High water, again!

[Guest]

We have had heavy rains up & down the Red River Valley so expect increased flows in the lower Red very soon.
We are finding the cats have moved up into the tributary arms looking for spawning sites on the US end of the Red.

Have the cats started to move to the marsh up on the Lake yet?

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Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson
Backwater Guiding Service
10409 Co. Rd #17 S
Horace, ND. 58047

[email protected]

1-(701)-281-2300

[Guest]

We are planning our first trip to the Red this wednesday.How has fishing been? We would would like to go north of Grand Forks. Any suggestions on where and how to fish.? Thanks

[Guest]

The Red will be way up for sure, but this does not mean a dead bite is a guarantee.

The cats are in pre-spawn mode so with this info and the high water there are a few pattern's that may produce well.

Very high river levels constitute a lot of run off in recent days from hard fast rains. This will wash large amounts of invertebrates into the system and concentrate other forage such as Golgeye and shiners, and lots of cats. They are already in the mood to look for tributary and feeder estuaries so now they have two good reasons to pile up near inlets.

A further pattern worth exploring is the spill over effect on slow taper grassy shoreline areas. These areas have a lush growth of grass and brush that are like a buffet table to hungry pre-spawn piggy's. Due to the abundance of vegetation bottom presentations will be a hard thing to work effectively, go with a float rig. Set the rig's to tickle the tops of the flooded vegetation or concentrate on the outer ledge of the spillover into the main channel. Set bottom slip rigs at the base of the drop off the spillover. One or the other will produce!

Newly fallen green trees are also a good bet, they hold forage and food. Work them like a dead snag in front of off the channel side or just behind the current backwater.

If navigable tributary arms are avalable, go for it! Go up as far as possable and look for likely spawning areas, then back off to the best hole or snags below the potential spawning area.

Productive bait's have been varying from crawlers, cutbait Golgeye, frogs, paste baits to scrimp.

PLEASE strive to release all potential spawning females! They will be lighter in color, more of a pail slate gray/blue and fat as a volley ball. The males should be darker and almost black in appearance. Remember the juvenile cats just in or just out of the spotted "Bambie stage" are your best eaters, let the piggy's go and grow.

Good hunting & good fishing!

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Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson
Backwater Guiding Service
10409 Co. Rd #17 S
Horace, ND. 58047

[email protected]

1-(701)-281-2300

[Guest]

Thanks for the info! Would be glad to help you out with info if I can over Cass Lake way.

[Guest]

Glad I could help. I just may take you up on the invite this winter when I have time to roam.

I am a ice hound too ya know, if you have a few first ice spots maybe to share? Send me a tip, we can chase a ice piggy or two.

Good luck!

BE........><,,>