Smallmouth Buffalo

In clear water, match the bottom with olive/brown flies, while muddy or stained water calls for bright colors like pink, orange, or chartreuse.

Target during non-spawning periods, particularly late summer through fall. During spawning periods (typically April through early June), avoid targeting these fish to allow successful reproduction.

Sight fishing in shallow water during midday. For fly fishing, present flies quietly in the fish's feeding path, allowing them to see it in their sightline, then give just a slight wiggle to attract attention. For conventional tackle, bottom fishing techniques work well, as do drift fishing and still fishing methods.

Their diet consists primarily of detritus, zooplankton, insect larvae, mollusk larvae, small crustaceans, algae, and various invertebrates, making them opportunistic bottom feeders.

They prefer clear to moderate waters with dense aquatic vegetation and silty bottoms, thriving in Kansas reservoirs, lakes, and larger rivers. Found throughout Kansas waters including the Missouri River system.