My biggest gar to date...

[Master Carper]

I just got in from gar fishing a little while ago and caught my biggest gar to date, a 51" long nose gar that beat my wife's biggest gar by one inch! I also managed to catch three gar this evening - in order of appearance - 37", 39" and 51"...

I never saw the blood from the biggest gar, until the camera flashed...

Since all three gar were fat and healthy, I cleaned all of them and put two in the freezer and the other one is soaking in a light bath of salt water in the refrigerator, and I will cook if for supper tomorrow....

 

[dennishoddy]

Good looking fish! Your the only one I've heard of that eat em besides me. I don't fish for them, but if I catch one on a jug line, or below kaw dam, I don't throw them back.

 

[XD-9Guy]

Nice fish, I have never caught one myself. Anything special about landing them? Seems like being long bodied like that they might be good fighters.

 

[dennishoddy]

They are excellent fighters.
Just keep your hands away from the mouth. Those teeth leave scars. I have a pic that I can't scan (I don't have a scanner) that shows a 3-4lb gar we caught on a jug line. I held it up for the camera shot, and it came off. The two teeth in the top jaw got me in the forearm. Camera shot showed the teeth about 1/2" away prior to impact.

Not a big deal. Bled a little, and that was it.

D&T is the gar expert on this forum. He may have more insite.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Very nice indeed. I want to catch one sometime and clean ìt.

 

[XD-9Guy]

Very nice indeed. I want to catch one sometime and clean ìt.

That made me chuckle because I don't "want" to clean any of my fish. It's just the necessary evil that seperates catching & eating.

 

[Master Carper]

Nice fish, I have never caught one myself. Anything special about landing them? Seems like being long bodied like that they might be good fighters.

I manage to catch one gar for about every six I miss. These are extremely good fighters. When you get one next to the bank, drop a heavy rag over it's bill to grab it and pick it up. It's the safest way I know of and it saves wear and tear on your hands and fingers from all those teeth. Even with their mouth closed, there are still a LOT of teeth on the outside that WILL tear your hand up if you don't have a heavy rag or glove to grab them with. Don't ask me how I know this...

I used a medium spinning rod with 6/20 Spider Wire and I doubled the last 12" of line to serve as a 40 lb. leader. Even with that, I still lost two really nice fish after a 5 minute long fight, with them making my drag sing like there was no tomorrow. Oh well, there will always be another day, and I'm already looking forward to it....

DAVID

 

[dennishoddy]

LOL, my dad wouldn't clean a fish if he was starving, but loved to eat the fish I cleaned.

 

[Master Carper]

Very nice indeed. I want to catch one sometime and clean ìt.

When do you want to go? I'll show you how to catch'em and clean'em and eat'em if I need to....

DAVID

 

[Master Carper]

LOL, my dad wouldn't clean a fish if he was starving, but loved to eat the fish I cleaned.

That sounds like my dad! I don't have a problem with cleaning fish - unless I'm looking at 60+ sand bass after a hard morning of fishing....

DAVID