Bigmouth Buffalo
Bigmouth Buffalo are North America's largest member of the sucker family and one of the longest-lived freshwater fish, capable of living over 125 years. In Wisconsin, they're native to the state.
These remarkable fish are notoriously challenging to catch on traditional tackle, earning them the nickname 'the musky of southern Wisconsin streams' for their wariness and fighting ability.
Scientific Name: Ictiobus cyprinellus
- These remarkable fish can reach lengths exceeding 4 feet and weights up to 80 pounds, with a robust, laterally compressed body and distinctive large, terminal mouth unlike other suckers.
Fishing in Wisconsin
Wisconsin River
Big Eau Pleine Reservoir
Lake Poygan
Castle Rock Lake
Spencer Lake
Little Wolf River
Wolf River
Fox River
McDill Pond
Wisconsin River Flowage
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- They inhabit slow-moving waters in main channels, pools, and backwaters of rivers, as well as lakes and impoundments, preferring depths less than 16 feet and tolerating high turbidity and low oxygen conditions.
Key Locations
- Found in specific watersheds including Lake Michigan drainage, Lake Winnebago, Lower Fox River, and Wolf River systems.
- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirms established populations from 1964-2017 in these areas.
- In Wisconsin's lake systems like Lake Winnebago, fish deeper pools and protected embayments during summer.
- The Lower Fox River and Wolf River systems offer good opportunities in slower-moving sections.
Specific Spots
- Target slow-moving water areas with muddy or silty bottoms, focusing on backwaters, oxbows, and areas with submerged vegetation.
Bigmouth Buffalo FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Bigmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?
Since they primarily filter-feed on zooplankton, traditional baits work better than lures. Effective baits include corn, small dough balls (particularly heavily scented or bread-based dough baits), small worms, and prepared baits with strong scents.
What flies work for Bigmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?
For fly fishing, small nymph and midge patterns work, along with flashy Marabou jigs as attractor patterns.
When is the best time to fish for Bigmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?
Avoid targeting them from April through June to protect reproduction during spawning period.
How do you catch Bigmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?
Small hooks hidden in dough balls positioned near the bottom have proven successful. Bowfishing is also popular since they often swim near the surface, though this method is lethal.
What do Bigmouth Buffalo eat?
Wisconsin's Bigmouth Buffalo are filter-feeders with a unique ecology, straining zooplankton from the water using fine gill rakers. Their diet consists primarily of cladocerans, copepods, and cyclopoid copepods, supplemented with midge larvae, algae, chironomids, ostracods, and other small invertebrates.
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