# the red river



## greenc

i have been fishing the red for the last 3 days and not a thing have been fishing close to a dam in the slack water just wondering what kind of jigs or set ups people use i am dumb founded i did great this year on other waters but this river has got me confused i mainly fish for walleyes is there a trick to river fishing or what input would be nice the reason for not fishing other lakes in nodak is toooo much snow no access


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## Backwater Eddy

First off...*Get away from the dam!
*
Head down stream to the next bend below, fish current break on the inside turn. Try 5-10' in the evenings and at dawn. Deep channel during the day on the fast break off the cut banks...fish the base of the break.

Try Reel Bait Flasher Jigs or Thumper jigs tipped with a large Fathead Minnow, or a #5 Chubby Darter in LBD, LOD, or GMO pasterns tipped with a minnow head on the rear treble.

Try not to keep any walleye over 22" please.

Due to a high flow rate and increases velocity I would be VERY CAUTIOUS on the Red in the Fargo area.

Some guys have been pushing there luck edging up to the dams to try fishing, I would back off and stay clear as the ice will thin quickly near the dams.

Here is the chart today for flow, note the sharp increase.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwisweb/data/ ... 1.0.0..gif

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwisweb/data/ ... 1.0.0..gif

Be safe, assume NOTHING, change to ice thickness will come rapidly in high flow situations and is not readily apparent to the eye on the surface!


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## Backwater Eddy

So without giving away your "New Hot Spots", how did it work out for you?


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## greenc

yeah the red has been great to me at night its better than devils or low at its best the size of fish and the bite is great thanks eddy for the tips you got to get down there from 4pm till morning the eyes are hitting they come in swarms


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## Backwater Eddy

I'm there...ya just have not found me is all.

LOL!


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## worktosurvive hunttolive

hey i live in fargo and have never iced fished on the red i fish in the summer and do great. i just want to know do u guys go in town here or do u go out of town. i am just scared of the ice breaking cause of all the people that u here fall through. so is it safe to go out on the ice here?


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## Backwater Eddy

Again, stay clear of the dams and the areas near them.

I fish North and South of town for the most part. Due to city run off, dams, and water treatment systems in the city there are too many spooky spots on the city's ice for me.

North of Co Rd 20 and South of the South Dam would be better choices. I trust none of the ice between Co Rd #20 and the North Dam..none of it!

I can not stress staying away from the dams enough, for safety and for general better fishing on the ice.

Slower flowing water in the 5-10" range will yield better fishing, even shallower, mostly at dusk and at dawn.

Be safe!


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## honkerslayr

I've been staying right on the point where tributaries meet the red, and have been doing well right at the 7' mark.


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## Backwater Eddy

Be very careful near the WR confluence in the days ahead, and other tributary entry points into the Red.

The ice will deteriorate quickly near shore.

*DO NOT* access the ice over deep water, if you go down...your done.


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## worktosurvive hunttolive

not trying to have you give out your spots but where do u go on to the ice at i really dont want to be going through and i have heard bad stories of it growing up.


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## Backwater Eddy

There are many locations to access, the Red is a long river with many opportunity's to fish.

My best advice is to fish it in a buddy system and use the same safety practices you would use on first ice. The ice near the shore will be weaker, due to thawing, rising water levels, and run off.

We are approaching the early part of the late ice season and extreme caution is the word.

Please do not put me in the awkward position to suggest _"Safe"_ locations, as I can not, and will not.

Conditions change too quickly for me to do so in good conscious. Do the buddy system and pay particular attention to shoreline ice and any area that looks suspicious, assume nothing.


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## worktosurvive hunttolive

all right thanks will have to try the red out this weekend for the first time


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## Backwater Eddy

I would concentrate my efforts after dark for walleye, best times are 8PM to 2 AM. Catch rates have been very good as of late.

Large Fatheads rigged on jigs and tip-ups should prove productive in 4-8' of water in off current areas. Gold and Orange jigs appear to be good, as have been glow Red's. They tend to feed shallow at night and are far more on the hunt then during daylight hours.

Access has improved but caution is always wise.


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## Backwater Eddy

Mr.Green....hows your luck running?

I was 1.5 miles North of you recently, had similar results as your seeing...with a few XL's in the mix.


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## Maverick

Backwater Eddy said:


> Mr.Green....hows your luck running?
> 
> I was 1.5 miles North of you recently, had similar results as your seeing...with a few XL's in the mix.


I know he wasn't fishing the river last night, but we were fishing! From what he was telling me it has been pretty good latetly.


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## chris lillehoff

Fishing has been picking up in the GF area... Thumpers in RED GLOW w/red blades tipped with fatheads are by far the hottest bait. 7ft of water in moderate/weak current....

Fished last night til nine.....did good.


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## chris lillehoff

fished again in same area with limited success. One 15 in sauger and a goldeye. Trying a different spot tonight.


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## turbo5oh

any updates out there fellas? been out twice and couldnt get the right depth with a decent current break. skunked both times thinking about going out tonight after work. wish i could find somewhere with decent walking access


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## Backwater Eddy

The current will be on the rise due to new outlet disscharges from Lake Traverse into the Red from the South.

Stick closer to the bank out of it as much as you can. Expect most of the bite to be late after dark...a little patience helps.

:roll:


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## turbo5oh

is there anything in particular you guys are looking for when looking for a spot to fish? sharp cut banks? sharp bends? tributaries? after dams? before dams? maybe even a gosh dam?


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## Backwater Eddy

Inside bends, out of the flow, shallow after dark...like 3-5'.


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