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Red River of the North Fishing Report

Updated Mon, Nov 9, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Red River of the North at Grand Forks: a turbid border river managed jointly by North Dakota and Minnesota, known for channel catfish over 30 pounds, with walleye, pike and sauger.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
3,540 cfs
Air / High
42 / 56 F
Wind
SSW 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05082500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Monday
9
November 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Red River of the North rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 3,540 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSW around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 56. Water sits around 51 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:12 PM-1:12 AM and 11:31 AM-1:31 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Northern pikeGood

The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

Smallmouth bassFair

Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Catfish (blue, channel)Fair

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 51 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Tue, Nov 10, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Before you go

North Dakota requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $29.00 for residents. What a North Dakota licence costs and where to buy it →

Chasing smallmouth bass here? Check the size and bag limits with NDGF before you keep anything. The season dates for North Dakota, read off the agency, are on the North Dakota seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings from RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT GRAND FORKS, ND.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05082500.

1,8482,6603,4733,540 cfs10/1010/2010/3011/09

Today’s flow against 144 years of November 9

At 3,540 cfs, the flow at USGS gauge 05082500 (RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT GRAND FORKS, ND) is at the 90th percentile for the date: above normal. In half of the 144 years of approved record the daily mean on November 9 was below 1,375 cfs; the highest was 17,400 cfs and the lowest 16 cfs.

p10 375median 1,375p90 3,460

Percentiles of the daily mean flow for this date, from the USGS Water Data Statistics API for gauge 05082500; today’s reading is the latest instantaneous value. Classes follow the ones the USGS used on its WaterWatch maps (retired at the end of 2025): below 10th, much below normal; 10th–24th, below; 25th–75th, normal; 76th–90th, above; over 90th, much above.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp42 F
High / Low56 / 40 F
WindSSW 5-9 mph
Pressure1009.0 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 1%
Sunrise / Sunset07:25 / 16:57
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (gauge)42 F USGS
Water temp (seasonal)~51 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Red River of the North this week

The best day on Red River of the North this week looks like Wednesday Nov 11, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Wednesday, Nov 11 — good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Nov 9 — Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
11:12 PM-1:12 AM and 11:31 AM-1:31 PM
Minor period
7:50 AM-8:50 AM
Sun
07:25 to 16:57
Moon
New Moon, 0% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 14 mph
Rain chance
1%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Red River of the North: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: cool water, from ice-out through spring, in fall and under the ice

A long, duck-billed predator of weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters that ambushes fish from vegetation. Wisconsin DNR points out that, unlike most of the state's common game fish, pike do their best feeding in cool water. The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

When to come: the Red River of the North calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Catfish (blue, channel)
Northern pike
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 51 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~51 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Red River of the North today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Sun, Nov 8

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 52 F, wind to 14 mph.

Sat, Nov 7

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 57 F, wind to 17 mph.

Fri, Nov 6

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 39 F, wind to 15 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

North Dakota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

A valid North Dakota or Minnesota license lets you fish the Red River between the banks and from the shore of the state that issued it (North Dakota 2026–28 proclamation). On the water or ice, follow the rules of your licensing state. Channel catfish: 5 a day and in possession, only 1 over 24 inches, regardless of how many licenses you hold. No lake sturgeon harvest.

Access

Grand Forks: Lincoln Park and Whopper John Little Ramp (boat and shore), Central and Riverside parks (shore). East Grand Forks: LaFave Park. The MN DNR/ND Game and Fish brochure lists 34 sites from Breckenridge to Pembina.

About this water

The Red River of the North at Grand Forks, a north-flowing border river between North Dakota and Minnesota, Grand Forks County, North Dakota.

Fishing Red River of the North: the full guide

A shared border river

The Red River runs north along the North Dakota–Minnesota line toward Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Minnesota DNR and North Dakota Game and Fish manage it together and aim to keep the rules consistent. Their joint brochure describes a turbid, muddy river whose water quality is nonetheless high, with more than 70 fish species, nearly all self-sustaining without stocking.

Channel catfish

The agencies call the river from Fargo–Moorhead north to Lake Winnipeg prime catfish territory. Red River channel catfish grow slowly and live long (24-year-old fish have been found), reach more than 30 pounds, and on average get bigger as you move downstream. To protect those fish, both states limit anglers to 5 channel catfish a day, only 1 of them longer than 24 inches.

Walleye, pike, sauger and sturgeon

The brochure reports walleye up to 13 pounds and northern pike up to 45 inches. Sauger are particularly abundant downstream from Grand Forks and grow to about 16 inches. Smallmouth bass over 4 pounds live between Breckenridge–Wahpeton and Grand Forks. Lake sturgeon have been restocked by Minnesota since 1997; they may not be kept, and tagged fish should be reported with the tag number.

Grand Forks access

Public sites at Grand Forks include Lincoln Park (Belmont Road and Lincoln Drive) and the Whopper John Little Ramp at North Forks Landing, both with boat access, plus shore fishing at Central Park and Riverside Park. Across the river, LaFave Park in East Grand Forks has shore and boat access. USGS gauge 05082500, Red River of the North at Grand Forks, reports flow and stage in real time. Zebra mussels are established in the river: clean, drain and dry before leaving.

Common questions

Which license do I need?

Either a North Dakota or a Minnesota license. With it you can fish anywhere between the banks and from the shore of the state that issued it, under the shared boundary-waters rule.

How big are the catfish?

The agencies' brochure reports Red River channel catfish over 30 pounds and fish as old as 24 years. Only one fish over 24 inches may be kept per day.

Are lake sturgeon in the river?

Yes, after Minnesota's restocking program that began in 1997. Harvest is not allowed: release them immediately and report any tag number.

Is fishing good at Red River of the North right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Lake Ashtabula74 miSheyenne River88 miDevils Lake91 miJamestown Reservoir100 miLake Bemidji105 miPipestem Reservoir105 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

River and reservoir readings
USGS 05082500 — RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT GRAND FORKS, ND
Read from the USGS Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov). Latest value timestamped 2026-11-09 at 11:45 UTC.
Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 47.9269, -97.0289 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.