Big Things Ahead.  The fall catfish bite is expected to be excellent, as frogs develop into the primary forage. DEO Photo by Brad Durick

By Brad Durick

I have not fished for catfish on the Red River much over the past week as Labor Day week is always a slow one in the guide world, so I took my boy on a trip before school started. Reports from other anglers the past seven days are about the same as they have been up and down the Red River. 

In Grand Forks there was another three inches of rain last week bringing the river up and down a few feet over the weekend. It appears to have slowed the bite some as the fish get confused with the quick ups and downs. Water levels should be back to normal in the next few days.

What I found when I did fish is the fall bite is poised to be good. We caught our catfish but had to grind on them as expected. Sit times were up a little due to fish confusion at 25 to 30 minutes. When the fish committed to the bait they meant it.

Two- or three-days dead sucker or frogs are still the clear bait winners for me. It remains a very seasonal bite right now with frogs being better in the morning and night while the sucker takes over late morning as the preferred bait.  I have heard from anglers in the Fargo area that frogs are producing great but I have not seen that yet.

Conditions still say September will be big fish month. I have dates available. Call or text 701-739-5808 for information or to book.

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