Anglers are finding more catfish midstream on the Red River, with cut goldeye and sucker being the best baits.  DEO Photo by Brad Durick

By Brad Durick

It’s mid-July, and the big catfish just keep coming all up and down the Red River!  

It seems that everywhere on the Red River – from Wahpeton to the Canadian Border – is producing great catfish. One big change the past couple of days, however, is that the fish have moved to the middle of the flow in the faster water.

When you get to a new spot you may get a quick one, but then you have to give them an honest 20 minutes to get them going. Most baits are working, with sucker and goldeye being pretty interchangeable. There are lots of 10-to-16-pound catfish around to be caught with the occasional running over 20 pounds.

This weekend is the Pembina Catfish Tournament. July 30th and 31st is the Cats Incredible in East Grand Forks and August 12th and 13th is the Catfish Capital Challenge in Drayton with a $10,000 guarantee for first place. 

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