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Bigmouth Buffalo

Bigmouth Buffalo

Bigmouth Buffalo are North America's largest sucker family member and one of the longest-lived freshwater fish, capable of living over 100 years with some specimens documented at 112+ years old.

Native to the Missouri River System in North Dakota, they're often mistaken for carp but are actually native suckers with no barbels or spines.

Scientific Name: Ictiobus cyprinellus

Physical Characteristics:
  • These remarkable fish have a brownish olive coloration with dusky fins, can reach over 4 feet and 80 pounds, and feature a unique terminal mouth reflecting their filter-feeding ecology.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • They inhabit large rivers, lakes, and sluggish backwater areas, tolerating high turbidity and low oxygen levels.
  • In North Dakota, they're found in the Missouri River drainage system.

Key Locations

  • Missouri River drainage system including Lake Sakakawea, the Upper Missouri River, and associated reservoirs.

Specific Spots

  • Target areas with pools, backwaters, marsh areas, and protected embayments.
  • Focus on areas with abundant vegetation and slower current velocities under 30 cm/s.
  • Focus on areas near slack water edges.

Bigmouth Buffalo FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Bigmouth Buffalo in North Dakota?

Heavily scented baits like bread or dough balls, cut bait, or small minnows. Flashy presentations and vibrating lures similar to kokanee salmon techniques.

What flies work for Bigmouth Buffalo in North Dakota?

Small nymph presentations, lightweight streamers with flashy marabou, or flies that mimic their microscopic food sources - dead drift these near slack water edges.

When is the best time to fish for Bigmouth Buffalo in North Dakota?

Late spring through early fall when water temperatures are optimal and they're actively feeding. Avoid fishing during spawning periods (April-June) when they're in shallow vegetated areas for reproduction.

How do you catch Bigmouth Buffalo in North Dakota?

For conventional tackle, try drift fishing or still fishing techniques. Flashy presentations and vibrating lures similar to kokanee salmon techniques can sometimes trigger strikes. Early morning and evening periods tend to be most productive.

What do Bigmouth Buffalo eat?

Unlike their relatives, Bigmouth Buffalo primarily feed by straining plankton from the water using fine gill rakers, consuming zooplankton (especially cladocerans and copepods), algae, chironomids, ostracods, and other small invertebrates. 90% of their diet is small crustaceans.

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