What is this ?

[Carpy]

Picture i was sent from America. its title is Alligator Gar.
What is it.

[hooklength]

WOW what is that a Fish or Alligator.
that is one mean catch.

[Andrew Burgess]

Alligator Gar - Lepisosteus spatula



Other names: Gator gar
Status: Texas nongame fish

Description

Gars are easily distinguished from other freshwater species by their long, slender, cylindrical bodies, their long snouts, and the fact that they are equipped with diamond-shaped interlocking (ganoid) scales. Additionally, the dorsal and anal fins are placed well back on the body, and nearly opposite each other. The tail fin is rounded. Alligator gar may be distinguished from other gars by the presence of two rows of large teeth on either side of the upper jaw in large young and adults. Coloration is generally brown or olive above, and lighter underneath. Lepisosteus is Greek, meaning "bony scale," and spatula is Latin for "spoon," referring to the creature's broad snout.

Angling Importance

Gar have traditionally been considered rough fish by the majority of anglers. However, for a relatively few mavericks gar fishing may be quite an exciting and enjoyable sport. In Texas, alligator gar up to 279 pounds have been captured by rod and reel anglers, and over 300 pounds by trotliners. In the Southeastern part of the state, gar are commonly accepted as a fine food fish. Alligator gar are often taken by by bowfishers or by anglers using nylon threads, rather than hooks, to entangle the fish's many sharp teeth.

Biology

Little is known about the biology of this huge fish. Alligator gar are usually found in slow sluggish waters, although running water seems to be necessary for spawning. They appear to spawn in the spring beginning sometime in May. Eggs are deposited in shallow water. Young fish may consume insects. Adults feed primarily on fish, but will also take waterfowl. This species is able to tolerate greater salinities that other gar species and feeds heavily on marine catfish when they are available.

Distribution

Alligator gar are present in the Gulf of Mexico coastal plain from the Econfina River in west Florida west and south to Veracruz, Mexico. The species range extends north in the Mississippi River basin to the lower reaches of the Missouri and Ohio rivers. An isolated population also occurs in Nicaragua. In Texas, alligator gar may be found in coastal rivers and streams from the Red River west to the Rio Grande.

Many researchers see gars as a link between the scientific research of today and what has evolved from a primitive past. Gars can breathe both air and water, which is one of the reasons they are still around today. Unfortunately, we cannot be as optimistic about their future.

Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula) Occur in the Mississippi River basin from southwestern Ohio and southern Illinois in USA south to Gulf of Mexico and to Veracruz, Mexico. Alligator Gar are large in size and broad,with a short snout. Light dorsal stripe. Dark olivaceous brown above and white to yellowish beneath. Dark brown blotches on all fins. For all practical purposes you can recognize them as those BIG gars with the short snout. Small ones are actually hard to find. The Baton Rouge Zoo has a Alligator Gar in an aquarium. If you look closely you will see that it is no an Alligator Gar but a Spotted Gar! Why? Because they can't catch any small enough for the aquarium? Alligator Gars inhabit sluggish pools and backwaters of large rivers, swamps, bayous, and lakes. They sometimes enter brackish waters and occasionally salthingyer. As you might have figured they feed mainly on fish.

Although they are good eating, few people bother with them.
For those of you wanting to tangle with a big fish and don't want to venture to salthingyer, Alligator Gar are just what the doctor ordered. Alligator Gar get huge, so your tackle will also need to be scaled up to meet the demand. Since it is hard to hook gars, most garfisherman use large treble hooks attached to a steel leader. The leader is tied to the main line with a bobber usually attached above the leader. How heavy your line is depends on your own preference but remember it is quite possible that you will be tangling with a fish that weighs over 100 pounds possibly double that! They aren't line shy so don't let that worry you. It is important to let the big fish take your bait and swallow it before setting the hook. When the bobber takes off, follow it until it stops. This is the fish positioning it to swallow. When the fish starts to move off again is the time to set the hook. Whole mullet is a prefered bait, and many believe in scaling the bait before using it.

Never bring a gar of any size into the boat until you are sure it is dead. Gar especially big ones can really hurt you with those needle teeth. Gar don't consider humans prey but there is one reported attack on a person in Lake Pontchartrain. The person (girl I think) was dangling his/her feet in the water when a large Alligator Gar mistook here splashing foot for a fish. It bit but thankfully let go.

[BUDGIE]

Untill myself and a few other friends started fishing for AG they had a very low profile in the US.Not being a good eating fish they were generally classed as "trash fish".

They are normally "fished" for with bow and arrow or a method called "Jug" lines.Both very unsporting and inevitabley resulting in the death of the fish.

Although several state records are over 300lbs very few of this size are seen anymore. Since our recent interest in the fish has raised awareness several fishery departments and universities are conducting research in to the species.

Here is a picture of my mate Rob with a 100lbr.



Have been promising several people that I will do an article on these amazing fish and our trips after them.Soon as I have I will put a link here to it.

[anglerpaul]

Your right Budgie it is a Fantastic fish.
killing a fish like this with bows and arrows.   not good.

[BUDGIE]

The very first "in the flesh" AG I ever saw was taken on a bow.The following story is always popular at my talks/slide shows but also goes to show how these fish are regarded by most American anglers.

It was just after 10.30 at night on my first day in the States.We were sat out on the porch of my mate Darrals house having a beer.Despite the time of night it was still extremely hot and sticky.Even after the long flight I still didnt feel tired only excited as Darral had promised to take me out that night to see my first Alligator Gar!We were to go out on his "air boat" a shallow draught skiff powered by a huge fan type propeller.With this craft you could safely move in shallow water and over weed beds and the like.

The boat was kitted out with powerfull halogen spot lights.Darrel explained that these were used to find the fish.AG are able to live in very stagnent back waters as they have the ability to be able to gulp air directly! Due to this they regularly lay just beneath the surface at night making it the best time for Darrals prefered method of catching them....Bow and Arrow!!

The bow was one of those modern compound(?) ones with all the pulleys,sights and gizzmos etc! it also had what looked like a small fishing reel attached.

We cruised around the bayou searching the surface for signs of a big AG.It was very eerie to say the least!After a short while Rusty (Darrals mate) spotted what looked to me like a 5' log floating in the water.Darral picked up his bow and let rip!All hell broke out! Ive never seen nothing like it in all my days,the arrow had penetrated just below the head and the AG wasnt impressed! it was steaming off like a torpedo.The line on the reel attached to the bow was screaming off and the bow (now being held like a rod) was bent over at an alarming angle.Rusty imediatly jumped down from the spot light picked up his own bow and started doing an impression of an English Long Bowman at Agincourt! He hit with all five arrows,no mean feat considering that not only was it a moving target but also having to allow for the water refraction.

After a few minutes the AG was drawn along side in the most uncerimounios of ways! but it wasnt over yet!When the fish first broke surface alongside the first thing that struck me was the terrible smell! these fish stink!While pondering this out of the corner of my eye I saw Darral drop his bow (Rusty having hold of the line) draw out his .45 and promptly empty half a clip into the fishs head!

I explained to DarraL THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS THE WAY I INTENDED TO FISH FOR THEM IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL!

[Andrew Burgess]

BUDGIE said:

While pondering this out of the corner of my eye I saw Darral drop his bow (Rusty having hold of the line) draw out his .45 and promptly empty half a clip into the fishs head!

How can they justify by shooting a magnificence creature from a bow, arrow and bullets This is barbaric way that your mate Darral have to used, surely there must be a easy way of catching them and maybe using a tranquillzer gun/dart.

[BUDGIE]

Andy we catch them using gear that we use for the big catsno problem.All the ones me,Rob and guests catch are safely unhooked and returned.All the rubbish wrote on US sites like the ones you posted are just born through ignorance.

Darral is a very experienced US guide and highly regarded in US tournement s.Sadly like most Yanks he is only interested in "Sport" or "Game" fish as the Yanks refer to them.Some great fish like AG,Carp,Buffalo (a large carp like species) to name but a few are as Ive said regarded as just "trash fish".I dont like bow fishing its barbaric but who are we to tell them what to do in their own country.Good thing is like Ive said we have been able to raise the awarness of a lot of people to the sporting value of these great fish.Darral (allthough he still cant see the attraction in fishing for them,he still prefers Bass) doesnt kill them anymore and insists that all his customers both US and European return their catchs.

[Andrew Burgess]

BUDGIE said:

Darral is a very experienced US guide and highly regarded in US tournement.
Sadly like most Yanks he is only interested in "Sport" or "Game" fish.
Darral (allthough he still cant see the attraction in fishing for them,he still prefers Bass) doesnt kill them anymore and insists that all his customers both US and European return their catchs.

Fair point Budgie. Gald to see Darral is seeing the true value of these creatures!

[Carpy]

Thanks for all the info Budgie. You really know your stuff on all aspects of angling.
You should write a book mate, it would be a best seller.
Cant wait to meet you. And thanks for taking the time to reply always with very detailed infomative posts.

[BUDGIE]

Thanks for the kind words Carpy.Anglings been a major part of my life for over 40 years now so Ive picked up a bit on the way.Been lucky enough to have seen lots of interesting stuff and been taught lots by some very good anglers.If I can pass any of this on for others interest/enjoyment then fine.Dont know it all though and thats the greatest thing cause no one probabley ever will!

[argyll]

Better late than never. I believe I've seen that fish before. I think it came from the White River in Arkansas and was caught in a net by a commercial fisherman. weight was around 200lbs as I recall. Either way its a big ol' lump.