Every so often, in the late spring or early summer, when the Red River is high, I have found some very hungry channel catfish where the floodway dumps in. These cats have been hungry enough to chomp down on fur and feathers. Our recent June rains got me thinking about this and wading into the floodway.
To be honest, slick rocks and fairly deep water makes me wary of wading too far from shore. Throw in steep banks and nearby fellow anglers, and back casts become problematic. So spey casting was the order of the day.
A bright-coloured fly with lead eyes got tossed to the edge of the main current, and stripped back along the bottom. A sink tip on the end of the line helped get it down to the strike zone.
Several cats obliged me. They all felt like submarines on the fly rod. A couple even broke off. Sometimes, just before they dove deep, I saw their giant tail waving at the surface. It got my adrenaline going as much as any jumping trout.
Besides channel cats, there is also a chance at hooking a nice drum or fat carp. Fly fishing opportunities can be closer to home than you think…
