North Dakota
Red River of the North at Fargo
Current River Rating
Excellent · 93
Conditions look favorable based on the available readings.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Medium confidence
Should I Go?
Go
Recommended Window
Saturday, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
Why
- Cloud cover is generally suitable for fishing.
- Air temperature is comfortable for fishing.
Favorable Factors
- Light to moderate wind should make casting and boat control easier.
- Recent precipitation has been light.
Timing Evidence
Window confidence: Medium
Current Readings
- Flow
- 178 CFS
- Gage Height
- 13.83 ft
- Water Temperature
- 75 °F
- Observation Time
- Sep 5, 2026, 7:15 AM
Updated recently · USGS station 05054000 · Direct monitoring location
Readings from past 7 Days
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Historical readings are provided for context. Readings outside the current freshness window are not used to rate current conditions.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Preliminary guidance only. Always assess current weather, access, water depth, current speed, and your own ability before entering the river.
Changing Conditions Advisory
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Weather Near Gauge
Current Weather
Overcast
Temperature
67°F
Feels like
69°F
Wind
6 mph SE
Wind gust
14 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 5, 2026, 3:15 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this gauge
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this river.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 4 AM
Overcast
Temp 66°F
Chance 13%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Sat 8 AM
Overcast
Temp 68°F
Chance 6%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 12 PM
Overcast
Temp 79°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Sat 4 PM
Clear
Temp 86°F
Chance 7%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 13 mph
Sat 8 PM
Clear
Temp 80°F
Chance 3%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 9 mph
Sun 12 AM
Heavy rain
Temp 74°F
Chance 10%
Precip 0.34 in
Wind 10 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Overcast
High 86°F / Low 66°F
Chance 15%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 25 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Heavy rain
High 86°F / Low 67°F
Chance 30%
Precip 0.44 in
Max gust 30 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Drizzle
High 87°F / Low 67°F
Chance 53%
Precip 0.05 in
Max gust 47 mph
Tue, Sep 8
Drizzle
High 86°F / Low 70°F
Chance 53%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 36 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this river's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence river flow, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, upstream reservoirs, and dam releases.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Historical Flow
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Fishing Overview
Red River of the North at Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota. Monitoring-Backed FLOW + TEMPERATURE from USGS (live 00010, 00060, 00065). USGS 05054000 Red River of the North at Fargo, ND is the bounded Fargo reach. Live 00010/00060/00065 verified 2026-08-30. Site type ST. Not a generic statewide Red River pin, not Grand Forks 05082500, and not a Minnesota duplicate. Bismarck Missouri 06342500 is not this river.
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Red River of the North.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
The Red River of the North at Fargo is North Dakota's flagship Monitoring-Backed catfish river on the bounded Fargo reach. StrikeTracks publishes FLOW + TEMPERATURE conditions from USGS 05054000 using live water temperature, discharge, and stage. NDGF treats this as a channel-catfish fishery with walleye and northern pike also present. This is not Grand Forks, not a Minnesota State-filter identity, and not a generic statewide Red River pin.
Target species
Channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Canonical species: Channel Catfish
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NDGF treats the Red River of the North as a primary channel-catfish fishery on the Fargo public reach.
Northern pike
Esox lucius
Canonical species: Northern Pike
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Northern pike occur on the Fargo Red River reach. Confirm current NDGF harvest rules.
Walleye
Sander vitreus
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Walleye occur on the Fargo Red River reach alongside the catfish fishery. Do not invent a Minnesota duplicate pin.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Natural flow
Large prairie border river at Fargo with public bank and boat access on the bounded USGS 05054000 reach. Distinct from the Grand Forks station 05082500 downstream and from Minnesota-side naming. Do not remap Bismarck Missouri 06342500 onto this identity.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public Fargo / Cass County bank and boat access on the bounded Red River reach. Confirm current NDGF access and city park rules before launching. This pin is Fargo, not Grand Forks.
Stocking information
NDGF manages the Red River as a wild warmwater catfish and mixed-game fishery. Do not invent a destination stocking calendar from tourism copy.
Official sources
North Dakota Game and Fish Department statewide inland fishing regulations apply. Confirm current NDGF harvest rules before fishing. Minnesota does not own this canonical identity.
Hatch Match
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Location and Access
USGS monitoring location
Cass, North Dakota
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
River Details
County
Cass
Management Category
warmwater-river
Regulation Scope
statewide-inland
Regulation Summary
NDGF statewide inland fishing regulations. Confirm current seasons, limits, and any Red River specials on gf.nd.gov before fishing.
Target Species
channel-catfish, walleye, northern-pike
Access, Parking, and Regulations
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