Gar..."fish".

[Lildog]

I recently was reminded of these prehistoric monstrosity's and started wondering about them.
Other then whats commonly available on the 'net, anyone have any knowledge or story's about 'em? Any in Alberta? Ever taste one? Apparently they're fun to catch.
Always thought they were kind of cool. I was reading something online where some guy mentioned he catches them a lot but usually 'Busts their jaw and throw(s) them on the beach to die'.
Granted, they're ugly S.O.B's, but if that was the rule I'd of been taken out a long time ago.
I also read a few people saying they decimated the sport fishing industry in Texas.

Thoughts?

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by Lildog

I recently was reminded of these prehistoric monstrosity's and started wondering about them.
Other then whats commonly available on the 'net, anyone have any knowledge or story's about 'em? Any in Alberta? Ever taste one? Apparently they're fun to catch.
Always thought they were kind of cool. I was reading something online where some guy mentioned he catches them a lot but usually 'Busts their jaw and throw(s) them on the beach to die'.
Granted, they're ugly S.O.B's, but if that was the rule I'd of been taken out a long time ago.
I also read a few people saying they decimated the sport fishing industry in Texas.

Thoughts?

I've never caught one, but I know that there are long nose gar in Ontario (and possibly Manitoba). They aren't the alligator gar that I believe you're referring to, but they look essentially the same, but much smaller.

I have a hard time believing that they "decimated the sport fishing industry in Texas," as they're generally only in rivers (bass lake fishing represents the vast majority of the sport fishery in Texas), and they occur naturally. Hard to see how a native species decimated a fishery out of no where.

[Scott N]

I have never fished for them, but I remember seeing a lot of them in a trip the the Everglades when I was in my early teens.

[mapleleafman3]

I never targeted them but have caught a couple little guys in Mississippi when I lived there. They are good fighters. I seriously doubt the decimated the sport fishing industry in Texas. I would think they would have done the same in Mississippi, but they didn't.

[Okotok]

I liked the River Monsters episode on them. Here's a snip.

https://youtu.be/PtKBnP2KuC4

[PerchBuster]

Had a long nose gar come up to the surface within about 4 ft of my boat while drifting on the Lower Niagara River one time with my wife. It just stayed there beside us for a few minutes before dropping back down to the bottom. Was totally unexpected to see one there and like that. Was approx 36” long and had really nice spots and markings on it. We were bass fishing at the time. Thinking someone must have illegally released it in there but it didn’t seem to mind. Texas sport fishery is alive and well. Alligator gars grow to a huge size but are not responsible for a declining fishery. I know they often fish for them with long flies or streamers as their thousands of little sharp hooked teeth get caught on the fly and then you can yard them in. Snouts are way too hard and bony to sink a hook in to.

[Dweb]

Used to catch em all the time as a kid in the niagra river

[tool]

gar Pike we called them in Ontario, I've seen them in drainage ditches even.

[Lildog]

Originally Posted by Okotok

I liked the River Monsters episode on them. Here's a snip.

https://youtu.be/PtKBnP2KuC4

Thanks!