Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Show off your catch Small mouth Buffalo

I had a fun and interesting morning yesterday, fly-fishing on Lake Texoma flats for Small mouth Buffalo. Carp and Buffalo are becoming quite popular in our area, but looked down on by many that are missing out on some of the most exciting fun I have had in a long time.

I am limited these days to fishing convenient waters, so a long time guide friend invited me to fish with him on a secluded flat, accessible from shore and producing large Buffalo and occasional carp. The best fishing conditions are cloudy and calm days but yesterday was bright sun but calm winds. We did well with several 10lb class fish with long distance release of a couple of monsters.

Large numbers of fish were cruising the banks in 2 to 6ft water, most ignoring our flies except occasional “tailers” pausing to feed on crawdads or other bottom critters.
Flies of choice were small weighted generic crawdad patterns. Fly rods were TFO BVK 8 wt and 8-10 MiniMags – my weapon of choice.

I have fished for tailing fish on salty flats, but this is as good as it gets.
Thanks go to my long time guide buddy – I am blessed with good friends.
George

Say, Hef. Glad to see you out on other waters!!

I hope you can stimulate a new type of freshwater fishing industry, George! Very cool.

Awesome, never caught a buffalo, but carp are a blast on fly rod. Glad you had a great day George!

Dave, so glad to hear from you - you had us all worried but continue prayerful for a full and speedy recovert!!!

"Rough fish" such a carp and buffalo are becoming very popular for sight fly fishing enthusiasts around the country when we can ovecome "elites snooty" folks.
Carp are being referred to as "Golden Bones" for folks that spend big bucks fly fsihng for bonefish around the world.
Maybe we are to something?

"Golden Bones" eh, Hef?

If you've got lemons, make lemonaide!

Very cool George. I will direct some of my fly fishing friends to this thread and see what they think of that fly. Only way I seem to be able to catch buffalo is with a bow or snagging.

That looks like some serious fun. What is ur fly(s) of choice?

IMHO, common carp (2-5lbs) if taken from "clean" water are an excellent fish protein. Brine em'up for 1/2 a day and toss them into the smoke house. Apple or Cherry wood is my preference. Darn near as good as smoked salmon!

I know this is a laughable analogy, but since the Zebra mussell invasion in Texoma, the water clarity approaches that of Florida Key's gin clear water. The buffalo behaved just like tarpon - and some were monsters.

They would cruise the flats and refuse a fly that was cast right in front of their nose -just like a snooty tarpon! The only ones that would eat a fly were head down "tailers" eating crawdads.

Long distance release. I like that.

Photo below is my guide's choice of fly.
Since the buffs were feeding on crawdads he selected a small sinking generic crawfish pattern.
They sank too quick for me so next time I'll roll my own with less weight.
If you notice in first photo I was standing on small rocks - same as the flats we were fishing - flies sank head down and hangups were common - but they worked - if it ain't broke don't fix it!

One has to be artful and really creative to catch smallmouth buffalo. Good fishing George.

Thanks Bill, but my long time fishing buddy deserves the credit.
He figured out the crawdad pattern, and as you know - match the hatch.

G1 - you're being modest. It takes talent and technique to tempt a cautious foraging smallmouth buffalo even if one has a good artificial lure.

George, it's good to see you getting out again!

Scott, it took two good men to get me down that hill - catch a fish and sit a spell - catch a fish and climb a hill...
I am blessed with good friends - just wish you lived closer!

George, I don't know if I could take the heat during the summer. You know who asked a few times if I wanted to come down and spend the winter - he needs help with his ponds. I haven't turned him down, still thinking about the logistics.

Come on down Scott - you can't turn down a deal like that!

We used to catch them in the rivers in Iowa and give them to my neighbor. He would pressure cook the small chunks along with peppers and seasoning and save them for duck and deer season. It was very tasty.