There's a pretty big secret out there. There's some world-class catfishing in Fargo-Moorhead.
According to Sky Above Us, the Red River of the North is the best place for Channel Catfishing in North America. And we agree! Whether you'd like to go out on your own to the 12 landing locations in Fargo and Moorhead or you'd rather book a guide trip with Brad Durick, you're sure to have a good time catching (or trying to catch) some big ones on the river.
Catfish in the Red River grow slowly so they're able to grow up to be ginormous, trophy catches for those looking to find them. There have been 24-year-old fish found on the Red River as well as fish who have grown to be over 30 pounds.
How to Catfish
We'd always recommend checking with local bait shops near the river to find out what they recommend for the area you're planning to go to, but here are some basics:
Equipment: You won't need anything too expensive to catch some monsters on The Red, an inexpensive rod and nice reel will do.
Bait: Worms, minnows, stink bait, as well as artificial lures will work to catch a Catfish. Learn more about what baits work best for what fish on The Meat Eater.
Where to Catfish
There are plenty of stops along the Red River where fish will bite. Although the Red is a “turbid” (muddy) river with low water clarity during much of the year, water quality is high. Whether it’s an outing to one of the many parks along the banks, or a simple day of fishing, the Red is a wonderful place to be.
There are 12 landing locations in Fargo and Moorhead that have either shoreline where you can walk right up to the river and three locations where you can launch a fishing kayak or boat onto the Red:
*Denotes boat/kayak access available
If you want to expand out of the Fargo-Moorhead area, check out the Red River maps for more options along the river.
Channel Catfishing Guides
If you'd rather rely on professionals for your fishing experience, there are multiple resources we can recommend. Nodak Outdoors put together a Red River of the North fishing guide. Or, you can get yourself a fishing guide with Brad Durick Outdoors, the Red River Valley's premier catfish guide.
For an outline of what to expect, check out the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's Red River Guide to fishing.
