Cats on the Red River of the North

[Skipper]

How far south do the big cats roam? I have been thinking of planning a monster channel cat trip for a few years now, but the lack of inside info has discouraged me from it. I have some in-laws in the Fargo area for a place to stay, but I know the real monsters are taken from much farther north.

I have the boat and the gear to tangle with them and I would like a shot at a 20lb+ fish. I am used to fishing the upper Mississippi between St. Cloud and Little Falls MN, but I would hope I could contact cats on the Red if I was on productive water. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Skiff]

East Grand Forks, MN has a channel catfish tourney every summer, and a lot of people turn out for it.  Since Fargo is only about 60 miles farther south on the Red, I would imagine that cats make it there as well.  What their size is, I don't know, but I suspect that the farther north you go, the bigger the cats get.  The prime fishing area for huge cats is Lockport, north of Winnipeg (which is only 1 hour north of the US border, or about 3 hrs north of Fargo).  Travel across the border is no problem, just have proper ID and your boat and car registration papers.  Leave any handguns at home.
I'm Canadian and travel regularly to Fargo and Grand Forks to shop on any given weekend, and the drive is easy from Winnipeg.  I was there last week buying 6/0 Gamakatsu circle hooks, because cat fishing is so popular here in Winnipeg that the stores are always sold out. 

Here's a site from Lockport, where the US plates often outnumber Canadian plates:
http://www.catsonthered.net/

Wherever you  decide to fish, have fun, the big guys really put up a fight! 

[Skipper]

Thanks, and that link is very helpful.