[twistertail]

Does anyone fish for these things? They were everwhere in the river at Freemont. I was just wondering if anyone really targets them or where they are usually caught. They were all big and the ones that i snagged put up a heck of a fight.

 

[Rooster]

I think that drum are one of the most underrated and under appreciated sports fish. They are plentiful, easy to catch, and are very strong fighters, and grow to be HUGE! Further, they readily take both live bait and artificial lures. Just look out when your taking them off the hook (LOL), it seems that they have some GI issues.

 

[twistertail]

I agree with ya rooster, they are fun to catch especially when you are not getting anything else. I would take buffalo and sheephead over a fishless day anytime. These buffalo reminded me of salmon fishing in Michigan, they were jumping all over the river and running into your legs and when you hooked one HOLD ON! I can understand if you fish lake Erie 3 or 4 times a week for walleye that you would get tired of the drum but if you dont fish there all the time its fun to catch them. I'm sure its the same on the Ohio River.

 

[PoleSnatcher]

you didn't hook into one of them ones out on 188 did you? I'm pretty sure I'd need to buy some bigger rods and heaver line (winch) if i were to try and hook one of those

 

[twistertail]

Is there someone out there that has some? I remember the guy on 22 outside of town that used to have them and then ostrich out there also. You ever seen the place with the elk out there on florence chaple?

 

[PoleSnatcher]

yup i've seen all of those


just before 674 there is a farm on the left if your going towards lancaster, not far out from ringgold. acrossed from the farm with all the junk in the front. Usually has cornstalks stacked up there. alot of times the buffalo are down over the hill but sometimes you see them, and there are signs that say caution

 

[jeffmo]

twister,down at jays barber shop he has an elk rack that i'm pretty sure is from one of the bulls up on florence chapel.if i remember the story right the same bull gored the owner!!!!

 

[Miso_Ohio]

Smallmouth Buffalo, that is one fish I would love to hook into. I may try a bit this year, they look very much like a carp, but are not really related to them at all. This is a native species to the US and unlike the carp is highly prized for its flesh.

They are sometimes confused for Drum all though they look nothing alike, buffalos can get huge, like up to 70 or 80 Lbs, in OH the state records are in the 50 range, and they normally come from Hoover. They have really tiny mouths, and will pick at their food, guys who fish for them normally use very small baits, and they pack it with dissolving doughbaits that are very sweet. Normally the are very hard to cath, the rule of thumb is you have to jerk the rod back at the ticks, and you have to time it just right. You will hook one out of every 7-15 jerks if you are doing it right.

Most people do not even know the exist, one sure bet to look for is the eyes, these fish have very dark eyes, they look like big black beads, I have never seen a fish with eyes like this. As you can tell I have been researching them greatly, this is suppose to be one fun fish, hopefully I will get one this year.

Here are few links

Smallmouth

Smallmouth

Smallmouth

Sorry I couldn't find you a how to page on Smallmouth Buffalo fishing, there really aren't many out there. The guys who fish for these are pretty sercretive about their ways.

 

[flathunter]

I have caught tons of buffalo in paint creek fishing nightcrawlers on the bottom, largest about 15-lbs.

 

[twistertail]

Miso if you want to catch one go up to Freemont right now, the river was full of them. Of course all the ones I hooked were snagged but I would think if you were to fish for them with doughbaits or something you could catch them. I read some stuff from those sites and it says they are really good to eat, maybe i will try one some time. I have seen some at Deer Creek out in the fields along the creek above the lake and have caught a few at the spillway. When it floods out they must go up into the fields looking for food and when the water goes down they get stuck. I saw a few that had to be at least 40 or 50 pounds one year.

Jeffmo, i will have to stop in there and check that rack out. Have not been to Jays for a while, plus he usually has some good pictures of shrooms that he has found.

 

[PoleSnatcher]

never been to Jays at all. Always went to North Court, then one of my friends girlfriends started cutting mine when she got her licence

 

[redhawk fisherman]

I think I have seen people on the Kentucky Afield show bowhunting for gar and buffalo!

Danny

 

[Carpn]

I bowfish for buffs now and then..Get alot of them on the Ohio river...The farther south you go the more common they seem to get. I shot a smallmouth buff in Alabama last month that was pushing 70#....Also got about 10 in the 30-50# range...Neat fish.

 

[PAYARA]

i have been searching for big buffs for a long time.but
there are none in my area or only very few.i have only
caught 2 and were small compared to the giants they
grow into.i will get on them soon though,just a matter
of time.