Fishing guide Brad Durick slides the net under a dandy Red River channel cat for a client.
Why We Catfish: A Guest Editorial
by Capt. Brad Durick
Being the net man has its perks.
Being given the opportunity to write this got me reflecting back on my catfishing career. I just finished my 15th year as a professional catfish guide, and I must say this has been an adventure for a farm kid from western North Dakota who really never fished until after college.
I once read an article about the five levels of an outdoorsman. Some anglers never move past some of the steps, and others will move through their outdoor lives as time passes by.
I remember the beginning of my catfishing life and that I could not be on the river enough. I had to have a line down at all times just to make sure I did not miss anything. I once thought I was good at catfishing, good enough to start a guide service. It was then that I realized that I really didn’t know much about catfish at all.
From there it became a mission to learn about the fish, and to catch more and bigger catfish with consistency. It was learning to make a good day a great day and a bad day pretty good. It was years of learning to understand the river, the fish and how to understand the adjustments they make to live. I had to learn to adapt technique to what the fish are doing and not to be a one trick pony as an angler.
That was many years ago. I am still trying to learn every day and keep my guests/friends excited about coming back to the Red River every year. I have many customers who have fished with me more than 10 times and one even into the 20s. Those days are always ones to look forward to as I very much enjoy fishing with friends and catching up on life with them.
I have also had the opportunity to see my son Braden grow up into a great catfish angler as well. It has always given me great joy in watching him reel in a fish and see that simple excitement of a kid catching a fish. It really made me proud when, at just 10 years old, he told me it was my turn to reel in a fish and he was going to be the net man.
As I reflect back on these highlights (and there are hundreds if not thousands), I see that my goals and expectations are different now. I still try to keep learning about catfish. I still want to tighten up why and how they do what they do to be even more successful. I don’t care if I catch a catfish that much any more as I would much rather be the net man and watch someone else experience the fight and rush of catching a big catfish. I would rather take the picture and help preserve the memory that will last forever to a kid or anyone for that matter.
One might say I have come full circle in fishing. I have the best job in the world and best office view in the Dakotas and that is why I catfish.
