How to use our fishing calendar
Planning your next fishing trip in Grand Forks, United States ? Today is a good day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...
- Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
- Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
- Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
- Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.
Fishing in Grand Forks, North Dakota centers on the Red River of the North, a nationally known trophy channel catfish and walleye fishery. Anglers also tap into nearby lakes and sloughs for pike, panfish and bass, making the Grand Forks area a versatile freshwater destination for shore, boat and ice anglers. read more...
Sun and Moon Times
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Nautical Twilight begins:Sunrise:
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Sunset:Nautical Twilight ends:
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Moonrise:
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Moon under:
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Visibility:19%
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Waning Crescent
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Distance to earth:365,126 kmProximity:95.3 %
Moon Phases for Grand Forks
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good Day
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minor Time:12:31 am - 02:31 am
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major Time:08:48 am - 10:48 am
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minor Time:05:05 pm - 07:05 pm
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major Time:09:07 pm - 11:07 pm
Current Fishing Weather
Wind Speed and Direction
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Wind Direction and Speed are one of the most important aspects for choosing a fishing spot. An offshore wind can help land-based anglers with longer casting distances, while an onshore wind will make kayak fishing safer. Often fish will also move to certain feeding areas depending on the wind direction. Check out the long term wind forecast at the charts below.
Fishing Barometer
Atmospheric Pressure:
Change since midnight:
Trend for next 6 hours:
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure affects fish activity. The best fishing can be had on a rising barometer and also the time just before it is falling. A steady barometer in the higher ranges can also mean good fishing. A falling or low barometer reading without much change is usually not a very good time for fishing.
UV Effect on Fishing
As a rule of thumb, the higher the UV index, the deeper fish will move. Shallow water fishing is best done at times with a low UV index. When the UV is high, stick to early mornings, late evenings and shaded areas. The effect is less noticable in deeper water, but often a higher UV index can produce good results in the deep.
7 Day Fishing Weather
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Fishing Overview Grand Forks
Grand Forks fishing is dominated by the Red River of the North, a broad, slow-moving border river that consistently produces trophy channel catfish along with solid walleye, pike and rough-fish action. From town access points to quiet bends north and south of the city, the system offers year-round opportunities, including some of the most reliable shore fishing in the Upper Midwest.
Seasonal patterns around Grand Forks are driven by water temperature and flows. In spring, as ice peels off and the river stabilizes, pre-spawn channel cats and walleyes push shallow onto flooded banks, current breaks and woody cover. This is prime time for shore anglers; focus on inside bends and slightly stained water with slower current. Summer brings stable levels and warm water: channel catfish spread along outside bends and deeper mid-river holes, while pike and walleye favor early and late low-light periods around riprap, bridge pilings and confluence edges. Fall cool-down concentrates fish again; cats and walleyes feed heavily on deeper edges, while pike set up near remaining green weed patches in adjacent backwaters. Winter anglers shift to nearby lakes, borrow pits and sloughs south and west of Grand Forks for ice fishing action on perch, crappie, bluegill and pike.
Habitat and key areas in the Grand Forks stretch of the Red River include long sweeping bends, mid-river holes, submerged timber and man-made current breaks like bridge abutments and riprap banks. Productive shore access often occurs where faster current slides past a slack-water pocket—ideal ambush lanes for both catfish and walleye. Look for:
- Outside bends with 15–25 feet of depth and visible current seams
- Downstream sides of bridge pilings and piers
- Submerged laydowns, stumps and cutbanks
- Tributary mouths and stormwater outflows after moderate rains
Techniques and rigs are straightforward but need to match current speed. For channel catfish, most local anglers rely on a 7–9 foot medium-heavy rod spooled with 30–50 lb braid, a sliding sinker rig and a short 12–18 inch leader of abrasion-resistant mono. Use enough no-roll or pyramid sinker to pin baits to the bottom without tumbling—often 1–4 ounces depending on flow. Cut sucker, goldeye and frogs are favored baits, with fresh cutbait typically outproducing frozen. Cast slightly upstream of the seam or structure and let the rig settle so your bait rests just where fast water meets slow.
Walleye tactics on the Red near Grand Forks lean on three approaches. In spring and fall, vertical jigging with 1/4–3/8 oz jigs tipped with a minnow or soft plastic works well around deeper edges and bridge holes. In lower flow, slowly drifting or slipping the current while keeping jigs tapping bottom is deadly. During stained-water conditions, many anglers switch to live-bait rigs or three-way sinker setups with a floating crankbait or spinner and crawler, worked just above bottom. Shore anglers can do well casting shallow-diving crankbaits and jigs into eddies at dusk and after dark.
Pike, panfish and rough fish add variety. Northern pike prowl flooded shorelines and back bays in spring; large spoons, spinnerbaits and suspending jerkbaits fished around visible cover are reliable. Carp, drum, goldeye and mooneye offer steady action on simple bottom rigs or small floats with worms and corn, especially for family outings. When anglers head to nearby lakes and ponds, classic bobber-and-jig or small tungsten ice jigs tipped with waxworms produce perch, crappie and bluegill through the ice and from shore in spring.
Tactical tips for Grand Forks anglers: pay attention to river level changes—rising water often pushes fish tight to new shoreline cover, while dropping water pulls them back to primary channels and holes. Carry a range of sinker sizes to adapt quickly, and use braided mainline to slice current and maintain bottom contact. Above all, move frequently: if a promising spot on the Red does not give up fish within 20–30 minutes, slide to the next bend, seam or logjam until you connect.
Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Grand Forks area
We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Grand Forks. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.
Red Lake River - 0.90491490035km , Grand Forks East Dam - 1.08022340937km , Riverside Dam - 1.97366246919km , Grand Forks Riverside Dam - 2.53118427526km , East Grandforks Dam - 3.20873824674km , English Coulee - 4.51013565304km , Cole Creek - 9.01792471462km , Elm Coulee - 11.05862231928km , Fresh Water Coulee - 14.27439868009km , Salt Water Coulee - 16.25828145288km , Grand Marais Creek - 16.78894771244km , Kelly Slough - 17.08634354857km , Kellys Slough Dam - 18.06139022379km , Salt Coulee - 22.25248208336km , Lunby Lake - 22.53806351032km , Stewart Lake - 23.85512190583km , Burnham Creek - 24.46622732406km , South Marais River - 24.68188314472km , Hazen Brook - 24.88204504126km , Buffalo Coulee - 27.24083253766km , Turtle River - 28.88815790092km , Red Lake River Dam - 35.54410926716km , Aunt Pollys Slough - 36.90188153434km , Sand Hill River - 38.66744137591km , Lake Ardoch Dam - 39.92146591563km , South Branch Snake River - 40.82752952491km , South Branch Turtle River - 41.20514308164km , North Branch Turtle River - 41.20514308164km , Upper Turtle River Number 9 Dam - 41.80378073703km , Goose Lake Swamp - 43.07584749477km , Gentilly River - 44.72935978905km , North Marais River - 45.18580250199km , Kripple Creek - 45.50784198248km , Nielsville Dam - 45.58421746285km , Minnesota Noname Number 3 Dam - 45.58421746285km , Black River - 46.33479827587km , Little Black River - 46.65768865471km , Minto Dam - 47.50689692962km , Wold Slough - 48.03378477481km , Little Goose River - 48.42879132392km
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