I catch a ton of big Buffalo in my cast net when getting Gizzard Shad for Bluecats out of my deep holes. Now that the big Catfish are on their nests and not catchable I want to try and catch some of these big Buffalo I keep getting in my net. When I was a kid we fished for them alot and did well on Cotton seed meal doe bait but I know the game has completely changed since back then and today guys use a hair rig. What is the ideal rig and baits for catching Buffalo over 20lbs. Thanks fellas.

You'll likely get lots of different answers, but I'll give mine, and I fish for buffs vertical off the back of my boat in a marina. I do tie a on simple hair rig on the line as a dropper, with a small sinker at the bottom just to get it down. I keep the hook link short so the buffs don't expel the hook out their gills. Just not fun catching them if they aren't lip hooked. Boiled deer corn works as well as anything. Set-up this way, the buff bite is just a constant chattery nibble. I'll slowly pull up, and if the pole keeps bending, I set the hook. They don't immediately run like carp, and I find cats will start dragging the bait away. Buffs seem to just stay put and chew. If I chum, I use rabbit feed pellets...a suggestion I got here. My personal belief is there is not much point in method feeders/packbait cuz I'm fishing straight down. If I want to mix it up, I'll use fruity tootsie rolls on the hair.

Great suggestions Bob! If you want to catch big Buffalo consistently, you'll need a lot of chum! Range cubes and boiled deer corn both work a charm. I like to mix it up and occasionally put out various animal pellets and miscellaneous boiled particles like bird seed, hemp seed, and different kinds of beans. 50 to 150 pounds of chum a day is what I usually use, and I always chum for 3 days or more before fishing. When you're ready to fish, use whatever packbait you like (although grits seem to work best for Buffs) and a hair rig with a small, neutrally buoyant and contrasting color bait. A single tigernut tipped with a bright plastic pop-up works wonders! Wait for them to nibble (they don't always take off with it) and set the hook. If you see the rod tip bending or the line lifting and dropping set on a lift that lasts a half a second or more. Hopefully you get some bigguns!

For the big buffalo, I like to use range cubes. I also like to chum an area with cubes for 3 days to a week before I think the area is really productive. If I have an area that already contains buffalo, I usually only chum about 5 pounds a day. The other comments about how buffalo bite are spot on. I have had big buffalo get hooked and then just stay in one spot without moving.

I would recommend anchoring at the bow and stern if you are fishing from a boat to keep the bait from moving around. Buffalo like the bait still. I have done best either tying to a pier or just fishing from the bank.

Here is a video on how to rig the cubes and a video on how it works. Good luck and let us know how you do.

https://youtu.be/4HJNrljkWGI

https://youtu.be/TUrINkjx2Kk

Finley, I got the short hook link from you, and since I'm just dropping straight down, the bottom weight distance keeps my rig off the bottom...don't need to control bait buoyancy. My big issue right now is the St. Patty's storm that scrambled my marina, and they still haven't re-opened. Missed the whole friggin' Spring.

I see that every time I pass that way! Crazy they're taking so long, hopefully they're not charging you when you can't even use it

Neat thread!

You have a very good opportunity as a boat angler to tap into a largely untargeted population of these fish. Everything that has been shared is accurate. I will add this: A great place to target buffalo while in a boat is bridges. Algae will grow on the pilings (especially during the summer/warm months) and buffalo and carp will feed on that Algae. A secure ancho is definitely needed for both ends of the boat. because of waves and natural boat motion, i wouldn't fish tight line. to avoid moving the rig. I'd fish with 6-12 inches of slack unless the water is absolutely flat calm. Also with the chum, don't hesitate to add rabbitt pellets or chicken feed to the mix. focus on water from 8-30ft of depth around the bridges. Your fish finder will be your friend.