Red River Report

[icehousebob]

My #3 son and I hit the Red by Drayton about noon on Thursday and after setting up camp on the bank, he explored with his boat for holes while I caught Gold Eyes for cutbait. I caught about 20 in 20 minutes and figured that would last us a couple days.WRONG! We ran out before morning. The cats kept debaiting us and we had to rebait so often we became master baiters. After the first hour that evening, the rules were that 10 pounds and under weren,t landed, just unhooked by the side of the boat. 13 pounds and under didn't get their pictures taken. One of our doubles was my 16 pounder and my son's 19 pounder. The following two nights weren't as furious but we caught enough to have fun. I had one grab my bait and head downstream. I was using 50# power pro and I couldn't turn him. I tightened the drag too much and the line snapped. I had erlier caught a 17# and this one made that one feel like bait. I'd like to tell you how many we caught, but there were flurries when we lost track of how many were caught in the last hour.

Things I learned about the Red:

1: bring rubber boots and have a pressure washer at home. All our stuff got spread on the lawn and de-mudded at home.

2: Bring trash bags. We took a while every day to pick up trash and the next day, fishermen would have it cluttered again. One guy came to talk to us in our camp and when he finished his beer, he threw the bottle into the weeds, even though he was standing beside three partly filled trash bags. I 'gently' told him that you didn't do that in my camp. There were enough car parts along the river that with three days of gathering, we could have built a car.

3: Bring a stronger landing net.

4:Leave the cheapo reels and line at home, and check your line often for bad spots.

5: Keep your fingers out of channel cats' mouths.

6: Circle hooks are hard to get out of your leg.

All in all, it was a fun trip,but one of the small local establishments sold us some snacks and when it didn't taste right I checked the freshness date and it said'July 03'. Next time, we bring all our food from home.

We're already planning our next outing.

[hanson]

Isn't that freakin' fun?

Thats what fishing is all about!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Awesome. I think we all need to see some pictures

[DTro]

Every time I read a post like this I just want to hook up the boat and take off.

Way to go Bob, sounds like a blast!

[fiskyknut]

Bob, glad you had a good trip. I warned you about that mud!

fiskyknut

[rushing]

I'm not much of a channel guy on the minnesota river but I bet I would have a blast with them up there. Sounds like a awesome trip bob!