sk area residents about the Red River and you will likely hear a great deal about its propensity for flooding. Each spring, people wait anxiously as the river begins to rise. It isn’t until the word “crest” begins to join the conversation that people begin to relax. Unfortunately, for many up and down the river, this is the only perspective they know. The river is seen as an enemy to be vanquished, not a living entity with much to offer.
The Red River of the North is a 548.7 mile long river that runs along the Minnesota/North Dakota border from Wahpeton, ND/Breckenridge, MN into Manitoba, Canada and eventually draining into the massive Lake Winnipeg. For many people, the river is seen as an opportunity rather than an adversary. The mere mention of fishing and the Red River in the same sentence usually leads to a conversation about catfish. The whiskered bottom feeders have been synonymous with the river for many decades. Although some may have a negative impression of the fish, others appreciate it as the star of the show.
Brad Durick runs a fishing guide service in Grand Forks. Although a self-proclaimed “late bloomer” to the fishing scene, Durick is now one of the river’s biggest promoters. “The river is nationally known,” he said. “People come from all over the fish for catfish.” Durick tells the story of a conversation he had while attending his first sport show in Nebraska. An older gentleman said to Brad, “I don’t see the big deal about the Red River. I caught an 18 pounder once.” Durick’s response? “Did you just say you caught one once? I catch them once a day.”
Durick understands the bad rap the river often receives. “It has a bad reputation as being dirty and often makes the news for flooding/drowning issues,” he said. “It isn’t the killer it is made out to be.” The tremendous fishing opportunities are what make the river so special for people like Durick. “For most people, catching a 15-17 pound fish is an experience of a lifetime. I catch 5-7 of those a day,” he said. “That’s how lucky we are to live here.”
Durick isn’t the only person who makes his living sharing the wonders of the river with people from all over the country. Not many people who regularly fish in the Fargo/Moorhead area are unfamiliar with John Dickelman. The U.S. Coast Guard Captain runs a guide service out of Moorhead with his wife Kellie. “There is an abundant amount of fish in the river,” he said. “One can always catch them, mostly catfish and walleye.” Dickelman has been operating J&K Cats since 2008. Like Durick, he believes that many people in the area are unaware of the myriad of activities offered by the river. Of course, his first love will always be fishing. “Everyone should try it,” he said. “It is peaceful and quiet and the wildlife in town is fun to see.” Dickelman does caution people to be careful when using boats as the river is home to a significant amount of submerged debris.
Although catfish have the limelight when it comes to recreational fishing, the Red River is actually home to over 80 species of fish. It is the catfish, however, that attract people from all over the country. According to Durick, the Red River is the only place on the continent that provides the possibility of catching a 20+ pound channel catfish with every hook set.
Christine Laney is the executive director of River Keepers, a nonprofit membership-based organization responsible for advocating sustainable use of the Red River of the North, primarily in the Fargo-Moorhead area. “We work hand-in-hand with civic, corporate and political leaders, watershed groups, and the public at large to promote a renewed vision for the Red River,” she explained. Activities included in this mission include promoting river safety, monitoring water quality, encouraging and teaching a variety of recreational activities, participating in youth service-learning projects, managing cleanup events, and conducting fishing clinics.
Laney has worked in several different capacities since joining the organization in 1993. “A major portion of my job has been to educate people about the Red River through various events and outreach,” she said. Laney understands the significance of the river’s catfish. “The Red River of the North is the premier fishery for trophy channel catfish in North America,” she explained. “As the river flows north and gets bigger, so do the catfish.” According to Laney, twenty-pounders are common in the lower reaches, 25-pounders in the middle stretches, and even bigger fish are caught below the Lockport Dam just south of Lake Winnipeg.
One of the biggest advantages of fishing for catfish is that it is simple, requires minimal equipment, and can be done from the riverbank. It also provides local anglers with a quality location without having to travel to a nearby lake. Travis Dolence started fishing along the Red as a way to practice casting his fly rod. For Dolence, the main attraction of the Red is its proximity to home. “I can be to the river in ten minutes and can squeeze in an hour of fishing between work and family obligations,” he said.
Dolence believes people are beginning to perceive the Red River in a different light. “In the early settlement of the area, the river was absolutely central to the community. At some point, this focus moved away from the river,” he said. “However, I think the perception of the river is changing. I was recently running on the trail near the River and there was almost a traffic jam of bikers, walkers, and runners enjoying an evening by the river.”
Laney is also noticing a change. “The Red River of the North, after years of misuse, underutilization and not being understood is beginning to be appreciated for what it is, an important natural resource in our community,” she said. “In part because of River Keepers education and outreach programs, the Red has seen a multifold increase in canoeing, kayaking and fishing, and its riparian area is being utilized more often for bird watching, exercising, and picnicking.”
Although Laney likes the changes she is seeing in public perception, she still acknowledges the pervasive misconception that the river is “dirty.” “The Red River is cleaner than about 75% of the rivers in the United States,” she explained. “The color of the water is due to the Red River Valley’s clay soils which are made up of very small particles that stay suspended in the water column.”
More information about River Keepers can be found at www.riverkeepers.org. For those interested in learning more about guided fishing trips, visit Brad Durick Outdoors, LLC at www.redrivercatfish.com or J&K Cats at www.jkcats.com.
