Buffalo in MN

[mnfisherman]

Has anyone ever fished for smallmouth or bigmouth buffalo?

If so what rigs, baits, hooks=, etc are good for catching them?

I'm very interested in catching one. It sounds like a fun and interesting challange.

[Roughfisher]

Ah yes, another fisherman falls prey the the allure of the elusive Ictiobinae family.

Bigmouths are very large native suckers. They reach weights up to 80 pounds. They are the only sucker which does not feed on the bottom. They swim around, usually in groups, near the surface of the water or in the middle of the water column. They feed on plankton mostly, although they have been known to inhale small baitfish and insect larvae as well. Marshmallows, crawler-tipped floating jigheads, and floating trout paste-bait in shrimp flavor are good things to try for bigmouths; fish them suspended off the bottom with a weight about 2-3 feet back. You can also use flies; nymphs, wets, or micro-streamers would be good flies to use. Their mouths create enormous suction, so if you can get the fly or bait anywhere near their head it will get sucked in. Look for pods of bigmouth buffalo in rivers mostly, or in their attached backwaters. They cruise around just under the surface, creating a disturbance, and their white mouths are very visible from above. Some lakes in Western Minnesota are crammed full of bigmouths as well. But they are not easy to catch, even when sighted, so be persistant and make accurate casts to sighted fish.

Smallmouth buffalo are more typical suckers in that they feed mostly on the bottom. Crawler chunks or sweetened doughballs are good baits to try. Smallmouth buffalo prefer more current, so look for them in eddies and current breaks in large or medium-sized, clean rivers.

Hope this helps!

Corey

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 03-06-2004).]

[Lunker]

I caught two(smallmouthbuff) out of the mississippi last winter. Fishing a warm water discharge above the ford dam. Discharge was full of carp, surprised to catch those, but I often see them in with the carp there. Caught on corn on the bottom.

[Doop]

Hey Roughfisher,

Would you be willing to share a few of the lakes that you know of that have bigmouth buffalo in them?

I have been looking for lakes that have them but no luck.

Thanks in advance!

[CornPirateKiller]

Doop,
Drop me an email and I'll pass on some info that I know of.

[email protected]

------------------
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (When all else fails, play dead)

[Roughfisher]

Buffalo Lake has buffalo in it, just go to Buffalo Bob's in downtown buffalo. They have a taxidermed bigmouth buffalo on the wall. Buffalo Bob will probably know where the buffalo are.

But seriously, besides Buffalo Lake, Bigmouth Buffalo are also in Long and Locke Lake near New Brighton, Pig's Eye Lake, George Watch Lake, Perkins Lake near Morris, the Laq Qui Parle and Big Stone Reservoirs, Upper and Lower Panasa lake near Calumet, the Bass Ponds near Bloomington, and Lake Byllesby. They can also be found in the backwaters of the St. Croix, Lower Mississippi, Minnesota, Crow, Cannon, and Pomme de Terre rivers.

[tie flyer]

Roughfisher, thanks for the Bigmouth info. I was wondering if they're native (I'm a hometeam guy) and now I know that.

My in-law told me about the Bigmouths feeding near the surface in the summer and I would really like to pursue them on a fly rod. You mentioned some wets/nymphs...anybody out there catch one on a fly?

Also, I think I lost a little sleep this weekend thinking about catching a 14+ lb. carp on a 7 wt. Do they feed by smell like catfish or do I have a chance with a fly rod? What about when they're spawning - do they feed then?

I'm not a snob, just an addict. I'll fish for anything...on a fly rod. Caught about a 6# Dogfish on a streamer once...watched him hit and run!

[Roughfisher]

Yep, carp will feed by sight. So will buffalo. Both use a combination of sight and smell for feeding; carp sometimes feed entirely by sight, especially when they are taking dry flies off the surface (Ephoron leukon mayfly hatches for instance).

[panolo]

About 5 years ago I caught a huge Buffalo fish in Deer lake by Buffalo. My scale only went to 25# and he pegged it. I had never seen one before and an old timer that was there called it a "Blue" Buffalo due to the coloring. Very fun on 6# line!