Species profile
Smallmouth Buffalo
Ictiobus bubalus
At a glance
Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 5 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Confirmed by 819 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Texas, Illinois, and Ohio the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Research has confirmed individuals living over 100 years, making it one of North America's longest-lived freshwater fish.
- Can exceed 35 inches in length and weigh over 30 pounds.
- Despite its name, it belongs to the sucker family and is unrelated to bison or buffalo.
- Unlike bottom-feeding suckers, it strains zooplankton from the water column using fine gill rakers.
- Found in large rivers, reservoirs, and lakes throughout the central United States.
Where Smallmouth Buffalo are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Smallmouth Buffalo
Background
The smallmouth buffalo is a catostomid fish species native to 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. It is a long-lived, stocky fish like its relatives the bigmouth buffalo and the black buffalo. The smallmouth buffalo's mouth is located ventrally like other Catostomidae species,…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Smallmouth Buffalo article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.