Smallmouth Buffalo
Ictiobus bubalus
No statewide daily bag or minimum length listed.
Identify your catch
A native sucker with a small, downward-facing mouth; it is not a carp.
Habitat on Sam Rayburn
TPWD Sam Rayburn records document common carp, smallmouth and bigmouth buffalo; grass carp also appears in historical bowfishing records.
Fishing approach
These are not bass or sunfish. Verify identification carefully, particularly before deciding whether to eat a buffalo.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
DO NOT EAT — everyone, all sizes.
Harvest permission and eating restrictions are separate.
General species guide
Usually feeds near the bottom in large rivers and reservoirs. Correct identification matters for consumption guidance.
General Smallmouth Buffalo profile →Sources & lake evidence
TPWD Sam Rayburn lake guide and historical water-body records. Records establish occurrence, not current abundance.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Species identification ↗