Keep Cool. Despite dropping water temperatures, catfish can still be caught on the Red River using frogs and day-old dead sucker for bait at this time. DEO Photo by Brad Durick.

By Brad Durick

Cool mornings and shorter days are leading to the end of the 2021 catfishing season on the Red River. Right now, the water temperature is holding at about 63 degrees which is a great place to be for a couple more weeks of fishing.

Water levels, while still low are very stable which is a good thing. Catfish seem to have moved into more traditional break line spots near holes. They appear to still be hanging out of the current, even though there is very little of it, mostly in holes on inside corners. The bite appears to be the best it has been in the past couple months and the fish are looking a little better. Really big fish are still difficult to come by.

Frogs and day-old dead suckers have been the best baits lately. Make sure you give a spot a solid 25 to 35 minutes before you abandon it for a new location.

Brad Durick is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and licensed ND fishing guide specializing in trophy catfish on the Red River in and around the Grand Forks area.