As water levels drop and temperatures rise, things are setting up nicely for a successful catfish season on the Red River of the North. DEO Photo by Brad Durick.

By Brad Durick

Boat ramps around Grand Forks should be opening any day as the Red River has gotten below flood stage. Water levels are still dropping rapidly which is generally not good for catfishing but according to projections they will level off late this week. Water temperatures on the Red are in the low 50s which is perfect.

I suspect catfish will turn on over the weekend or early next week and the bite will get better and better if the stable warming water continues. This is shaping up to be a great pre-spawn stretch for catfish that hopefully will last several weeks.

Unfortunately, there will be issues with bait this year as word is that most minnow and sucker ponds froze out over the winter. This will mean planning ahead and catching goldeyes to use for your catfishing adventures will be more critical than usual.

I plan on firing up my fishing and guiding activities the week of May 15 and will provide a more robust report with those outings. Best wishes to all for a safe and successful 2023 filled with great catfishing!