Buffalo Lake was named for its abundance of buffalo fish. Kandiyohi County is named for a Dakota word meaning "where the buffalo fish come". Kandiyohi was derived from a Sioux name meaning "where the buffalo fish come from". The Coralville Reservoir is commercially fished for carp and buffalo fish. They caught catfish, bass, suckers, buffalo fish, pike, drum fish, and gar. Buffalo fish and chili were regular menu items at that time.