Red River Fishing Reports

[Ed Carlson]

The MB Johnson Park boat ramp is now also open in Moorhead. Water is high but one can easily launch safely. It will be muddy so prepare for that if you go.

[Scoot]

Rain, rain go away...

If this keeps up I won't get out cattin' until after the spawn! I've got a six year old boy who wants to catch some catfish in the worst way. He caught a 3 1/2 lb smallmouth bass this weekend and told me it was cool, but not as cool as a catfish!

[dragon81]

I hear ya scoot, this is getting old, i have the fever but havent got out yet either !!!

[Ed Carlson]

Cats may be starting to get into the mood to brood up for spawn.

Sauger are on the bite now, look for them stacked up on bridges and drains.

[SpclPatrolGroup]

2-4 inches predicted for the FM area, yuck, jsut when it looked like the main channel might stay within its banks......

[Ed Carlson]

Big surprise...river is way up again...way up.

Cats are going into spawn too I think...get'n very fussy.

Walleyes are in the grass, very shallow...tight to the waterline hunting minnows and crawlers.

[huntnfish]

I hit the Red for the first time this year. Went to a few spots and found I waited too long for my first trip. It was lower than I was hoping but I figured I'd give it a try anyway. Only had one on and lost it at shore and it looked to be only around 14". I tried a few new lures I'm hoping will put a few pigs on shore this fall. With the rain that's forecasted I'm hoping to get out this week.

[huntnfish]

I hit a couple spots on the Red south of town last weekend and the action was slow. Caught a few small notherns and that was it. Ice was anywhere from 5-9 inches. Current was a lot slower than past years and a couple holes I like to fish have also vanished which made it more difficult finding fish.

[Scoot]

Thanks for the report, Nate. I haven't been on Red River or trib ice for a long time... if you plan on heading out sometime, give me a hollar and maybe we could team up.

You a papa again yet?

[huntnfish]

Will do. My time will be very limited in the coming weeks I have a feeling. Don't know many spots on the river and the guy I was with wasn't feeling adventurous so we didn't go looking for any other spots.

Nothing yet. Its late like the last one. I'm sure they get that from their mother . I'll keep you posted.

[Scoot]

Nothing yet. Its late like the last one. I'm sure they get that from their mother . I'll keep you posted.

Good luck!

[Snowmann]

Just got back from fishing at the convent landing.(Fargo-Moorhead) Nothing, not even on the sonar. 10" of ice all the way across and about 14" in a low current area. Fishing in the FM area for me hasnt been that great since the middle of dec. One night in dec, 3 of us nailed 9 walleye in 2 hrs. Nothing like that since that one night. What depths are you guys fishing, what are you using? Good luck all!

[TylerS]

I've honestly never tried ice fishing on the Red near Fargo. Just haven't had the time or fortitude to do so. I used to ice fish walleyes quite a bit when I lived in Grand Forks, and the key up there was shallow water (6-8 feet), and that first hour after sunrise or before sunset. Might be something to consider down here, too...

[Scoot]

Yep, Tyler's got good info above. For me, I look for a few things: 1) calm water, 2) relatively shallow water with close proximity to deep water- most of my spots are 4-8 feet deep, 3) wood is nice, but not necessary. Most of my go to spots are shallow flats very near deep holes.

If you haven't been on the rivers around here much, BE SUPER CAREFUL! Fish with a buddy, carry ice picks and a rope, always think about/pay attention to where there is more current, and keep in mind ice conditions change quickly on the rivers some times. One time I fished in a good spot below a dam about a half mile and I fished on 12 inches of solid ice, the next night in the exact same holes I fished on 8 inches of ice and the top 4 inches were butter soft. It can change that fast and this year that's definitely the case. Good luck and be careful!

[TylerS]

Well, I met up with a guy and did some fishing last night near Convent Landing. Few people were out, but they weren't having much luck.

We set up in 9 FOW on an inside bend. On the shallower hole we were graphic a bit of debris, and in the further hole it was plain bottom. Fished glow jigs tipped big chubs.

Had a few lookers before sunset, but no takers. Once it got dark, the blips on the flasher came with more frequency, but it was tough getting them to bite. Had a few HUGE marks come up off the bottom that made me grip the fishing pole extra hard, but they moved on.

After a couple missed opportunities from very light biters, I would up landing two goldeyes. Trick was the stinger hook, and letting them nibble it for a bit.

Ice was roughly 16-18 inches, but we were only about five feet from shore. There is a lot of evidence of traffic on the river from snowmobiles and ATV's, but I still don't trust it. We picked our ways to a spot, set up, and waited.

I think I'm going to have to try a few different spots a bit closer to home. The walleyes have to be somewhere...

[Scoot]

I was out of town for the weekend, but a buddy of mine hit a spot I've wanted to fish for a long time. I've never had access to it from the ND side, but he knew a guy on the MN side that got him within walking distance. Over 2 feet of ice where he was. Marked a few fish, but no takers... Sounds like a similar report to yours, Tyler. He was a little South of where you were located...

I haven't set foot on the river ice this Winter. I hope to fix that in the next week or two. Then I'll be headed North on the Red in March... can't wait!

[GatorGetter]

Any bait shops in Fargo selling Creek Chubs?

[Scoot]

Not that I'm aware of. Gander used to get a variety of baits in when Ed was running the show there, but I don't go in there much anymore now and don't know what they have these days.

[TylerS]

Any bait shops in Fargo selling Creek Chubs?

Never seen any. I just picked up some chubs from Scheels. I doubled them up on the hook, but because of the light bite, they were just ripping off one minnow and missing the stinger. Switched two one chub and that seemed to do the trick.

Hey Scoot, we should get together sometime. That Red River is a fickle mistress. Sometimes two heads are better than one

[Scoot]

That Red River is a fickle mistress.

Isn't that the truth! I'm in!!! This week and weekend are pretty much hosed for me, but I'm free next week and weekend I think. If we put a date down and I get a kitchen pass ahead of time, I should be good to go. Got any particular day that works better than the rest? I've got a couple spots in mind I'd like to give a shot. Haven't been out all year...

[TylerS]

I'm gone to URL Friday-Sunday this week, but next week I should be flexible. Let me check the wife's work schedule and I'll get back to you. We thinking morning or evening? Evening might work better for me, but as I said, I'm flexible.

[Scoot]

Evening for sure for me. Let's keep in touch. Good luck at URL!

[RiverFish]

You guys ever ice fish where the Wild Rice and Red meet? If you can find safe ice there, I would be willing to bet that that area is holding walleyes and cats.

[Scoot]

Yep, that area can be good at times. The places I've found I catch the most fish are not typical of my usual spots on the Red. I've also caught fish up the Wild Rice (and other tribs) a ways, but that's usually in more traditional river spots...

[TylerS]

Hey Scoot, no go for me this week, but the wife is on nights next week, so I should be game at least one evening. I drop the little woman off at work around 6:45 p.m. I can fish all evening after that. Would that work for you?

[Scoot]

On Tues and Thurs, no chance. The other nights are a possibility. However, 6:45 would put us almost two hours behind the best window (1/2 hour before sundown to an hour after sundown). We'll have to see how the week shakes out and try make something work. I'm not sure if I can get out this weekend and do a little recon work or not. Just found out my parents are coming down this weekend, so I may have some family stuff going on.

[TylerS]

I just went through this whole thread in search of tips from year's past. Scoot, I agree with your sentiment that the best window is right aroound dusk, but ol Backwater Ed (RIP) mentioned a couple years ago that he was having a really good bite from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. I haven't heard anything really amazing yet this year, and I know many folks are quitting right at sundown. I might be going on a hunch, but I think I'm going to try the night bite. Was planning on tonight, but things have changed. Going to try tomorrow evening after 7 p.m.

You're free to tag along! Still unsure where I want to go. Got some good ideas from the 33 pages of reports, though...

[TylerS]

By the way, can you even get to the Wild Rice/Red River confluence? I've never been down there before, but from satellite pictures it looks like you'd have to park in someone's driveway and walk through their yard to do so...

[Scoot]

Yep, you need to get permission to go down there or access it via sled on the ice. Access used to be no big deal until some kids got drunk, started a fire, and ended up having the fire department called in... Same ol' same ol'- a few wreck it for the rest.

You can ignore my post in the other thread- I missed this one until now. I'm SOL this weekend I think. I've been invited on a shed hunt, yote hunting, and two fishing outtings and sadly had to turn them all down.

Good luck if you get out!

[TylerS]

Thanks! I replied on the other thread. Sounds like you got your hands full at home. When things quiet down, drop me a note! Maybe we can get out sometime before it gets too warm and the ice gets sketchy.