Reel Easy: The Best Shore Fishing Spots in Greater Grand Forks

If you watch any professional fishing on TV, it looks like an Esports event spawned with a boat dealership. $150,000 boats rigged with multiple big screens worth several thousand dollars each, side imaging, and forward-facing sonar are the norm. If you aren’t equipped like this, you just as well stay home, right? Wrong! Don’t own a boat?  No problem!  There are numerous shore fishing options available within a short drive, or in some cases a bike ride or walk. I’ll bet you a bag of Widman’s Chippers that most people don’t consider the Greater Grand Forks area as a great place to go fishing.  However, if you look closer, you will discover an abundance of opportunities for fishing right in your back yard.

The Red River of the North (Red River) originates at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and the Ottertail River near Wahpeton, ND/Breckenridge and flows north, ending in Lake Winnipeg. The Red River traverses some of the most fertile soils in the world, providing an environment that produces world class channel catfishing. While the waters of the Red River are extremely turbid, the fish population remains strong. There are over 22 species of fish in the Red River, including sauger, walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum, goldeye and carp. However, the most populous and sought after species is the channel catfish, which can grow to weights of over 30 pounds. For those looking for a lazy afternoon on the river, there are numerous trails and shore fishing locations throughout the greenway in the Greater Grand Forks area.

The Red Lake River originates from the western edge of Lower Red Lake on the Red Lake Indian Reservation and flows westerly, entering the Red River at East Grand Forks, MN. The Red Lake River contains a diverse fish population, including over 70 species. Although walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike dominate the upper reaches, the most sought-after species on the lower reaches of the Red Lake River include walleye, sauger, northern pike and of course, channel catfish. Similar to the Red River, there are easily accessible shore fishing locations from the greenway trail system or along the overflow channel on the east side of East Grand Forks.

When fishing these waters, be sure to familiarize yourself with the current laws and regulations. While it is best to go to the MN DNR site for Minnesota regulations and the ND DNR site for North Dakota, I can provide a few highlights:

• A MN license is needed to fish the Red Lake River as those waters are contained entirely within those state’s boundaries. It gets a little trickier on the Red River. If you are fishing from a boat, either a MN or a ND license is adequate. However, if you are fishing from shore, you must be licensed in the state you are fishing from.

If you are using live bait, it is important to note that you cannot transport most live bait across state lines. You must purchase any aquatic bait (minnows, leeches, amphibians, etc.) in the state which you intend to fish. This is to prevent aquatic nuisance species (ANS) from spreading. However, you can transport terrestrial bait such as nightcrawlers or wax worms.

The banks of the Red River and the Red Lake River can be extremely slippery. The soil types in the area are clay, silt and loam, which can be extremely slippery when wet.  It is very easy to lose your footing as you are walking along the shoreline or stepping into the water’s edge to land a fish. Be sure to wear proper footwear, preferably something waterproof with an aggressive sole. Even if you are a strong swimmer, the wet clay can act like industrial suction cups on your feet, making it extremely challenging to extract yourself to higher ground.  That is why it is always a good idea to have at least one other person with you in case you get stuck in the mud or accidentally fall in and need help getting out. Carrying a throwable floating device is a good idea, especially if the currents are strong and the water temps are colder. Life preservers are advisable for small children or weak swimmers. Make sure to have plenty of bug spray and treat your clothing with permethrin to keep ticks away. (insert links to products here)

You don’t need high-end, expensive fishing rods and reels to fish these rivers. It helps to have reliable equipment with a decent drag system in case you do hook into one of the monsters that lurk below the surface, but there are several affordable options that will meet these criteria. Fiberglass rods are perfect for catfishing and will do just fine with any other species you might encounter. A catfish rig is very simple – slip sinker, swivel and hook. Just thread a slip sinker through the main line, tie the mainline to the swivel, tie a leader of monofilament to the other end of the swivel and tie on a hook. I prefer a flat sinker as they perform better in the current, keeping your bait steady on the bottom and avoiding snags. I also prefer a circle hook. Originally designed for saltwater fishing, circle hooks have been adopted to freshwater applications, catfishing being a prime example. The primary advantage of a circle hook is that you can feed the fish as much as you want before setting the hook without being concerned about gut hooking. The circle hook works its way to the corner of the fish’s mouth, where it is easily extracted and does not hurt the fish. If you don’t want to mess around with a slip sinker rig, a jig will work just fine. You can tip the jig with a worm, minnow or a plastic tail and catch any variety of species, including catfish.

As mentioned above, worms, minnows and plastics will work to catch fish in the rivers. Since the water is extremely murky, it is best to use something that either produces vibration, gives off odor or both. “Catfisherman” can be a bit of a peculiar breed. Ask 10 different cat-heads what their favorite bait is, you will probably get 10 different answers. I had one friend tell me his favorite bait was to put uncooked shrimp in a glass jar filled with milk and let it sit out in the sun for 10 days. It might have worked well on catfish, but was equally effective in repelling his family, friends and the neighbor’s cat. In my experience, you don’t need to go to those extremes to be successful in landing a few fish. Cut sucker minnows, raw shrimp, or a gob of worms on a hook and they will all produce without chasing your loved ones into the adjacent county. Notice I said “cut” sucker minnows. Channel catfish prefer dead, or at least motionless, bait, so it is important to cut any live baitfish into chunks prior to placing them on your hook.

There are several great options in the Greater Grand Forks area to buy equipment and bait. Scheels and Runnings in Grand Forks or Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops in East Grand Forks carry a wide assortment of tackle, rods, reels and bait. Staff are friendly and eager to help answer any questions you have.

Fishing the rivers in town is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors locally. It’s a good way to get young children introduced to fishing and keep older ones out of trouble. Have fun, be safe and always follow the proper outdoor etiquette and Leave No Trace.