Welcome Aboard

Welcome to Brad Durick Outdoors, Your home for catfishing Red River. I am glad you could come aboard. With my love of the outdoors and fishing the Mighty Red River in particular, this web site and Red River Fishing Guide Service have been a long time coming. Take a gander though and see some of my accomplishments and learn why fishing the Red River is the best place to truly have a trip of a lifetime and why fishing with Captain Brad makes it that much better.

"The Red River of the North is the best channel cat fishery in the United States." Don Sweet, host of Catfishing America

"An undiscovered world class fishery right in North Dakota." Jason Mitchell, host of Jason Mitchell Outdoors

Check out this new video from the Mighty Red River.

Brad Durick Outdoors Promotional Video

NEW AT BRAD DURICK OUTDOORS: RED RIVER NATURE TOURS (Click Here for more information)

Current Reports

August 2, 2008- The Red River at Grand Forks is up about a foot after a heavy rain last week. This new drink of fresh water is really getting the catfish moving. The fish are now activly feeding along the break lines and troughs in the faster current. They have the feed bags on and are thinking of only one thing. EATING. Cut suckers have been the bait of choice with goldeye and frog being nearly useless right now. smaller fish but large numbers are coming in shallow water and the hawgs are moving in the deeper fast water.

Congratulations to Corey McGillis from MayVille, ND for landing a 25 pound channel cat on his very first catfish trip. I'm sure it is a Fathers Day present he will never forget. The photo is in the photo gallery. Click here

July 28, 2008- Sorry for the lack of current reports over the past couple weeks. The past few days I had the pleasure of fishing with Don and Victoria Sweet from Catfishing Amercia TV. They made a return trip to Grand Forks and took their first stab at the Drayton stretch of the river. We had awesome fishing the entire time and eventually found a pattern where these catfish pros had an opportunity to sit back and enjoy kicking some catfish butt.

The pattern in the Grand Forks stretch of river is to find some faster moving water and you will find fish. Cut sucker is the hands down bait of choice. Bigger fish are simply coming from the fast water most notably from right in the nasiest wood you can find.

The Drayton stretch of the Red River is really throwing out big catfish and tons of them. These fish are in mid-channel holes or in the faster water waiting for food. The best way to catch them is drive the river and pay attention to the electronics. When you find the hole and mark big fish in it anchor up and get some bait in the hole. The best baits at Drayton are chunks of big suckers (9-11") or fresh cut goldeye. The bite is really great right now so take good advantage.

This weekend is Cats Incredible in East Grand Forks. Good Luck to all anglers.

Until next week keep on Reelin on the Red

For more Red River Fishing Reports

July 11, 2008- It is amazing what only a few days can do in nature. The last report was that the fish were showing signs of spawn and not very aggressive causing us to work hard to stay on them. The bigger fish are still a bit on the slow side but fish numbers as a whole are really taking off. At Grand Forks we have been fishing troughs and cuts near wood in the early morning and evening. During the day the fish are hanging deep in the snags and need to be brought out. Keep the bait fresh all the time of best results.

The Drayton stretch of the Red River is really throwing out big catfish. These fish are in mid-channel holes and ready to bite. The best way to catch them is drive the river and pay attention to the electronics. When you find the hole and mark big fish in it anchor up and get some bait in the hole. If the fish wants to bite he will be on withing only a few minutes. Be prepared sometimes they hit before the bottom.

Until next week keep on Reelin on the Red

July 4, 2008- We are definetly in the spawn period here in Grand Forks. The fish are showing all the signs. The past couple days have shown very encouraging signs of an unbelievable bite just around the corner. There is no shortage of numbers but the size leaves a bit to be desired. By that I mean we are catching big fish just not the numbers of them we would like to see. The patterns have been tight in the wood and I mean lose many hooks tight but it is working well with cut suckers as bait. There have been signs of shifting to goldeye so make sure to keep one out there all the time. Larger fish are showing up on the faster breaks and troughs near snags.

Today when my customers and I were getting ready to call it a night we saw lots of big catfish start surface feeding. That is a sure sign of great things to come in the near future.

We still have a few July evenings and one weekend available for guide trips so book your adventure today and make a memory that will last a lifetime.

Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.

June 25, 2008- After a couple weeks of higher than normal water the Mighty Red is looking awesome. River levels and currents are about as perfect as can be right now making boat movement and fishing quite simple. Fish are showing signs of the spawn season as can be expected this time of year. Fishing on the shallow shelves near deeper water or wood has been the answer.

If water levels don't fall to fast we are in for a great mid-summer run. Warmer temps might be shifting the cats to more of a night bite also.

We still have a few prime July dates available for guide trips so book your adventure today and make a memory that will last a lifetime.

Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.

June 13, 2008- The Red River has taken on some water this past week with heavy rains from the south. As of now the river levels are at 23 feet and are expected to rise to 27 feet next week before falling. If you must go out exercise caution and be careful not to get hit by floating debris.

I have canceled all guide trips until July 3rd for the safety of my customers. We will be ready to rock after that barring any more heavy rains. Get your trips booked now, cats are always hungry after a flood event.

Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.

June 4, 2008- The catfishing has slowed since my last report. I have a feeling the spawn is beginning a bit early this year. I have no proof of that assumption but all aspects of the bite point to it.

There are still catfish got be caught on the river. They are hanging out in the troughs and faster water near the snags. Sucker was still working well this past weekend with some stink baits producing well to catch numbers of fish. Larger fish are found on that outside edge of the snags as well. Now is the time to catch goldeyes. They are really biting well and we all know they will be the bait of choice before long.

Congratulations to Tom Goetle from Vandais Heights, MN on catching a 29.5 inche walleye.

Until the next report I'll just keep on Reelin on the Red.

May 24, 2008- The catfish bite on the Red River has slowed a bit but that only means that it is normal now. Cooler temps mixed with falling water this week has slowed that catfish a bit. The bite has shifted to the shallow snags or snags near faster water. The fish are feeding aggressively but they need more of an invitation than they did last week. Some rain has fallen today so I look for a rise of a couple inches which should spur the cats into a feeding frenzy before we head into the spawn. Cut sucker is the bait of choice but be ready to change over to goldeye. The fish have been spotted feeding on surfacing goldeye so the bait preference could change with no advance notice. If you are on a bite for a while and it slows just make small moves, the fish won't be to far away and you will be right back on them.

I would like to congratulate Michel Muniz for catching this 39-inch, nearly 26-pound Red River channel cat. It is the largest fish boated by a client to date.

Michel Muniz- 26 pound Red River catfish

A few prime pre-spawn dates are still available, book your trip now and experience this for yourself.

May 17, 2008- I have been guiding for the last three days and so far have had a lot of clients with sore cheeks from smiling so much. We have been on a bite like I have never seen before. Many numbers of fish, most in the 10-13 pound range with bigger fish in the mix. They seem to have been coming in waves. Each of the trips we had at least one triple and at one point we had fish on five our six rods. On that one even the guide got to reel in a fish because we were simply out of hands.

The fish are really on fire right now. They are staying in the faster water. Seems faster is better. Cut sucker is the bait of choice hands down. If you are on a bite for a while and it slows just make small moves, the fish won't be to far away and you will be right back on them.

May 12, 2008- Red River Mayhem is all you can call it. The fish are biting fast and furious in the fast water or snags near the fast water. This past weekend I fished with my friends Jon and Nick. There was no fishing, it was all catching. Many fish in the 10-17 pound range. The best is yet to come folks.

A few weekend dates remain for the amazing pre-spawn bite. Book your trip today so you can make a memory for yourself.

About Captain Brad

I am a United States Coast Guard licensed captain who also has all of the required licenses and insurance to operate on the Red River of the North. Besides possessing all of the required credentials he has a North Dakota Safe Boaters Certificate to make sure you know he is a capable boat operator and guide.

"I grew up on a farm in Western North Dakota. My family fished little or none which means fishing was not a way of life for me. Upon may graduation from the University of North Dakota I went fishing with some friends and caught my first fish. From that point I was hooked so to speak. I began watching fishing shows on television, reading every book or magazine I could get my hands on. Along the way learning to fish I met Red River Fishing Guide, Captain Kent Hollands who took me under his wing and tought me the finer points of fishing the giant channel cats of the Red River. After a couple of years fishing with Kent I learned to fish the lower Red River in Lockport, Manitoba. Even though it is still the same river the ways of catching catfish are different. Combining all of this knowledge into daily practice helps make catching these amazing fish more rewarding."

"I've been featured in televisions shows such as Catfishing America and Fishing the Wildside. I've also been featured or published in numerous magazines and newspapers. You can see the full list on my appearances page."

"Besides being a Red River fishing guide, I am the founder of Why-Fish.com and the host of the Why Fish Radio podcast. Why Fish is dedicated to the purity of fishing at the most basic level. In today's society people tend to think you have to spend big money to enjoy fishing and that is simply not true. You can enjoy fishing whether you have a stick and some string or a fancy new boat. This purity is part of the experience you get when you fish with me here at Brad Durick Outdoors."

"I really do mean it when I say that I strive to catch memories one hookset at a time."

About the Red River

The Red River of the North is a 545 mile long river that runs along the Minnesota/North Dakota border from Wahpeton/Breckenridge into Manitoba, Canada and eventually draining into the massive Lake Winnipeg. Along its way it passes through many cities and towns providing water, beautiful scenery, and stellar fishing along the way. Some of the major cities it passes through are Breckenridge, Moorhead, and East Grand Forks, MN and Wahpeton, Fargo, and Grand Forks, ND.

The Red River is home to over 70 species of fish, most notably the channel catfish. Catfishing enthusiasts travel to the Red River from all over the United States for a shot at the famous Red River monster catfish. It is said that the catfish grow so big because of the short growing season that allows them to live a long time and get big but it also has to do with a ready food supply and stringent protective regulations to help protect the larger catfish from over harvest. The Red River is one of the only places on the continent that provides you the opportunity to possibly catch a 20+ pound channel with every hookset.

There truly is no other channel catfish experience quite like a trip on The Red River of the North.

Why should you hire a Red River Catfish Guide

Different people hire fishing guides for many different reasons. Some of the reasons why you might want to hire a Red River catfish fishing guide are because you are new to catfishing and want to learn the basics of catching catfish and the gear required to successfully catch cats on your own. Another reason is you are not from the area and you want to experience some of the greatest channel catfishing in North America. By hiring a guide you don't have to have any boats, gear, or bait. All you have to do is simply show up and catch Red River catfish. The last and probably the most important reason why you would hire a Red River fishing guide is because you want to experience the Red River to the fullest by fishing with a guide who knows the river like his own back yard. A guide who is up on the current patterns and baits that will help put more and bigger fish in the boat.

When you hire Captain Brad as your Red River catfish guide you can be assured that you will get the best catfishing experience on the Red River of the North.