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Smallmouth Buffalo

Smallmouth Buffalo

The Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) is a native Wisconsin sucker species found in the Lake Michigan drainage, Mississippi River basin, and other major waterways throughout the state.

Scientific Name: Ictiobus bubalus

Physical Characteristics:
  • They're stocky, deep-bodied fish with olive-bronze coloration that lightens with age, featuring a small, downward-oriented sucker mouth and compressed body with a distinctive humped back.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Found in the Lake Michigan drainage, Mississippi River basin, and other major waterways throughout the state.
  • They prefer faster-flowing waters compared to other buffalo species, with a preference for fine substrates and deeper areas.

Key Locations

  • Wisconsin River system (including Lake Wisconsin), Mississippi River, Lower Wisconsin River, Rock River, Crawfish River, and various lakes including Yellowstone Lake and Beaver Dam Lake.
  • Mississippi River backwaters, Lake Wisconsin, and connecting flowages.
  • Wisconsin's eutrophic lakes and smaller rivers like the Crawfish and Rock rivers tend to be more productive than large river systems.

Specific Spots

  • Look for them around boulders, logs, drop-offs, and weed lines.
  • Look for them tailing or feeding in less than a foot of water during midday heat, often in groups.
  • Target deeper pools and around structure.

Smallmouth Buffalo FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Smallmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?

Nightcrawlers, dough balls, corn, and cut bait presented on the bottom. Small jigs tipped with live bait, particularly in deeper pools and around structure.

What flies work for Smallmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?

Carp-style patterns including Backstabbers in pink and chartreuse, Carp Tease, Carp Crack patterns, Carp Dusters, and Bonefish Butters. In clear water, match bottom colors with olive and brown flies, while muddy water requires bright colors like pink, orange, and chartreuse for visibility.

When is the best time to fish for Smallmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?

Most productive during late spring through early fall, with the best action occurring from late May through September after spawning concludes. Avoid targeting them from April to early June during spawning to protect reproduction.

How do you catch Smallmouth Buffalo in Wisconsin?

Bottom-fishing techniques for conventional fishing. For fly fishing, present flies quietly in their sight line with subtle movements - they must see the fly to take it.

What do Smallmouth Buffalo eat?

Their diet consists primarily of detritus and bottom organisms - young buffalo feed on copepods and cladocerans, while mature fish are opportunistic feeders consuming zooplankton, insect larvae (especially chironomids), small crustaceans, mollusks (particularly small bivalves like Asiatic clams), bryozoans, algae, and...

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