It's like the Battle of the Bands! Which is best, Red River catfish expeditions in the Red-River-of-the-North or ones in the Red-River-of-the-South? You really need to decide before leaving home, because one waterway is as far north as you can go in the United States and the other as far south.
The Red-River-of-the-North runs along the border of Minnesota and North Dakota and on into Manitoba, Canada. It's 545 miles long and eventually reaches Lake Winnipeg. It runs through the RR Valley of the romantic cowboy lament, which is really the ancient bed of a lake formed eons ago by glaciers.
It might surprise some that locals claim this northern region has 'the best catfishing on the planet'. Catfish somehow seem a part of the sleepy South, but the colder northern waters are home to channel cats that grow into monsters. That this isn't just unfounded bragging is shown by the photo galleries that accompany sites posted by fishing guide outfits. It's plain to see that a prize Red-River cat is more than an armful.
There are guided trips that take you out to where the monster channel cats lurk along the bottom. On a good day, you can hook as many twenty-pound-plus cats as you can handle. Guides can also be engaged for a half or full day to show individuals or groups to the best fishing spots. Check out the photo galleries to see happy fishermen and women holding their catch, which is always more than an armful.
Then there is the Red-River-of-the-South, which originates in the Texas Panhandle as two more or less parallel forks. This long waterway (1360 miles) meanders along part of the Texas and Oklahoma border and on into Arkansas and Louisiana. It's home to several species of cats, including channel cats, blues, and flatheads. There are rumors that a new species has been identified at the end of the river-course.
Deep in the murky depths of the southern Red, channel cats grow to monster size, too. The current record for a channel is 58 pounds, for a flathead over 100, and for a blue 124. There are many legal ways to catch these fish. You can use a rod and reel with worms, minnows, or chicken livers. You can use your bare hands in the method called 'noodling', which involves blindly searching in holes along the bottom, in sunken hollow logs, or under rock outcroppings.
More leisurely ways include jug-fishing, which means baiting lines suspended from floating empty plastic bottles. Slat-trapping uses baited traps that fish can enter but not leave. There's also snagging and trot-lining. These methods are used by those who are looking more for food than sport. Of course, a quiet day on the riverbank has its own attractions.
Whichever way you go, north or south, there are lots of fish. There's also wealth of fascinating history, many rural towns and larger cities, and a whole lot of scenery. Avid fisher-folk will love catching these large, tasty fish, while the whole family will find entertainment either on or off the water. Even if you don't get a record fish, you'll have a lot of fun and take home great memories of one or both of these great regions.
The Red-River-of-the-North runs along the border of Minnesota and North Dakota and on into Manitoba, Canada. It's 545 miles long and eventually reaches Lake Winnipeg. It runs through the RR Valley of the romantic cowboy lament, which is really the ancient bed of a lake formed eons ago by glaciers.
It might surprise some that locals claim this northern region has 'the best catfishing on the planet'. Catfish somehow seem a part of the sleepy South, but the colder northern waters are home to channel cats that grow into monsters. That this isn't just unfounded bragging is shown by the photo galleries that accompany sites posted by fishing guide outfits. It's plain to see that a prize Red-River cat is more than an armful.
There are guided trips that take you out to where the monster channel cats lurk along the bottom. On a good day, you can hook as many twenty-pound-plus cats as you can handle. Guides can also be engaged for a half or full day to show individuals or groups to the best fishing spots. Check out the photo galleries to see happy fishermen and women holding their catch, which is always more than an armful.
Then there is the Red-River-of-the-South, which originates in the Texas Panhandle as two more or less parallel forks. This long waterway (1360 miles) meanders along part of the Texas and Oklahoma border and on into Arkansas and Louisiana. It's home to several species of cats, including channel cats, blues, and flatheads. There are rumors that a new species has been identified at the end of the river-course.
Deep in the murky depths of the southern Red, channel cats grow to monster size, too. The current record for a channel is 58 pounds, for a flathead over 100, and for a blue 124. There are many legal ways to catch these fish. You can use a rod and reel with worms, minnows, or chicken livers. You can use your bare hands in the method called 'noodling', which involves blindly searching in holes along the bottom, in sunken hollow logs, or under rock outcroppings.
More leisurely ways include jug-fishing, which means baiting lines suspended from floating empty plastic bottles. Slat-trapping uses baited traps that fish can enter but not leave. There's also snagging and trot-lining. These methods are used by those who are looking more for food than sport. Of course, a quiet day on the riverbank has its own attractions.
Whichever way you go, north or south, there are lots of fish. There's also wealth of fascinating history, many rural towns and larger cities, and a whole lot of scenery. Avid fisher-folk will love catching these large, tasty fish, while the whole family will find entertainment either on or off the water. Even if you don't get a record fish, you'll have a lot of fun and take home great memories of one or both of these great regions.
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