North Dakota Fishing - North Dakota Hunting

name: Backwater Eddy
city: Fargo
Area: Other area
: backwtr1@msn.com
Date: Wednesday June 04, 2003
Time: 08:14:48 AM

The catfish bite on the Lower Red River in Canada has been, and is now, very good.

Locally in the Central Red Region the bite has been slow to fair. The spawn is approaching and it will get much slower before it gets better again. I suspect the channel catfish spawn in the Central Red River Basin to commence in a week, a bit earlier then normal.

Back to that big cat bite up North. We were up on the Red last week and it was Hot, 40-60 big cats a day was not too tough to do.

Fresh cut Goldeye was key for bait, next was shrimp, or prons. Cuts in the day, shrimp and the like at night was the basic pattern.

You will find Big cats in numbers up in the shoots, in the miracle mile channel, and all the way out to the lake. Larger groups of cats were congregated at the Lockport Dam.

If you go you should stock up on a couple of rigging options. Carry 4-5 oz teardrop weights for working the shoots at the dam. You want that bait to stay put, dragging will just Lead to a lost rig. Show patience, them cats will find the bait soon enough.

For most of the other cat work carry 3 oz. No-Roll style sinkers. The No-Roll is the way to go, often down river 2 oz will do where 4 or 5 oz's of any other style would be barely enough in this flow.

Hooks should be 6-8 O/T on circle or Kahle styles, shank works but not as well in my opinion. Bring lots of large barrel swivels also, snags can and will happen.

I also recommend some surgical tubing to cut into 1" chunks. Slip this between the weight and the barrel swivel, add a bead between the weight and the tubing, this adds extra knot protection and a bit of sound to the rig. This will help to protect the knot from wear and you will save on tackle. Make your leader test just a bit lighter then the lain line test. So when you hang up the hook you can save the bulk of the rigging once snapped loose.

One more consideration that is key if you fish the lower Red is anchors.

The lower Red is not your average river, serious anchor's are needed to hold well.

Most go down just fine, and if they do manage to hold, you may not get them back again. The Lockport dam eats anchors like them Sumo cats eat Goldeye Eh!

Bring a spare anchor, or two, with at least 50' of 1/2 cotton rope. Cotton rope has the give needed, it aids in holding in the faster water. Plus cotton rope is far easier on the hands, keep gloves handy too. Nylon rope often will shear off in the rock, a poor choice up North on the Red, or on many dams.

I have a friend in Valley City ND. who has made one serious River anchor system. They weigh about 35 pounds and will hold the biggest V-hulls in the roughest of rivers, plus they are far more retrievable then others systems. We designed them just for the Red and other big River systems with Dams, they work very well. If interested drop me an e-mail and I will give you his info so you can contact him.

Oh, bring a good net. A light to med duty walleye net will not cut it! I strongly recommend the Frabill line of landing nets, especially the Halibut net. Get a net that tangles less and will handle sumo cats all day long for years to come. Check out the Frabill Live Well Net system too, darn handy for them large live baits like Mooneye and Goldeye. Keep you cut baits fresh tell you need them. That will up your odds for a real Sumo Piggy channel cat here on the Red River.

Yup..Yup...The velocity of the flow is up on the Lower Red, that brings them big cats up in numbers to the dam to feed.

A very good time to Rock on big cats Eh!

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

backwtr1@msn.com

"Backwater Guiding" ~ ~ ~ ><,sUMo,>

name: slayer
city: oberon
Remote Name: 24.116.188.125
Date: 06/03/2003
Time: 12:31:59 AM

There isn't any size limit on walleyes, at least not to my knowledge??

name: Jeremy
city: Jamestown
Remote Name: 24.220.134.89
Date: 06/02/2003
Time: 07:45:36 PM

How about the size limit on the walleyes? Is the minimum 14" or 15"?

name: skunked
city: sheboygan
Remote Name: 24.116.188.125
Date: 06/02/2003
Time: 12:59:25 PM

Fished out of grahams the 31st and the 1st. Fishing was slow I believe to the huge mayfly hatch. The little buggers must've been feeding big time on em'. Anyhow managed a couple of bass and some norts. Good time for the kids. Didn't catch any walleyes but had fun.

name: slayer
city: oberon
Remote Name: 24.116.188.125
Date: 06/02/2003
Time: 12:54:17 PM

5 fish limit for walleyes, 5 for northerns, believe 35 for perch and not sure about white bass??

name: Keith
city: Bemidji,MN
Remote Name: 68.112.124.110
Date: 06/02/2003
Time: 09:33:26 AM

We will be at east bay on DL the 6-8 of June,on a father son trip. I have never fished DL and would apreciate any and all info.

thanks

name: ALE
city: Winnipeg
Area: Canada
: alembury@shaw.ca
Date: Monday June 02, 2003
Time: 05:34:39 AM

i've been having a good time fishing lately, catching lots of sauger and walleye, but i'm wondering if anyone can give me some tips on how to land big walleye and even northern pike. i've been fishing the red river for two years now and have never caught a pike. p.s. try fishing and smoking at 420. Peace, love and unity.

name: Jeremy
city: Jamestown
Remote Name: 24.220.134.89
Date: 06/01/2003
Time: 10:35:53 AM

What are the walleye limits on Devils Lake? Size and possesion.

name: Jeremie
city: San Angelo
: gb.packerfan@verizon.net
Remote Name: 4.46.214.96
Date: 05/30/2003
Time: 08:05:59 PM

Fished DL fm 23rd-26th may. The fishing was slow the first few days. Most fish (walleyes) were caught from shore at black tiger bay campground off the docks. The bites started at about 2000 and were still catching them after 0200. As the nice weather started to move in the lake fishing in the boat got better. Fish (2-3 pounders) were in 2 to 8 ft of water and were catching them in the trees along the shore with wally-divers perch color as well as brown tiger huskie jerks. Few northern as well. The last day the fish were biting in the deeper water, 15ft in east bay/black tiger bay on the submerged road (east end). Although the fishing started slow and not much of anyone was catching anything I had a great time. I imagine that the fishing has picked up a little more since I have come back to tx. Good luck

name: Fishman
city: Oakdale
Remote Name: 63.137.61.253
Date: 05/29/2003
Time: 01:24:34 PM

Was at Devils lake over the memorial weekend...Caught lots of northern. Caught 1 crappie at channel A (12"). Secret spot for walleye? Fish from shore under the bridge near the Casino....won't start biting until 8:30 p.m.. When they bite...better get ready.

name: chad
city: grand forks
Remote Name: 24.220.35.164
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 08:07:33 PM

GMAN,

Wallys are on the chew. Had great success last weekend and you can too. The shore fishing is awesome right now. You'll do better with a boat because of the control you gain of bait presentation. First of all go to Ed's bait shop, get one of their free lake maps and leeches. If you dont already have these crank baits buy them. #3 and #5 perch colored and Shad Rap Rapala's in the "countdown" version. Had great luck near the town of Minnewaukan on Hwy 19. Look for where the rock on the hwy meets submerged timber. The bite is from dawn till about 11:00 am and again at about 8:30 till dark. Mission Bay is another great area but becarefull if you fishing from shore at the wrong spot you will need to buy a Tribal fishing liscense when fishing from certain roads. If your on a boat its no worry. Good Luck. Post us your results.

name: John
city: Fisher
Remote Name: 207.232.86.50
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 04:45:42 PM

Has anyone been catching anything at the hwy 57 bridge?

name: Scott
city: Grand Forks
Remote Name: 24.220.213.220
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:36:09 PM

Bill,

No, Devils Lake is not a crappie fishing lake. Walleye, white bass, Northern Pike and ice fishing for perch are it's claim to fame

In the future you might want to wait a few hours for a reply rather than multiple posts:>)

name: Bill
city: Illinois
: kaiand@theramp.net
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:27:23 PM

Hi, Iam interested in crappie fishing in N.D. Is Devils Lake a good one or are there better crappie lakes??? Please me info...thanks Bill

name: Bill
city: Illinois
: kaiand@theramp.net
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:27:22 PM

Hi, Iam interested in crappie fishing in N.D. Is Devils Lake a good one or are there better crappie lakes??? Please me info...thanks Bill

name: Bill
city: Illinois
: kaiand@theramp.net
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:27:18 PM

Hi, Iam interested in crappie fishing in N.D. Is Devils Lake a good one or are there better crappie lakes??? Please me info...thanks Bill

name: Bill
city: Illinois
: kaiand@theramp.net
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:24:54 PM

Hi, Iam interested in crappie fishing in N.D. Is Devils Lake a good one or are there better crappie lakes??? Please me info...thanks Bill

name: Bill
city: Princeton, Illinois
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:15:36 PM

Interested in fishing Devils Lake for Crappies. Is this a good lake to go to???? If not, where are the good crappie lakes in N.D.??? me please kaiand@theramp.net Thanks for your help Bill

name: Bill
city: Princeton, Illinois
Remote Name: 64.254.192.243
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 01:11:17 PM

Interested in fishing Devils Lake for Crappies. Is this a good lake to go to???? If not, where are the good crappie lakes in N.D.??? me please kaiand@theramp.net Thanks for your help Bill

name: Tightline
city: Northwood
lake_river: English Coulee-Grand Forks
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 11:09:08 AM

TAZ. I am sorry but it wouldn't let me attach my link. But if you go to www.terraserver.com and type in Grand Forks and pan to the west-southwest you will see it. I think the pictures are from about 1997.

Good luck.

name: Don Brandt
city: Lodi, CA
: donbrandt@donbrandt.com
Remote Name: 63.197.120.120
Date: 05/28/2003
Time: 10:24:45 AM

I'm planning a trip to N.D. in early August - can anyone tell me if this is a good time to catch Northern Pike?

name: Dennis Flom
city: Harwood
Area: Fargo
: icatchbigcats@aol.com
Date: Wednesday May 28, 2003
Time: 12:43:05 AM

Thanks Kent,

I thought I may have lost my touch and could no longer find catfish. Today was finally better, we fished most of the day and caught fish all day long. Although the number of fish we caught was not great, (only about 30) it was an improvement over the weekend. Our biggest today was only about 12 but I think we only had 3 fish under 3 lbs.

Hope things are better to the North also.

Anyone been to Lockport lately?

Dennis

name: TAZ
city: Grand Forks
lake_river: English Coulee-Grand Forks
Date: 05/27/2003
Time: 03:32:04 PM

TIGHTLINE,

THANKS FOR THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION. iS THERE A WAY YOU CAN SUBMIT THE SATTELITE PHOTO? THANK YOU...

name: slayer
city: oberon
Date: 05/27/2003
Time: 03:12:21 PM

Yah 57 is open all the way from 281 to DL. The only construction as of lately is in town on hwy 2. Hope that helps

name: GMAN
city: St .Paul
Date: 05/27/2003
Time: 11:28:22 AM

We'll be fishing at DL this weekend so I was just wondering if anyone can give me any tips, advice. We haven't been to DL before and could use tips on where to fish and what to use. You can me at gorters@yahoo.com as well. Thanks in advance for any help!

name: Kent Hollands
city: Grand Forks
Area: Comment
Date: Tuesday May 27, 2003
Time: 09:28:36 AM

Dennis same thing holds true up north. Fishing was very slow over the weekend, water at 64 plus etc. etc. The best times were 7 to 9 each night, fished Mon from 4 to 9pm and didn't have a bite until 6:30 to 7:00 and we were moving around, tryen shallow and deep they just weren't in the mood. The water had also dropped about 8" to a foot from Sundays fishing maybe that had something to do with it. Anyway over the weekend we caught about 20 between three and five pounds one about nine pounds and the biggest being a little over nineteen pounds.

name: Dennis Flom
city: Harwood
Area: Fargo
: icatchbigcats@aol.com
Date: Monday May 26, 2003
Time: 12:59:11 AM

Fishing in the Fargo area has taken a big nose-dive over the last couple of days. We are only getting a few fish a night, less than 10, and most have been small (less than 3 lbs). How has the bite been in Grand Forks this past weekend?

Our water temp is up to 64 now and our water is holding steady to falling slowly. I have no reason for the fish to be as slow as they have been the last couple of days. Earlier this week we caught as many as 40 in an evening but now we are lucky to get 10.

I even have run to areas that have not been fished at all this year including well up the Sheyenne with no real luck.

Hope things are going better up north.

Dennis

name: Jeremy
city: Jamestown
Date: 05/25/2003
Time: 03:35:23 PM

Does anyone know if Hwy 57 out of Fort Totten, going NE, is open to go thru to Devils Lake town?

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