Tennessee has some amazing rivers and lakes for fishing. People can catch dozens of different species in the region, and some of them are monstrous in size. Buffalo fish are not the largest species that live in the state. Yet, some individual specimens can get simply huge.
Discover the largest buffalo fish ever caught in Tennessee and see just how large it grew, where it was caught, and more!
What Is a Buffalo Fish?
Buffalo fish refers to fish belonging to the Ictiobus genus. People often confuse these fish for carp because they have similar looks. These fish can be olive-grey, olive with copper on the sides, or bluish-silver on their tops and sides. However, they all have white bellies.
Buffalo fish have a long dorsal fin that is much taller near their head and becomes shorter as it travels toward the fish’s tail. Their sucker mouths also make them look similar to carp.
However, they are distinct fish with many species. Generally, five different kinds of buffalo fish live throughout North America, including:
- Smallmouth buffalo fish
- Bigmouth buffalo fish
- Black buffalo fish
- Southern buffalo fish
- Fleshylip buffalo fish
Each of these fish looks a bit different based on its species. They can grow between 2 and 4 feet long, and they can weigh as much as 80 pounds. Most of the time, these fish will not reach between 60 and 80 pounds. Of all these species, the largemouth buffalo fish grows the largest on average, and they can live for upwards of 100 years or more.
The diet of these fish varies as well. For example, the bigmouth buffalo fish is a filter feeder that consumes small crustaceans, plankton, and algae. Meanwhile, the black buffalo fish focuses on detritus and other creatures in the benthic zone of the waters in which it lives.
The smallmouth, bigmouth, and black buffalo fish are the most common members of the genus found in Tennessee. Anglers have caught large specimens of each of them!
The various members of this species live in lakes, rivers, and streams, especially in the shallower areas.
What Was the Largest Buffalo Fish Ever Caught in Tennessee?
Anglers enjoy fishing for buffalo fish, as they are challenging to catch and great to eat.
©Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock.com
The largest buffalo fish ever caught in Tennessee was 62 pounds 7 ounces, and it was pulled from the J. Percy Priest Lake. The fish belonged to the smallmouth buffalo fish species. Jerry W. Young caught the fish on April 28, 2001, and it was certified as the largest member of the species ever caught in the state.
The official record states that the record-setting fish was caught using sportfishing methods. That means Jerry W. Young probably utilized a hook and line to catch the fish. No other measurements for the fish exist such as length or girth.
Anglers also caught large members of the black buffalo fish and bigmouth buffalo fish species. In fact, the record-holding bigmouth buffalo fish is only 7 ounces lighter than the largest buffalo fish ever caught in Tennessee. Moreover, the bigmouth and smallmouth buffalo fish were both caught in the same lake!
About the J. Percy Priest Lake
J. Percy Priest Lake is a large reservoir in Nashville.
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The J. Percy Priest Lake is in north-central Tennessee. This reservoir was formed by the J. Percy Priest Dam, and it is the deepest lake in the region. The lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet and a surface area of 14,200 acres.
The lake is a popular spot to catch all sorts of fish. Some of the species that people catch most often in this area are:
- Striped bass
- Bluegill
- White bass
- Black bass
- White crappie
- Redear sunfish
- Buffalo fish
All kinds of fish live in the waters at this lake, and that is part of the reason that people love to fish in the reservoir.
Several campgrounds surround the lake, offering people the chance to engage in numerous kinds of recreation in the area. Individuals and their families can camp, fish, boat, and hike in the area.
Best of all, the lake is in Nashville, Tennessee. Anyone visiting the city can take a quick drive on U.S. Interstate 40 and travel from the downtown area of the city to the lake.
Was Tennessee’s Record Buffalo Fish the World Record?
Using an alternative fishing method can help people claim large buffalo fish.
©Christopher Moswitzer/Shutterstock.com
No, the largest buffalo fish ever caught in Tennessee was not the biggest one caught in the world. The absolute largest member of the genus ever caught may have been a bigmouth buffalo fish that weighed 76.5 pounds. The angler set the record in 2013 in Wisconsin. Yet, the 76.5-pound fish is not the record-holder recognized by the International Game Fish Association.
Instead, the IGFA lists a bigmouth buffalo fish weighing 70 pounds 5 ounces as the largest on record. An angler named Delbert Sisk caught this fish in Louisiana in 1980. We do not have an explanation for the discrepancy in record-keeping. However, these fish are clearly bigger than the one that was caught in Tennessee.
If the record from Wisconsin stands, then the largest buffalo fish was 15 pounds heavier than the one caught in Tennessee.
Still, people in Tennessee can catch sizable buffalo fish, especially at the J. Percy Priest Lake. Anglers have caught two species of buffalo fish that are near or exceed 60 pounds in those waters. So, anglers that come to this state can catch some very sizable members of the species. Given the large number of lakes and rivers in Tennessee, they could also catch a variety of other fish as well.
