GAR, ALLIGATOR
Alligator Gars are ray-finned euryhaline fishes related to Bowfin in the infraclass Holostei. The fossil record traces the existence of Alligator Gars back to the Early Cretaceous over a hundred million years ago. They are the largest in the gar family, and among the largest freshwater fishes in North America. Gars are often referred to as "primitive fishes", or "living fossils" because they have retained some morphological characters of their earliest ancestors, such as a spiral valve intestine which is also common to the digestive system of sharks, and they can breathe both air and water. Their common name was derived from their resemblance to American alligators, particularly their broad snout and long sharp teeth.
For nearly a half-century, Alligator Gars were considered "trash fish", or a "nuisance species" that were detrimental to sport fisheries, and therefore targeted for elimination by state and federal authorities in the United States, but the last ten years has seen a greater emphasis placed on the importance of Alligator Gars to the ecosystems they inhabit. As a result, they were afforded protection by restricted licensing. They are also protected under the Lacey Act which makes it illegal to transport fish in interstate commerce when in violation of state law or regulation. Several state and federal resource agencies are monitoring populations in the wild, and have initiated outreach programs to educate the public. Alligator Gars are being cultured in ponds, pools, raceways and tanks by federal hatcheries for mitigation stocking, by universities for research purposes, and in Mexico for consumption.
Alligator Gars are the largest species of gar, and among the largest freshwater fishes found in North America. Mature Alligator Gars commonly measure 6 ft (1.8 m) in length, and weigh over 100 lbs. (45kg). However, anecdotal reports suggest they can grow up to 10 ft (3m) in length, and weigh as much as 350 lbs. (159 kg). All Alligator Gars have torpedo-shaped bodies, but some distinguishing characteristics of adult Alligator Gars include their large size, heavy bodies, broad heads, short broad snouts, large sharp teeth and double row of teeth on their upper jaw. They are usually brown or olive fading to a lighter gray or yellow ventral surface. The dorsal and anal fins are positioned toward the back of their bodies, and their caudal fin is abbreviate-heterocercal, or non-symmetrical.
Alligator Gars have gills, but unlike other fishes they also have a highly vascularized swim bladder lung that supplements gill respiration. The bladder not only provides buoyancy but also enables them to breathe in air which is why they are able to inhabit bodies of water in which most other fishes would die of suffocation. The swim bladder is connected to their foregut by a small pneumatic duct which allows them to breathe or gulp air when they break the surface, an action that is seen quite frequently on lakes in the southern United States during the hot summer months. The scales of Alligator Gars are not like the scales of other fishes; their bodies are protected by overlapping, enamel-like ganoid scales that are diamond-shaped with jagged edges and composed of a hard inner layer of bone and an outer layer of ganoin that is nearly impenetrable.Alligator Gars use a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but most are found in the Southern United States in reservoirs and lakes, in the backwaters of lowland rivers, and in the brackish waters of estuaries, bayous and bays. They have occasionally been seen in the Gulf of Mexico. In Texas and Louisiana it is common to see large gars breaking the surface in reservoirs, bayous, and brackish marshes. They are found throughout the lower Mississippi River Valley and Gulf Coast states of the Southern United States and Mexico as far south as Veracruz, encompassing the following states in the United States: Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and Georgia. Reports suggest Alligator Gars were once numerous throughout much of their northern range, however valid sightings today are rare, and may occur once every few years. Records of historical distribution indicate Alligator Gars once inhabited regions as far north as central Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, and west-central Illinois where they are now listed as extirpated. The most northerly verified catch was in Meredosia, Illinois in 1922.
Alligator Gars were also caught in the north of Esenguly, Turkmenistan; Tak Wah Park in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong; canal in Pasir Ris, Singapore.
When fishing for Alligator Gar you should bring a stiff composite rod with strong test line. This is the kind of fish you'll want to bring up to the surface, so using a bobber for your bait is appropriate. It's best to have a large open-faced or spinning reel capable of hold 150-200 yards(137-183m) of 30-100 pound(13-45kg)test mono-filament line. A stiff-actioned graphite or composite rod, six or eight feet long is appropriate for this size of fish.
For line, you'll want two-three feet of steel leader, and 40-80 pound(18-36kg) test line. Hook your bait onto a 6/0 treble hook and use a 1/4 oz. slip sinker, with split shot sinker to keep it above the hook. You should use a plastic or cork bobber (float), capable of keeping your bait and rig suspended near the water's surface. Bring a good-sized live bait. Some people in the lower delta waters near the Gulf Coast prefer 10-12 inch(0,25-0,3m) mullet, and often suggest removing the scales before using them, but any legal baitfish, such as shiners, shad, or suckers are on the Alligator Gar's menu. Carp, buffalo, and large perch are also commonly used.
Leave the spool open to allow the Alligator Gar to take the bait and run with it for a few clicks. Keep your eye on the float. When it begins to torpedo across the top of the water, or when it dives towards the depths, you know you've got a gar on the line. Lower your rod toward it, and wait at least seven seconds after the line pulls tight. The Alligator Gar has a hard, bony plate in its mouth, which is the reason fishermen prefer treble hooks, and considerable force is needed to penetrate it. To ensure that you set the hook in the soft, secure part of the Alligator Gar's mouth, you may have to set it a few times. Since you've let as much as a few hundred yards of line spool out, this may take considerable strength and a few pulls.
International
Alligator Gars use a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but most are found in the Southern United States in reservoirs and lakes, in the backwaters of lowland rivers, and in the brackish waters of estuaries, bayous and bays. They have occasionally been seen in the Gulf of Mexico. In Texas and Louisiana it is common to see large gars breaking the surface in reservoirs, bayous, and brackish marshes. They are found throughout the lower Mississippi River Valley and Gulf Coast states of the Southern United States and Mexico as far south as Veracruz, encompassing the following states in the United States: Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and Georgia. Reports suggest Alligator Gars were once numerous throughout much of their northern range, however valid sightings today are rare, and may occur once every few years. Records of historical distribution indicate Alligator Gars once inhabited regions as far north as central Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, and west-central Illinois where they are now listed as extirpated. The most northerly verified catch was in Meredosia, Illinois in 1922.
Alligator Gars were also caught in the north of Esenguly, Turkmenistan; Tak Wah Park in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong; canal in Pasir Ris, Singapore.