The smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) is a Cypriniformes fish species found in the major tributaries and surrounding waters of the Mississippi River in the United States, as well as some other water systems where it has been introduced. While they can be common prey for bowfishermen, they are otherwise not commonly pursued by anglers, and often mistaken for carp (although the two are not related; smallmouth buffalo are actually a native species to Texas). However, like carp, they fight extremely well, and some specimens can grow to weights over 80lbs. So, while most anglers consider them trash fish, we consider them prime game. However, due to the fact that smallmouth buffalo consume mainly vegetation, algae, zooplankton & insect larvae, they can be a tricky species to catch. To add to the complications, smallmouth buffalo feed by sucking up vegetation/zooplankton from the bottom, and filtering out anything else through their gills. Because of these issues, you'll need to use baits you may not usually use, and to effectively hook a buff, you'll need to use a hair rig.
If you're not familiar with a hair rig, it's a rig commonly used by carp anglers overseas. As you can see from the image above, the bait (in this case, a single kernel of sweet corn) actually hangs off of the hook, using a snell knot with a perfection loop on the end. Because of this, when the carp (or buffalo) sucks the corn up, it is followed by the hook which will set when the fish swims away. It also allows the angler to achieve a perfect hookset in the corner of the carp's mouth (or buffalo) almost every time. I'll include a link to a short video from the Catfish & Carp YouTube channel detailing how to tie a simple hair rig here:
The next thing you'll need is bait.
The number one hookbait I've used for smallmouth buffalo is sweet corn. You can use it straight from the can, or you can cure it, but I'll get to that in a minute. Another thing that is extremely effective while buffalo fishing is the use of packbaits. A packbait is a loose bait (pictured above) that you pack in a ball around a method feeder (pictured below) or inside a cage feeder. We have a recipe for the strawberry panko/corn packbait pictured above available here on our site:
You can modify the flavor by using different jello flavors (like vanilla, banana, or citrus, pictured above on the right), or you can even go without the jello powder. And to cure corn for hookbait, mix some of your leftover jello powder with water and let the corn soak in the mixture for 24 to 48 hours.
Now, on to method feeders.
Method feeders are another piece of tackle used by anglers overseas. They are an in-line, weighted feeder system that replaces your typical fishing weight and allows you to use packbaits. They are extremely useful for both carp and buffalo fishing, but are unfortunately not available in most US tackle shops. You can either order them online, or make your own. Again, the Catfish & Carp channel has a great video detailing how to make DIY feeder system for super cheap, and it's a method I commonly use myself:
In conclusion, even though they are commonly viewed as a trash or nuisance fish, smallmouth buffalo grow just as big and fight (almost) as hard as carp, so if you're a TX angler who hasn't caught one, they aren't to be ignored.
