. I have used heavy rods when out with guides and it feels like your just winching the cats in.
Kinda like using a medium rod for perch

[UpNorth -21]

I agree with TrophyHunter if you want to catch monster cats cut bait is the way to go! Fresh cut goldeye are lights out for cat fish! Was out on Monday nice ones for the day were 31" 14#, 33 1/2" 16#, and 35 1/2" 18.5# not a bad day caught probably 12 more that were more eater size. Im fishing the Red In North Dakota cats are everywhere in the Red and they are fighters if you have never fished for them try it!!!!

[TrophyHunter]

Unfortunately I do not possess a boat and fishing from shore by the locks blow's. More snag's and crap then i care for. I caught a 43 inch cat on the docks in Selkirk last year. Good thing I added an extension to my net. Wife caught a monster as well but could not land it. Net would not reach the water.  A few years back caught a biggie beside thel bridge between east and west Selkirk. No doubt about it they do concentrate by the locks for a kilometer out. Thats where I would set up camp if I had a boat and was targetting the cats.

HT I do 99% of my catfishing from shore that day I was lucky enough to borrow my step dads boat. Snaggy areas are awesome for cats they provide current breaks for them.Snags are a part of the game when you specifically target trophy cats in rocky areas I use a three-way swivel rig with a lighter drop line to my weight that way if a cat takes you into a snag the weight will break free and you'll still be able to land and release the trophy. Another bit of advice I could give to those serious about catching monster channels is you don't always have to fire your rig out to the middle of the river try casting 5-15ft out from shore. Also if you want to find the goldeyes watch the pelicans they will lead you right to them.

Fly in some of the shorter phone pole heavy action rods would  be a little over kill but if you find a rod from 7-10.5 ft with a sensitive tip with lots of backbone you'll still get a great fight and more importantly you wont over stress a big old trophy cat to death just for fun.

[Hammer Time]

Cool Thanks for the reply. Funny thing is the biggest cat i ever caught 44.5 was behind the Legislative building in Winnipeg on the Assiniboine. Last year I was there in the morning with my kid and it started to rain. We sat there and the young fella is like this is boring. Then the party started. I bet we got 20 bites in a half hour. He lands a big fish, I help him land it meanwhile look over my shoulder to see my rod bend almost in half, I run over there and bam hooked the biggie. Back and forth like that for about an hour. It was a riot... Walkway is about 6 inches away from showing again and then Im hitting it for some sumo cat action.

[Water Wolf]

Hi guys, thanks for all the info on Red River cats.

Can you buy fresh cut goldeye there or would you have to catch your own?
How would whole or cut smelt work for cats?

I saw In-Fisherman the other day and Doug Stange was fishing for channel cats.
He using just a flat sinker threaded through the middle of it on the line, he alos a bead to stop the sinker and a hook with cut bait.

Have any of you ever tired this rig?

WW

[fshmanmb]

Most guys catch their own Goldeye or have some friends that have recently caught some.
Can't see the smelts working too hot.
Pro Am has some Tulibee in stock right now that some guys are doing just wicked with right now......cheap too, think it's $5 for 4 fish, about 10" long each.
That flat sinker is called a No Roll Sinker & that rig works great from a boat. If from shore a No Snag sinker rigged to a 3 way swivel works better, most find so anyways; basically the same shaped sinker but has an eye instead of the line going through the sinker. Use a drop line down from one of the swivels to the weight using lighter pound line than you have on.....never lose a complete rig(as long as proper line is used on the reel).