Red River Catfish Reports
February 7, 2010- It is the middle of the winter but catfish enthusiasm is heating up. The phone is ringing and dates are starting to get into play. To book the best fishing dates be sure to get in early as it is going to be a banner catfishing year. We are looking at some potential holdups due to flooding once again this year but that means more and bigger fish typically. It looks like 2009 may have a repeat in terms of great fishing.
Captain Brad is scheduled to be at the Omaha Sport, Boat, and Travel show in Omaha, NB and the Fargo Sportsman's Show in Fargo, ND.
January 11, 2010- Happy New Year!! Now that we are through the holidays and into the mid winter deep freeze it is time to start planning your summer trips. Get your trophy catfish trip booked early so you get the best dates in 2010. Channel cat fishing on the Red River of North Dakota and Minnesota is going to be outstanding again. We look foreward to hearing from you.
December 23, 2009- Merry Christmas from all of us here at Brad Durick Outdoors. We have a huge year ahead of us in 2010. Stay tuned as news comes out. We will see you on the water.
December 8, 2009- Dates and locations for Catfish University are set. There will be sessions in Grand Forks and Fargo. Catfish University is an all inclusive program that will take you from knowing nothing about catfishing to being able to fish the Cats Incredible Tournament. For more information call or email Captain Brad
October 15, 2009- Brad Durick Outdoors LLC is now on Facebook.
Brad
Durick Outdoors LLC
Promote
Your Page Too
October 10, 2009- The 2009 catfishing season is over. I would like to thank everyone who I was lucky enough to fish with. We had some amazing fishing this season, in fact it is the best year I can remember. We set many records in terms of catches and new personal bests for clients. I see any reason 2010 can't repeat 2009. We are already getting calls and working on some exciting things so get booked early.
I would like to introduce you to our newest venture, Catfish University. This is a seminar package that will teach you everything you need to know about catching Red River Channel Catfish. For more information please check out the website for dates and locations. www.catfishuniversity.com
Enjoy these highlights of 2009.
September 2, 2009- Fishing is in fall bite right now. Fish are spread out sitting and feeding everywhere on the river. Keep on the move trying snags, holes and troughs until you find where the fish are on a given day. Sucker and frogs are the best baits. Frozen sucker has been working very well lately.
FOR SALE: Captain Brad's Guide Boat
2009 G3 1966 DLX
2009 115 Yamaha 4-stroke
2009 Custom Bear Trailer
G3 custom cover
6- Drift Master rod Holders
8- Drift Master bases
Humminbird 997 SI electronics
2 years remaining warranty
Yours for only: $17,600 with electronics
$16,100 without electronics
This boat goes for $22,000 new before rigging
August 21, 2009- Fishing all up and down the Red River is quite good right now. Rain over the past few days has brought up flows and put some fresh water in the river which is a sure sign that fish should be feeding fast and furious. Suckers are still the bait of choice but there is a changeover to frogs coming into play. The best places to look for these fish is in snags near faster, deeper water.
Here is Krista Bulow with her first catfish. Just too good not to show off in the reports page.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of guiding for the DNR Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. This was a very rewarding experience for a great program. I hope Brad Durick Outdoors can be part of this program in the years to come.
August 13, 2009- With the blast of heat and stable weather over the past week the catfishing has taken a turn for the better. Fish are coming in most patterns and on most baits. Obviously the more aggressive fish are still coming in the faster water but holes, snags, and flats are producing well also. Bait choice is anything bloody. today I used frogs, sucker , and goldeye equally. It appears that even the catfish are happy that summer is finally here.
August 10, 2009- Fishing remains a bit spotty around the Grand Forks area. We have been working hard to get our fish but they are coming. Bait preference remains sucker but I would bring everything you can just in case. Fish have been coming in troughs next to snags or right out of the snags.
Drayton is showing some nice fish. Not huge numbers but very nice quality fish non the less.
The real great news this week is Capt. John in Moorhead is really tearing up the fish. Many average sized cats coming in with few hogs mixed in. This is great news for anyone looking to fish in Moorhead this fall.
August 3, 2009- Fishing on the Red River is really on a roller coaster ride the past couple weeks. It seems there is just one weather front after another and water temps just don't want to warm up. The fish are done spawning and just can't get a break in the recovery process. Some days catching big fish is easy and other days we have to work hard to find fish. This past weekends Cats Incredible Tournament is a testament to that as some teams could not buy a fish yet there was an all time total recorded this year. The bottom line is keep on working hard, changing baits and good things will come.
The key to success is keep the bait fresh and keep moving to find the fish. Suckers are working well and frogs are starting to do great things.
We just had a cancellation for Friday August 7th and can offer a Twilight trip for 3 on short notice for only $150. Please call to book the date by Thursday.
July 19, 2009- The Red seems to be back in business. A massive cold front really slowed everything down. (In fact it was the worst catfishing of the season so far.) The fish decided to eat over the weekend as they always do on day 3 after a cold front and the big ones are coming out to play. Snags and fast water edges are the answer. Bigger fish seem to be showing up on the outside of snags or in the faster water. As always stay on the move and great things will come to you. Sucker seems to be key and goldeye should be coming on better soon. I found frogs today and they are so small that I would not use them as a go-to.
This week we have a return visit from our friends Don and Victoria Sweet from Visual Films. We will be filming episodes of 1 Big Fish and Catfishing America.
July 12, 2009- The catfish around Grand Forks are in spawn full swing. Water has finally leveled off from the big drop. The word on the river July 11th was the fishing was horrible. My guests and I tried everything and figured out we were getting big fish in the fastest currents we could find with some sort of water break. Once we committed ourselves to fishing fast water we started catching big fish consistently.
The key to catching cats right now is get in the fast water, stay on the move and keep your bait fresh, Once you find the key areas the fish will bite faster and be bigger.
We still have many great dates available to experience the Finest channel cat experience in America. The fishing is only going to get better from here on out.
July 6, 2009- The North Landing in Grand Forks is open for sure and the others can't be far behind if they are not already open. Reports of nice fish are already coming in this week letting us know that the bite is back on. We are ready to head out and re-learn the river this week. Book your trophy hunt now as dates are almost gone for this awesome 2009 season.
July 4, 2009- The Red just went under flood stage from this past high water event. It should be fishable in the next couple days depending on whether the ramps get cleaned off. By mid-next week fishing will be back in full swing. Before the high water forced us out the spawn was kicking into full swing so that should be ending any time and then we will get into what I would like to predict as AWESOME fishing.
We have many prime fishing dates available for July and August so book your trophy trip now.
June 21, 2009- The Red has remained the place to be for big channel cats. That being said the heavy rain event from the Southern Red River Valley is sending way more water than we had hoped. By mid-week we suspect we will be off the water for about a week to let the river come back down and settle out. The good news of this is that the spawn is nearing and this drink of fresh water will keep the fish healthy. By the first week of July we will be back in full swing and the fishing will be outstanding for the rest of the summer.
Book your Red River adventure today. Lots of dates are still available in August.
June 17, 2009- The Red has been on fire!. I have never seen the fishing around Grand Forks as good as it has been over the past week. Beginning last Wednesday our pattern from the week before took off and fishing became easy for the most part. We were seeing 15-21 pound channels coming in steady with the occasional 23+. Courtney Haberl from Iowa brought in a 2009 boat record of 27 pounds.
Fish have continued to feed on the break lines and near faster currents. They are roaming so you have to stay on the move. Once you find them they may even sift in and out over hours allowing you to stay on one point. Cut sucker is working as good as anything and with the average fish size what it is don't be afraid to throw a big piece out. "Big Bait = Big Fish" Be sure to visit our photo page for some really awesome fish from this past week.
June 6, 2009- The Red is beginning to heat up. Water temps are hovering in the 61-63 degree range. Water levels remain nearly perfect and the fish are reacting very well. The fish are biting on suckers off the breaks from 12-20 feet of water. The key to success is stay on the move and fish hard until you find them. Once you find em you will be rewarded with a real fight. Spawn is just around the corner so get out and enjoy the fish while they are in the best condition of the year.
Wednesday I took my little friend, 8 year old Teresa, her brother and dad on the Red. Teresa landed a wonderful 30- inch channel cat for her first ever catfish. Congrats Teresa.
May 30, 2009- The Red River is looking great right now. Water temps are 60 degrees. Fishing seems to be a bit on the spotty side but the fish look very healthy. The key to success has been staying on the move. Finding a spot of flat shallow water that is near the deeper faster current seems to be the answer. A snag on the fast side is a bonus to catch fish. Keeping fresh cut sucker on and if no fish move in 15 minutes to the next spot makes the difference. Some moves are only about a boat length. Once you find fish you can catch two or even three in fairly quick order then back on the move. We are officially kicking off our fathers day promotion. Call or email for details.
May 22, 2009- Tonight was the night. The first guide trip after this horrible cold, flooding spring. I had an idea where to start based on the scouting I had done in advance and the fish delivered. We caught fish in snags in 2-4 feet of water with a faster current near by. mid-sized suckers were the answer. The big fish are in the snags and looking to feed. It did take a bit of extra time to bring them out sometimes but well worth the wait. Below is Bob Watson from Red Wing, Minnesota with a wonderful 37-inch channel cat. Great Job Bob!
May 18, 2009- We finally made it out today for the first go round of 2009. The water is high at over 26 feet but getting around the river was not a big deal. Strong North winds made for more problems than strong currents. Didn't spend to much time fishing. Only enough time to pick up a couple and take a look see at the river. The bottom line is we are in for the season and it feels good. For those of you planning to make the jump please be careful in the river. The current is really stong. We still have some prime June dates available to help you kick off your summer.
May 14, 2009- Today the Red fell below 28 feet meaning we are set to go. One ramp is open in East Grand Forks and the rest will open over the next few days (if they aren't already.) I'm hearing from shore anglers that fishing is great now that they can get to the banks. That means we are set to go for another great season. Stay tuned for some first hand reports after the weekend and if you want to take advantage of the pre-spawn bite call us today to make your memory. Some fabulous dates are still available.
May 12, 2009- Not much new news since the last report. Recent rains have the predictions rising for a few days but frankly I don't believe it right now. It looks like we will be officially guiding starting May 21st. I still have a few evenings available beginning May 28th and I also have 2 weekend dates available over the Memorial weekend. Book your trophy outting today and keep on reelin on the Red.
May 7, 2009- The Red River is falling and falling fast. Predictions say that we should be fishing the Halstad area the middle of next week and we will be getting going the week of the 18th in Grand Forks. My prediction is we will be on fish right out of the get go catching the pre-spawn. I have a few evenings available beginning May 28th and I also have 2 weekend dates available over the Memorial weekend. Book your trophy outting today and keep on reelin on the Red..
April 24, 2009- The Red River is still flooding but falling. I am predicting that we will be in full swing guiding around May 20th. Many great dates are still available the last week of May and in June. Book your trophy outting today.
The big news this week is that Captain Brad's brand new boat has arrived. This year guests will be riding in a 2009 G3 1966 DLX. This boat is customized for catfishing on the Red.
I was able to pick this boat up at the G3 factory in Missouri. I thought you might like to see how a G3 is born.
March 29, 2009- The big talk on the Red this week is flooding from the headwaters all they way to Lake Winnipeg. So far Grand Forks/East Grand Forks is holding up well. Fargo/Moorhead is working hard to avoid disaster and our hearts go out to them until the Mighty Red River or the North returns to her banks.
With all the flooding talk one might think we won' be fishing for a while. I am predicting a May 1 start to fishing. We begin taking guide trips May 15th and some prime pre-spawn dates are still available. Book your Red River Adventure today.
February 23, 2009- Brad Durick Outdoors LLC is proud to announce that the Guest House Inn located in Downtown Grand Forks is our official hotel sponsor. The Guest House (known by most locals as The Townhouse) has a long standing tradition of excellence in Grand Forks. It is located right on the edge of downtown close to shopping, eating, drinking and of course the mighty Red River. After a long day of fishing if you don't feel like leaving the hotel, the Muddy Rivers Saloon and lounge located right inside.
We recommend you stay at The Guesthouse while you are fishing Grand Forks.
January 20, 2009- Today Captain Brad ordered his brand new 2009 G3 boat. This boat will provide customers with a safe and comfortable ride while hunting for the famous Red River Channel Cat. This boat will bring catfishing on the Red River to a whole new level.
December 12, 2008- This week is the beginning of a new area at Brad Durick Outdoors. In November the official name changed to Brad Durick Outdoors LLC and this week we unvailed a new logo. The success of the past season has motivated us to move to the next level of business to serve you better.
We now have guides in Grand Forks, Drayton and recently we have one in Fargo/Moorhead. This makes us the largest outfitter on the US side of the Red River. We have also signed a deal to offer combo catfish walleye trips on Devils Lake with Bry's Guide Service in Devils Lake.
October 10, 2008- It has been a while since I have posted a report. This is mostly due to working on marketing and preparations for 2009. We are planning for some great things here at Brad Durick Outdoors to make your next catfish trip an even more exciting one.
The big news this week is we now have a boat sponsor. I proudly welcome G3 Boats as the official boat of Brad Durick Outdoors. G3 has a long standing tradition of building quality boats to satisfy the needs of any angler. Welcome aboard G3.
September 1, 2008- August was such a great month. The fishing was great and the fish were big. The river at Grand Forks north of Riverside Dam has gotten shallow and boating could be a little tricky. Please excercise caution when navigating up north. If you do you will be rewarded with some awesome catfish. South of Riverside Dam in Downtown Grand Forks/East Grand Forks south had plenty of water for easy navigation.
The fish on the Red are still coming near faster water. Keep moving along looking for visibile signs of current then fish the available structures near by. This structure could be a snag, head of a hole or a small trough. Bait has been fluctuating between cut sucker and frog. Some days one works better than the other so it is my advise to keep both with you.
We are coming into the final weeks of catfishing with the next three or four weeks being some of the best catfishing of the year. The fish will be on the fall feed until water temps cool off more. Now is the time to hit the Red River. You will be glad you did. Stop by and check out our photo gallery.
August 2, 2008- The Red River at Grand Forks is up about a foot after a heavy rain last week. This new drink of fresh water is really getting the catfish moving. The fish are now activly feeding along the break lines and troughs in the faster current. They have the feed bags on and are thinking of only one thing. EATING. Cut suckers have been the bait of choice with goldeye and frog being nearly useless right now. smaller fish but large numbers are coming in shallow water and the hawgs are moving in the deeper fast water.
Congratulations to Corey McGillis from MayVille, ND for landing a 25 pound channel cat on his very first catfish trip. I'm sure it is a Fathers Day present he will never forget. The photo is in the photo gallery. Click here
July 28, 2008- Sorry for the lack of current reports over the past couple weeks. The past few days I had the pleasure of fishing with Don and Victoria Sweet from Catfishing Amercia TV. They made a return trip to Grand Forks and took their first stab at the Drayton stretch of the river. We had awesome fishing the entire time and eventually found a pattern where these catfish pros had an opportunity to sit back and enjoy kicking some catfish butt.
The pattern in the Grand Forks stretch of river is to find some faster moving water and you will find fish. Cut sucker is the hands down bait of choice. Bigger fish are simply coming from the fast water most notably from right in the nasiest wood you can find.
The Drayton stretch of the Red River is really throwing out big catfish and tons of them. These fish are in mid-channel holes or in the faster water waiting for food. The best way to catch them is drive the river and pay attention to the electronics. When you find the hole and mark big fish in it anchor up and get some bait in the hole. The best baits at Drayton are chunks of big suckers (9-11") or fresh cut goldeye. The bite is really great right now so take good advantage.
This weekend is Cats Incredible in East Grand Forks. Good Luck to all anglers.
Until next week keep on Reelin on the Red
July 11, 2008- It is amazing what only a few days can do in nature. The last report was that the fish were showing signs of spawn and not very aggressive causing us to work hard to stay on them. The bigger fish are still a bit on the slow side but fish numbers as a whole are really taking off. At Grand Forks we have been fishing troughs and cuts near wood in the early morning and evening. During the day the fish are hanging deep in the snags and need to be brought out. Keep the bait fresh all the time of best results.
The Drayton stretch of the Red River is really throwing out big catfish. These fish are in mid-channel holes and ready to bite. The best way to catch them is drive the river and pay attention to the electronics. When you find the hole and mark big fish in it anchor up and get some bait in the hole. If the fish wants to bite he will be on withing only a few minutes. Be prepared sometimes they hit before the bottom.
Until next week keep on Reelin on the Red
July 4, 2008- We are definetly in the spawn period here in Grand Forks. The fish are showing all the signs. The past couple days have shown very encouraging signs of an unbelievable bite just around the corner. There is no shortage of numbers but the size leaves a bit to be desired. By that I mean we are catching big fish just not the numbers of them we would like to see. The patterns have been tight in the wood and I mean lose many hooks tight but it is working well with cut suckers as bait. There have been signs of shifting to goldeye so make sure to keep one out there all the time. Larger fish are showing up on the faster breaks and troughs near snags.
Today when my customers and I were getting ready to call it a night we saw lots of big catfish start surface feeding. That is a sure sign of great things to come in the near future.
We still have a few July evenings and one weekend available for guide trips so book your adventure today and make a memory that will last a lifetime.
Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.
June 25, 2008- After a couple weeks of higher than normal water the Mighty Red is looking awesome. River levels and currents are about as perfect as can be right now making boat movement and fishing quite simple. Fish are showing signs of the spawn season as can be expected this time of year. Fishing on the shallow shelves near deeper water or wood has been the answer.
If water levels don't fall to fast we are in for a great mid-summer run. Warmer temps might be shifting the cats to more of a night bite also.
We still have a few prime July dates available for guide trips so book your adventure today and make a memory that will last a lifetime.
Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.
June
13, 2008- The
Red
River has taken on some water this past week with heavy rains from the
south. As of now the river levels are at 23 feet and are
expected
to rise to 27 feet next week before falling. If you must go
out
exercise caution and be careful not to get hit by floating debris.
I have canceled all guide trips until July 3rd for the safety of my customers. We will be ready to rock after that barring any more heavy rains. Get your trips booked now, cats are always hungry after a flood event.
Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.
June 4, 2008- The catfishing has slowed since my last report. I have a feeling the spawn is beginning a bit early this year. I have no proof of that assumption but all aspects of the bite point to it.
There are still catfish got be caught on the river. They are hanging out in the troughs and faster water near the snags. Sucker was still working well this past weekend with some stink baits producing well to catch numbers of fish. Larger fish are found on that outside edge of the snags as well. Now is the time to catch goldeyes. They are really biting well and we all know they will be the bait of choice before long.
Congratulations to Tom Goetle from Vandais Heights, MN on catching a 29.5 inche walleye.
Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.
May 24, 2008- The catfish bite on the Red River has slowed a bit but that only means that it is normal now. Cooler temps mixed with falling water this week has slowed that catfish a bit. The bite has shifted to the shallow snags or snags near faster water. The fish are feeding aggressively but they need more of an invitation than they did last week. Some rain has fallen today so I look for a rise of a couple inches which should spur the cats into a feeding frenzy before we head into the spawn. Cut sucker is the bait of choice but be ready to change over to goldeye. The fish have been spotted feeding on surfacing goldeye so the bait preference could change with no advance notice. If you are on a bite for a while and it slows just make small moves, the fish won't be to far away and you will be right back on them.
I would like to congratulate Michel Muniz for catching this 39-inch, nearly 26-pound Red River channel cat. It is the largest fish boated by a client to date.
A
few prime pre-spawn dates are still available, book your trip now and
experience this for yourself.
May 17, 2008- I have been guiding for the last three days and so far have had a lot of clients with sore cheeks from smiling so much. We have been on a bite like I have never seen before. Many numbers of fish, most in the 10-13 pound range with bigger fish in the mix. They seem to have been coming in waves. Each of the trips we had at least one triple and at one point we had fish on five our six rods. On that one even the guide got to reel in a fish because we were simply out of hands.
The fish are really on fire right now. They are staying in the faster water. Seems faster is better. Cut sucker is the bait of choice hands down. If you are on a bite for a while and it slows just make small moves, the fish won't be to far away and you will be right back on them.
May
12, 2008-
Red River Mayhem is all you
can call it. The fish
are biting fast and furious in the fast water or snags near the fast
water. This past weekend I fished with my friends Jon and
Nick. There
was no fishing, it was all catching. Many fish in the 10-17
pound
range. The best is yet to come folks.
A few weekend dates remain for the amazing pre-spawn bite. Book your trip today so you can make a memory for yourself.