Mayhem Continues at Lockport!

[Catmendo]

The action remains fast and furious for big channels here on the lower Red River. In fact it could best be disribed at times as total "MAYHEM"!
Quality bait is important if one is going to enjoy a lot of success and catch a lot of big cats. The bait of choice at this time is "FRESH" caught goldeyes which are readily
available directly below the dam or for that matter were catching plenty of goldeyes off my docks at the resort.
A group from south central wI.who recently finished their annual week on the Red had fantastic results. One boat (party of three) finished up with a grand total of 198 channel cats. The average weight was 18#'s with the largest tipping the scales at 27#'s. Over all this group of three caught and released over "3,500 #'s of channel cat in the week that they were here.
Small wonder why this portion of the Red River has become world renowned and is rightfully named the Channel cat MECCA of the planet!
Fish "Hard" Forever!

Stu McKay

[Walleye_GFA]

I fished the Red out of Drayton, fantastic... worth the drive just...

Wally

[fiskyknut]

Walleye-GFA
I fished near Drayton yesterday evening and we also had most excellent fishing. Good bite going on the Roseau river these days also.

I love that muddy water....NW MN you're my home!

Fisky

[Guest]

Great to hear Stu, did Richard and his crew do well. Was that the group you mentioned?

In my opinion that bite in Drayton should cool off fast, and soon. The spawn is getting close to there now. Enjoy the bite there while it lasts guys. Man it died here, they are into the spawn hard now.

[Catmendo]

Hey Ed,
Yes indeed it was Richard's group who enjoyed all that success!

I have to agree with those boys who were fishing Draton, great place to catch cats as is case with the entire Red River both north and south.
The only thing that differs along the entire Red is the fact that the further north you travel the "larger" the fish become.
Case in point, right here in Lockport cats that are being caught below the dam on the (lower Red) average in the 18 - 20# range. A thirty pound cat is possible on any given day and there are plenty of mid twenties daily! Cats caught "directly" above the dam average in the 8 - 10# range. These little guys are a blast to catch but there are no where in the league of their big brothers and sisters who hangout down river! Don't get me wrong I love to fish the high side, in fact chasing old whiskers around inside the perimeter of the city of Winnipeg is always entertaining. Once again, smaller fish, but they still come out into the back alley ready to scrap!
To me it makes "no" difference where I catfish, I've caught them as far south as LA. and Tenn. and I've always enjoyed the experience and for that matter always will!
The opportunity hasn't presented itself "yet"
because of business commitments, but somewhere in the not to distant future I'd like to put together a party and head for the Amazon! This has been on my back burner for many, many years. In fact long before others even mentioned Amazonia catfish I've wanted to make the trek. It will happen in the not to distant future and no doubt it could be the trip of a lifetime!

Fish "Hard" Forever!

Stu McKay

[fiskyknut]

Funny, I posted a tidbit regarding larger fish as you go further north last summer and got flack for it, glad you are'nt. Catfishing in Amazonia eh, thats right at the top of my dream trip list for sure, wanna hit India and fish for giant Masheer too!

fiskyknut

[Guest]

Fiskyknut

As Stu said, "It's all good".

There are big Kitty's all over the Red and it's tribs, Yup-Yup...for sure. For numbers the lower Red is "the" place, for sure.

Partly because of the dams, largely because of forage, and substantially maintained through conservation regulations. The whole system is a jem.

Some better here, and then there, then here again. The system ebbs and flows.......just like a river.

[fiskyknut]

Ya whatever Ed! Fact is, as I mentioned last year, and Stu mentions here, and as the DNR has published, they do indeed get bigger on average as you go north.