From shore or with boat?

I fish around fargo from shore and I use 3 to 4 ounce weights with 20lb. test. Circle hooks are my favorite. I use frozen cut suckers and frogs mostly for bait. Frogs work live or frozen. I usually have one big bait setup for the big kittys and one nightcrawler setup for the smaller cats. I like finding downed trees in the water and fishing about 50 to 100 feet upstream of them. Good luck and hope you get a big one!

I used to use chicken liver, you can buy a tub of them at Hornbachers for like 3 bucks, wrap a chunk in nylon to keep it on the hook, and use a circle hook, the treble hooks only get you snagged more. use a 3 or more ounce weight, fish a bend in the river or some downed trees, and the bite always seemed better closer to dark.

good luck and bring lots of bug spray

Beef Steak works great too if you can't get a hold of suckers or frogs or goldeyes.  square chunks of beef steak on a treble hook will get em.

Talk to the folks at Fargo Bait and Tackle. They are friendly and will let you know some hotspots. I used to buy my bait there before I moved. It's a cash only operation so come prepared.

rapala_09 Said:
I am a UND student, and am looking for some late season cats. I walleye fish a lot around the Bismarck area, but I don't know any spots around here. Is there any popular spots that anyone is willing to share from shore. I keep getting snagged, the guy at cabelas said to use a 4 oz. weight. That seems awfully heavy, but I don't know how they do it out east. So any close spots to Grand Forks and how heavy of a weight, any input is appreciated. Thanks Fellas.

1.) 4 ounces is too much. You can run a 2 ounce weight and be ok. Maybe get a couple pyramid sinkers.

2.) You don't need to be in the middle of the channel. I see too many people casting "in the middle of the river" when shore fishing. Cast at an angle, closer to shore than you are already casting. The line shouldn't have to settle that much before coming to a stop. So, kinda cast in the direction the current flows (to the left slightly if standing on the ND side, and to the right if standing on the MN side)

3.) If you don't want to catch fish, use chicken liver. If you'd like to catch some catfish, and maybe a nice walleye, go to Cabelas, Home of Economy, Scheels, etc, and get a dozen suckers. You can cut them into thirds or use them whole, depending on how big of a hook you like to use. Match the size of the hook with the size of the bait.

4.) Try 65 lb Power Pro and make sure you tie the knot well. This is going to take care of 99% of your snags. Mono isn't allowed in my boat. (or on my shore fishing rods)

5.) Good spots from shore around Grand Forks are, just North of the North Ramp in Grand Forks. Lots of good spots. Otherwise, Lincoln Park has good shore opportunities too.

6.) good luck, and NEVER GIVE UUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops. My mistake, for some odd reason I thought you were from Fargo. That would be a bit of a drive.

3.) If you don't want to catch fish, use chicken liver.

Josh, out of Fargo when I lived out east over 10 yrs ago, we pounded em 15-25 pounders using chicken livers, or cut up fresh bait. I wouldnt think it would be any different now. Might sound like bunk but it worked and it worked really well.
Not wanting to argue just saying it worked then.

Don't forget fresh, raw shrimp--dy-no-mite!!

johnr Said:

3.) If you don't want to catch fish, use chicken liver.

Josh, out of Fargo when I lived out east over 10 yrs ago, we pounded em 15-25 pounders using chicken livers, or cut up fresh bait. I wouldnt think it would be any different now. Might sound like bunk but it worked and it worked really well.
Not wanting to argue just saying it worked then.

Ok, here's the deal with what I said/meant by that.

1.) It's much easier to hook up with fish when using cut bait or frogs, etc than chicken liver. I too, have used it in the past when I first started out catfishing and had some success on them. But, having to go through so much work for it to stay on the hook (the pantyhose trick, etc), and the fact that you need to make a special trip to the grocery store just doesn't really fly with me.

2.) Bigger fish will hit bigger baits. A large 1 or 1.5 pound sucker cut into thirds with an 8/0 wide gap hook, 2 ounce weight, in 4 FOW right now is going to be THE BEST BET for hooking into a 8-14 pound walleye OR a 15-25 pound catfish. I like not knowing whether the next fish is going to be the new state record Walleye, or a Catfish that looks like it should be on the show "River Monsters".

3.) It's a confidence thing for me. Anything that swims in the Red, I like to use for bait. Natural baits like white sucker, redhorse, creek chubs, etc, etc.

4.) you can catch big (have fun weeding through 100 1-5 pound fish before you get a big one) cats on dip baits, artificial cut baits, pastes, etc too but again, the Holy Trinity of the Red River is Frogs, Suckers, and Goldeye.

So yes, you can use chicken liver and it will catch fish. But if I want to go shore fishing (or boat I guess) I'm going to make 1 stop, and that's to get some suckers.

Jig-em-up-Josh Said:

 .

Ok, here's the deal with what I said/meant by that.

1.) It's much easier to hook up with fish when using cut bait or frogs, etc than chicken liver. I too, have used it in the past when I first started out catfishing and had some success on them. But, having to go through so much work for it to stay on the hook (the pantyhose trick, etc), and the fact that you need to make a special trip to the grocery store just doesn't really fly with me.

2.) Bigger fish will hit bigger baits. A large 1 or 1.5 pound sucker cut into thirds with an 8/0 wide gap hook, 2 ounce weight, in 4 FOW right now is going to be THE BEST BET for hooking into a 8-14 pound walleye OR a 15-25 pound catfish. I like not knowing whether the next fish is going to be the new state record Walleye, or a Catfish that looks like it should be on the show "River Monsters".

3.) It's a confidence thing for me. Anything that swims in the Red, I like to use for bait. Natural baits like white sucker, redhorse, creek chubs, etc, etc.

4.) you can catch big (have fun weeding through 100 1-5 pound fish before you get a big one) cats on dip baits, artificial cut baits, pastes, etc too but again, the Holy Trinity of the Red River is Frogs, Suckers, and Goldeye.

So yes, you can use chicken liver and it will catch fish. But if I want to go shore fishing (or boat I guess) I'm going to make 1 stop, and that's to get some suckers.

agreed that panty hose deal sucks, we would buy a few tubs of the liver and keep em in the freezer, my inlaws lived on River Dr in Fargo so it was a quick walk from the kitchen down to the river and screw around till early in the morning. Frogs worked great too, it usually involved a case of beer and a bon fire. Really miss catching those big cats, and drinking beer all night long

I have had ok luck with chicken liver.  I have been luck fishing snags with chicken liver but again it is hard to get and stay on a hook. I think suckers pull most of it off.  I pulled a 17lbs once.  but cut goldeye and suckers is the ticket.  I am also in love with frgos this year.   Imiss my old gloomis................. 
Anyway big hooks big bait and heavy pyramid weights.

 I am also a UND student here and every time I have fished the Red of have failed miserably! Thanks for all the awesome tips Josh. I was wondering what roads I have to take to get to the North Ramp? Thanks again!

cmill20 Said:
 I am also a UND student here and every time I have fished the Red of have failed miserably! Thanks for all the awesome tips Josh. I was wondering what roads I have to take to get to the North Ramp? Thanks again!

Old Mill Road. Turn by Strata. Follow the boat ramp signs. Once at the ramp you may have to creep along the rocks a ways North (to get away from other shore anglers)

I like to fish by Cabelas also. Riverside Park. Lincoln Park. Just experiment. Find a place that has a good shoreline for landing fish. The catching part will come eventually.

I think that's what I love most about shore fishing for Catfish. Finding a new spot each time and not knowing what to expect or how big of a fish I'll catch!

Thanks to everyone, this was exactly what I had in mind. I was just looking for a little confidence builder, at least to know I am doing the right thing. Eventually with more time with a line in the water I will learn too. But having good guys like you to save me time and money is really helpful. I will be fishing from shore 90% of the time while going to school, there is no where to store my boat up here. Josh, I just put new mono on my rod and after using strictly braided lines for the last 5 years, I forgot how terrible mono actually is. Did you say you use a 65 lb. braided line?