Just started catfishing the Red again after a few years off. Boat is too expensive again so back to the river I go.

Started using Cut up Suckers for bait, lots of action but lots of misses, using circle hooks, and regular hooks. Not sure what I am doing wrong cuz I usually dont miss this much. What other bait have people been using. Back when I was young it was frogs and night crawlers for the small fish. Looking for some bigger fish and some good action all in one. THANKS FOR ANY TIPS..... Fishing around Moorhead MN and Perley MN. THANKS

Dump the circle hooks as I can only say they're better at catching fishermen than fish! Get yourself some Kahle hooks. Try some fresh cut up Goldeyes and/or frogs. Frogs will just get better and better as the season moves along, and they also get them big fish!!

More action and bigger fish? Go fish the stretch N of Drayton.

Regards....fiskyknut

Locally, fishin's really good right now. Cutbait and frogs per Fisky's suggestion and you'll do just fine. As far as missing fish, them's the breaks sometimes! One night you'll miss 60% of the bites, the next night you'll catch 90% of the bites. That's fishin'...

Dragon, do you fish the ND or MN side up by Perley? On the ND side there is a creek/drainage ditch that runs into the river a couple miles north of the Perley road. I know that back in the day we caught some nice fish there. I kind of forgot about that spot until you brought up the Perley area. I may have to make a run up there and give it a try. Good luck and of you head up that way let me know how you do.

To target ><,sUMo,> kitty's from now tell late September I recommend you try whole Goldeye heads fresh, rigged with a #7 or #8 Gamakatsu circle hook. These hooks are just as effective barb less, and I recommend fishing them in that manner.

Main channel, head of the holes on bends, near dead falls or well established snags. Channel side of the snag will yield the biggest kitty's on average.

I use both Gamakatsu circle hooks and octopus hooks. I like to use a little bigger circle hook, like a #10 Gamakatsu...reason being, it has a bigger gap between the tip of the barb and shaft of the hook. I think it makes it easier for the hook to loop around the really fat mouths that some of those huge fish have.

Also another positive about using a bigger circle hook for me is the fact that I can get a very large piece of bait on the hook and still have room for the lip. It's not a huge deal when fishing with a "softer" bait, but the head of a Goldeye is pretty solid "to me", and I think it just helps a little.

When I use Goldeye heads, I run the hook right up through the bottom of the jaw or lip and out a nostril. You don't need much of the bait actually on the hook that way, and it'll be alright.

Another thing is to make sure you are leaving enough hook showing from the bait so that it won't affect your hook set when using "normal" hooks. Just make sure the bait won't get pulled off too easily and let her rip.

Those are my pointers for "hooking/catching" a few more fish. I hope it helps you out. Good luck...

Awsome guys and gals, That helps a lot... Huntnfish, I know exactly where you are talking about, never actually fished there though. Use to fish about a mile or so north of the perley road on the MN side and it was awsome. However over the years the erosion has made it about a 15 ft drop off making it impossible to fish. THANKS for all the help

Anyone use fresh shrimp, and if so where the heck do you find it.

Also I assume you just catch the goldeye with crawlers and cut em up !!!

When using shrimp I just buy the frozen shrimp at cashwise. I think it cost about 5-7 dollars a bag. I have not had very good luck with shrimp this year.

Thats because you havnt used any shrimp this year.LOL.Because im the one that always buys the bait.

lol

I can see you two eating the shrimp before you get to the river!!!

I'll bring the cocktail sauce for the shrimp.

I have been cutting up large suckers for bait which has been pretty good. Was wondering if the small suckers 3-4 inchers can be cut up as well or should they just be used as is, Hook through the back ? Tail ? ect. THANKS for all the help... Got rained out last night so will have to wait to get back out again til next week.

Yep, smaller ones work just fine too. I'll usually belly slit them if I use them. Still, I prefer larger ones cut up.

I'll clue ya in on another semi-secret bait for big cats. It's water dogs...AKA the gilled stage of the Tiger Salamander...AKA Mud Puppy's.

Mid summer and into fall big cats SMASH them, they love them when the stumble across one. Big walleye do too, especially in rivers. Deep water Lindy rigging water dogs catch many wall hanger eyes every year, but they just don't get the press.



I'm working on getting them in at our local Fargo GM Bait shop. They may be in this week, by Saturday? They should run about what a frog would for cost.

the only way i'v found to get the big cats to bite is to use goldeye and cut them into 2" stakes with a circle hook they hit them and won't let go. going tonight to see if i can hit some big kitties north of kragness. i'v always been told big fish big bait been proven true many times.

So the 35 pounders only bite on goldeye then? How many more 25-35 pounders have you caught since the last time you caught all them?