The Red in Fgo-Mhd!

[Guest]

Hi all, I'm getting antsi but can wait til Spring breakup here. The North Dam is interesting as you said, Ed. Mebe I'll take my camcorder down there and see what I can do.

Elm Street and North Broadway also have work going on right now.

Mentioning your slip got me thinking. I fell in right below the Rise where I Live and wanted to tape a cat I caught after I got the hook out. She headed for the water and stupid me tried to cut her off and slipped in. Right next to the walkbridge on the Mhd side.. About 8 ft. deep there straight down. My cousin helped me out. I never taped her. A friend on the 14th floor saw it happen and never let's me forget it.

Thanks for showing me those pictures Ed. It made my day. I'll be going up there this year. Also for your expertise and tips you gave me. They helped me produce some nice fish. I never forget a friend.

Tight lines, all, and I'll let everyone know what's happening.

Fred

[Guest]

HAY FRED!

You still in the country I see, good deal. Winter is slipping away day by day. It won't be long now my friend.

North Dam does look great doesn't it? I think it should enhance the fishing considerably in no time at all. The last of the big rock has been placed and the pools look like piggy pools to me.

We should see some good walleye and pike action very shortly. Get the rods and reels ready to go.

See you around the river soon.

ED

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Backwater Eddy.......><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
Ed Carlson
(701)-281-2300

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[Guest]

Ed,
When do the walleyes typically run for the dams and prepare for spawn in the Red? With this weather I can see it happening soon, and hopefully the river won't flood this year!

[Scoot]

Fred,

You're still alive! I wondered what happened to you- must be a hibernation thing, eh?
Your story reminded me of a few years ago when I was fishing on the Moorhead side of the North Dam. A guy on the Fargo side had a decent fish on and got it up to shore right near the little culvert that sticks out of the cliff. The water was too high to jump down on the little ledge you can sometimes get on, and too low to easily reach from the top of the small cliff. So, he got a net from a person near by, handed his rod to a budy, and laid on his stomach, just barely reaching the water as he stretched out with all of his might. Even with every last inch of his body stretched out he could only just barely touch the fish, but couldn't get it scooped up. So... he started to shimmy his body a little closer, a little closer, a little further...
I watched with much amusement on the other side. I started a little chant on the Moorhead side- Fall in, fall in, fall in!- a few of us sadistic, cynical folks were chiming in.
Suddenly, the poor dude went "a$$ over tea-kettle" straight down face-first into the water. He landed like an arrow coming straight out of the sky- face directly into the water and mud, stuck there for at least one full second (feet to the sky and face to the mud), then his body came toppling down into the deeper water. As soon as his body flopped he spun like a cat and was doing the "Scooby Doo leg thing" trying to get back up the cliff. He couldn't get back up the cliff and his buddies wouldn't help him up until he turned back around, waded out to get the net, and scooped up the fish.
All of us on the Moorhead side were laughing so hard that our guts were busting. I literally had tears in my eyes. Some more of my buddies came later and I got to tell the whole story again- what a great time. And for once, I wasn't the guy who did the falling!
Scoot

[Guest]

Hello there Fred! I'm keeping a close eye on the Red (too) waiting for the ice to disappear so I can go try for some eyes running the river. I have a feeling it might be awhile yet, but who knows with this unusual weather. Maybe see ya around....I'll keep an eye open for your van...you still have it?

[Guest]

The weather is everything boys. It may be as early as 3 weeks and as late as 5 yet?

I am betting on 3-4, again it all depends on Mother Nature.

Pike, heck they can start any time now. They hit the ditches as fast as they start to run. Soon as they smell running water from the fields they head for it.

There may be a very good opertunity to score some nice walleye early at White Rock Dam by Lake Traverse before MN/SD shuts down. The pike go nuts down there. Something to keep a eye on for sure.

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Backwater Eddy.......><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
Ed Carlson
(701)-281-2300

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[Guest]

Yup, CD, I'll be using it again this Summer. I store it in the Winter. It's very handy for me as all I have to worry about is taking the bait out. The rods and reels and camping gear stay.

I do most of my bait buying at D&H just East of here. Good people there.

I'll be fishing the No. Dam, Hendrum, Halstead, Shelly, and up to Drayton. Some Canadian work this year, also.

Ed had me drooling with the pictures he showed me. They weren't piggies. They were pigs. Jeez!

If anyone is around Shelly, my Mother lives below the water tower. A 2 story white house and I may be there a lot of the time if not fishing or here.

All sportsmen are invited to stop by. Be ready for coffee and snacks. If not sure the double garage says Swenson on it.

Hay Ed, are the drainage ditches and spillways the best in the Spring breakup? You mentioned Whiterock and isn't that the border town in SD. I haven't done much fishing South of here. I do know Oxbow and I can imagine your experience there. I won't tell if you don't. HAAAAAHAAAAA.

Take care, all!

Fred

[Capt'nJosh]

Ed, Your talkin my language. White Rock Dam is my old stompin grounds. I grew up in Rosholt before moving up to Waconia. Your right about the northerns in there! They will sneak into that overflow (ditch) on the SD side and not many people fish that area. You can really slaughter em in there!

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply Ed, I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Hi CD! I live right on the Red in Mhd and my windows face the river so am lucky that way. I'll let the whole board know when it breaks.

Ed'll let you know about the fishing. He's a PRO!

Fred

[Guest]

Hi Scoot. Good to hear from you. I know the exact place your talkin about. Hell of a Cat hole just to the North of there.

Very good fishing if not too crowded? That's where my Son caught his first fish. A 10 lb. Sheeps head, or Drum if you prefer. He was so excited and calling for help. I did but he still held the rod. We went to Scheels to weigh her. He was so pumped up and only 5 or 6 yrs. old. I didn't let him drag her on the concrete and he couldn't carry her.

I carried her in and we went back and let her go. His eyes were as big as saucers and his pride was unbelievable.

He lives in No. Carolina now and fishes Flats and Blues.I have an idea he'll show me something when I visit.

Take care

Fred

[Scoot]

Ed,

I admit to swiping your suggestion to Jared elsewhere and giving it a try- I thought if I was going to steal your suggestion I had at least better give a report.
I fished in North Fargo downstream from the water discharge and had limited success- one lost northern and one caught. Both were relatively small, but man was it nice to feel that whack on the end of a full-length rod.
Yaheee!!! I can't wait until the 'eyes start to run this spring. I love the spring- my favorite time of year for fishing.
Scoot

[Guest]

I just checked out the North Dam and it's actualy fishable. I was down there with my Buick but my gear is in Shelly so never dipped a line. There are ruts on the Mhd side but nothing that'll hang you up. Fairly firm ground yet.

I guess the van may come out on Monday. I'm busy till then. It's open just past the emergency boat ramp.

I may check out midtown tommorow after my appointments.

It's still solid ice here across from Oak Grove but I wouldn't try to walk across. It'll break soon.

You're right Ed. It looks good down there. By the way Ed, they put up a breeding habitat for Falcons on top of this Highrise and it worked. The management was kinda iffy about it and asked me. I said go for it and they did.

The caretaker here get's a little annoyed when he leaves pigeon carcasses on the entryway roof. He also hates the Screeching when threatened if he has to go on the roof for some maintenance.

They are something to behold. I had never seen one til here. They had a nesting pair on that bank building in fgo. I think that's were these came from.

The one here is called Tigger. The flying Tigger if you will. When they dive, it's a blurr. He's a little bigger than a pigeon hawk. About the size of a crow or smaller. No bigger.

He's hard to catch in action but jeez. I think I'll go up with the caretaker some time as we get along well. I live on the 4th floor now, but have heard that bird shriek.

Nothing sounds like that. Catfish croak. Wolves and cyotes howl.

All of us Sportsmen know those sounds. Catbirds, Snipe or kildeer, Cyotes and wolves. God help you with a skunk, and tomatoe juice does work.

I took rabie shots when 6 yrs. old because of bitten by a rat I thought was a cat. A shot per day for 2 weeks.. Only one person has survived rabies, otherwise known as hydrophobia. One cannot stand water. She suffered brain damage but lived.

A few years ago a guy bitten by a bat died of rabies. I believe it was close to here on the MN. side. Not a good way to go. Foaming at the mouth. Totally out of it. Insanity at it's worst.

I guess what I'm tring to convey to all of you great sportsmen is it can happen. A rabid animal will attack at times. They're very sick and have no mind left. Their saliva will infect you and has an incubation period from 10 to 14 days.

Once it sets in there is no cure. Done deal. If taking shots before that happens it's 100% cureable. I'm living proof.

Rabies is not carried by fleas or ticks or anything else you've heard. It's the saliva of the rabid animal and you will die if not treated. No survivers.

God help us, you'll be foaming at the mouth, convulsions, snapping at anything close like an animal.

I never did, I took my shots and never even got the flue. They're a little spendy but worth it.

There is no vaccination for rabies. If bit, do it. Choice is no option. Fish don't carry it. Reptiles don't. Only mammels. Most of you would never run into it. I was a stupid 6 yr old.

Take care all,

Fred

[Guest]

I do advise everyone to stay off any and all river and creek ice, it is extremely dangerous at this point.

There is more open channel on the Red then last week. Flow is up and the ice is thinning quickly on the rivers. Things should bust loose quickly once we see some more sun or rain.

I could have launched my boat on one section of the Red River this weekend if the launch was free of ice. One large section right in front of the ramp was full of old bank ice yet, but the channel was free. Still plenty early for that, ice flows can be a very serious hazard at this point.

A boats wash under these conditions can easily bust loose large sections of remaining bank ice sealing off your way back to where you accessed the river. That is no fun, been there done that Eh, much worse is possible. I have seen ice flows can crush an 18' boat like a pop can.

Won't be too long now if the weather cooperates. We must wait for safer conditions on the rivers for boating in my opinion.

No reports of any significant fish movement on the dams yet from shore anglers. This weekend’s cold snap shut down a lot of fishing action all over the region.

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Backwater Eddy.......><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
Ed Carlson
(701)-281-2300

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[Guest]

Hi All,

You're right Ed, very dangerous at this time.

I was at the No. Dam yesterday. It's accessable and the ground is still firm but no one else there.

Fred

[Scoot]

Fred,

Did you give it a try at the dam? Like Ed said, it seems a little early still, but it shouldn't be long now. I'm so ready for spring fishing this year I could wet my pants!!!
Scoot

[Guest]

I was at the North dam last Friday and the mud was slick and sticky. The only thing I caught was snags, and lost some lures. No fish. I was hoping for a pike to bite...not too much longer for the eyes...