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First off listening to everybody talk in here about these huge cats and high water gets me fired up! I have a trip booked for the second weekend in August again this year (8,9,10). I hope it turns out better this year than last. Last year around the same time the weather changed drastically. The temps dropped 30 degrees, with rain and wind. I was always told that weather changes do not effect river fish as much but in my opinion we did poor and it did indeed effect the kitty's. Between the four of us we caught only 2 over 20# in 3 days. Anyways this year is a different story right! I know Drayton always has some catfish festival weekend planned every August. When will that occur this year? I am hoping it is not the same weekend. Also we stayed at the campground in Drayton last year. Does anybody know is Catfish Haven open or of any other options? I heard Jimmy went belly up, is that true? I am still a novice at catfishin'. My main bait of choice is usually shrimp. Mainly becuase I cannot get my hands on frogs or goldeye ever. I just go to the grocery store and by a couple bags of shrimp. Is this the best way to get shrimp? However, I experience problems keeping the shrimp on the hook in the current. I will reel up my line and there I sit with no bait? Is there a trick to keeping shrimp on your hook. I was thinking that since I froze the shrimp that when it unthawed that may have been the cause because it softened up a bit. I would like to try other baits and become a more versatile sumo hunter. How does one go about finding and catching these goldeye for cutbait? Can you substitute goldeye with a sucker cut up? And how big of a chunk do you feed those pigs? Does the big bait big fish theory imply here? Here I thought it was going to be a short post and all these questions went through my head as I was writing smile.gif. Thanks for any info in advance, I appreciate it.

Butch

[This message has been edited by bklimek (edited 07-01-2003).]

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The Cats Incredible Tournament is the second weekend in August, the 8-10th, that I am pretty sure of. I think (not sure), that the Drayton event is the week before that, the first Saturday in August? Not real sure? I will try to find that out for you.

Frogs, get a net, try stomping a few marshy ditch's on your way up, you should find a mess of them this year. If the harvest has already started look at ditches near fleshly harvested fields, they concentrate frogs.

Goldeye/Mooneye will likely be near the flow on the dams early and late in the day. Try slip floats with a Gold Angel Eye jigging spoon hung 6" to 2' bellow the float and tipped with a hunk-a-worm. Flip them UPSTREAM into the flow, or just off the flow. All the while reel them back taking up slop on the way. Some days a simple #4 gold Aberdeen hook and a couple of slit-shots will work about the best on them Mooneye, so feel them out.

As far as I know Catfish Heaven is closed? Not 100% sure about that either, just rumors maybe?

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

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BE,
As I posted last summer on this forum Catfish haven is indeed closed.

bklimek,
I remember chattin with you last summer, the weather did indeed suck when you were up last year.

Rod and reel Catfish derby is July 26 this summer.

Ramp in town is way different now.

Shoot me an e-mail before your trip and I'll fill you in on whats been happening around the Drayton area and points north.

Regards....Fisky

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Guess it's closed, thanks for the update fiskyknut.

I couldn't remember if the Drayton event was one or two weeks before the GF Cats Incredible event.

Thanks again for the updates. I didn't find the date on the other forums.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

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To BE & Fiskynut a big thanks. So do you foresee The Cats Incredible Tournament interfering with my leisure fishing on the river that weekend? I was uncertain as to Catfish Haven. Last year around this time I called him up and left a message and left my work number. The craziest thing is about 2 months ago or more I come into work one morning and there is a message from him. I couldn't believe it rolleyes.gif! Anyways thanks for the frog catching tip. Unfortunately we will be traveling Thursday after work and probably get into Drayton around midnight. We will however probably chase the mooneye/goldeye in the early morning. I hate to do that because only having a few days of catfishing to start with I would like to spend every minute chasing sumos smile.gif! Fisky I remember chatting with you last year as well. I will be in touch with you as the time draws near.

Butch

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Butch, Did he tell you he was gonna reopen in that e-mail? Maybe he is, last year it was never open though. I was out that way about a month ago and the chain was across the road and all the no tresspass signs were in place, same as last year, I assumed it was closed but I could be wrong in that assumption, and hope it is indeed reopened. As for getting frogs, the ditches near the beet lagoons as you drive to the dam are usually full of them. Like Ed said bring a long handled bait net and do some stomping. You should be able to get dozens in a half hour tops in the early morning. When you come to the T instead of taking a right to the dam, take a left and stomp those ditches down that way. The ditches along the main road in get stomped more often, and the frogs are more wary! Spend a bit of time below the dam getting Goldeyes and suckers for cutbait and you'll be set for the day. Grasshoppers make a great bait for getting those Goldeyes too. Also try and find some of that other fish I told you about last year for cutbait too if you can. I have a trip scheduled for that Saturday, maybe Drayton, maybe north up near HWY 175. Maybe see you this time while your up.

Were you shorefishing or boat fishing last year? If I remember right that weekend was a total mess and the launch area near the dam was mud like butter! Impassable for launching a boat. Hope the weather treats you better! That was'nt you guys down there with one of those sweet Cadillac SUV's was it?

That tourney Eddy mentioned is ran out of Grand Forks so it won't interfere with your fishing Drayton at all.

Fisky

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I'm with Ed and fisky, that time of year (for me) frogs are king. Occasionally cuts or shrimp will outfish frogs, but not very often. If you're going to come up and fish then, be sure to have some frogs.
Scoot

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Ed,
I am not 100% sure but I think the Cats Incredible tournament is the first weekend of August. I will check at Cabela's and find out for sure.
Tully

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I think I heard the same- first week in Aug. However, I'm also not 100% positive on this one.
Scoot

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Yes it is that first weekend. I wonder if I'll ever get to get in again with that darn lottery deal. Hopefully they'll let more teams in in the future.

Fisky

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Fiskynut,

Jimmy from Catfish Haven left me a voicemail and I assumed he was open. He just mentioned that fishing should be good and some other info. It was a weird message. Didn't even leave a phone number. I would have to believe that he is still shut down. I promised you a beverage last year that I still owe you for all your help. Hopefully that Saturday we can meet up while we are up there. We were fishing by boat last year and plan to do the same this year. We were in a Red Lund and I had my GMC Jimmy it is pewter in color. That may have been us you are talking about? The ramp was a bit slick after it rained. Only once did it start sliding down the ramp. However, I didn't think it was too bad at all. Say when using frogs I was once told you had to cut the back legs off below the joint to keep the little ones from picking at them. Is this a standard procedure when using frogs? I didn't search to hard for that secret cutbait last year but will try to find it this year. August 8 won't come quick enough!

[This message has been edited by bklimek (edited 07-02-2003).]

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When I use to fish the Red a lot, clams always seemed to outfish anything. Just open the shell, pull the sucker out, and stick him on your hook. Nasty looking things but great bait. When the water goes down, check shallow or exposed sandbars. you will not be disappointed!

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No kidding! Well, this was several years ago so I guess I am in the clear. What is the logic behind this anyway?

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jlm,
Mn regs state that 25 of 48 species of mussels in the state are on the states endangered species list. There is still some commercial harvest in Mn, but permits are scarce. ND regs state no harvest due to possible commercial overharvest. Back in the late 80's myself and a friend did a bit of commercial mussel harvesting on some Red river tribs. Hard work, but there are 2 species anyways that have a great value in the cultured pearl industry. These Mussels have section of shell that they use a bit of to seed a nuclei into Pearl Oysters, the Oyster then forms a pearl around this piece of the Mussel shell. These 2 species of Mussels are the most desireable of what far eastern cultured pearl farms use as nuclei product for their Oysters as they are rejected less than other materials. There is also a black market for these Mussels!

Fisky

[This message has been edited by fiskyknut (edited 07-07-2003).]

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If you're on the Mn side don't let a CO see you using them....You will be disappointed when you get a ticket/fine. Mn regs state the harvest of any clams/Mussels is quite illegal now for any kind of use. Not sure about ND regs on harvest/use though.

Fisky

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Fiskyknut is correct, all clams/mussels are banned for harvest of use as bait on the Red River, and state wide in ND.

Commercial Calming took a heavy toll on the Sheyenne River and a few other rivers here in ND & MN. The use and re-sale of clams are not allowed in ND to protect the species that were threatened.

The fines are heavy, so the benefits of using them as bait is not worth the risk. They NDG&F and DNR will confiscate boats and trucks if clamers are caught. That has happen on the Sheyenne River, plus some big time fines. Fines in the 10's of thousands get handed out to clam poachers now.

Yup they do work, cats like clam meat. I know big cats eat them like sunflower seeds. Since the ban I have not used any mussels as bait. I used very few prior to that really, just the odd one snagged or washed up on a sand bar.

Try crayfish or raw uncooked shrimp. They work about the same, maybe even better.

I was out snooping around with the MN DNR divers who were doing mussel surveys here near Fargo. Interesting stuff, there are several species in the Red and some live a long time. They found a couple of mussel species that were thought to no longer exist in the Red, so they were thrilled with the discovery.

I found some interesting old growth beds with the Aqua Vu SV last winter. The DNR divers found them interesting to study. They plan to return and do some more survey dives under the ice if the conditions are right this winter.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

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Thanks for the info guys, I am up there in two weeks and was planning to snag a few cats and guess what I waould have used for bait besides frogs? Yup, it would have been clams! I appreciate the help! Good luck!

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Would frozen dead alewive work for bait? Seems like an oily scent filled fish. Was out on Lake Michigan after salmanoids and picked up a bunch of half dead ones to use for bait. Was not sure for what excactly...but I know I'll find use for them somehow.(couldn't resist netting up the livlier ones, must be a little kid still left in me. smile.gif Never fished but plan to fish this area. Seems like bullheads catch some nice ones too. can it be luck?

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Waterdogs are very good, especially in the Drayton area of the Red. Not easy to find here, wish they were.

Alewife would be good, oily enough, cut in two would be just about right. Not sure if they are legal baits though used whole? You would need to check on that to be safe.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

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Ed, thanks for the reply. My girlfriend likes to fish, doesn't matter what but the bigger the better! I thought a trip for some of those monster cats should really be a blast. Been monitoring the catfishing for a while and your's and everyone elses tips and info is appreciated. Thanks again, and good luck to you and all else! can it be luck?

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