Next to carp, gar are my least favorite fish to catch. They are awkward in the net and just not a species I target. But if the bite is slow and I know gar are around—and they’re always around—I’ll toss to them to see what happens. The ones I typically see are two to three feet long, but they can grow to nearly six feet and weigh 50 pounds. When you do manage to hook one, it could be a four-foot monster. A fish that size looks less like something you’d catch and more like something you’d shoot.
Gar are unusual in that they breathe normally through their gills when the water has enough oxygen, but they can also gulp air. This lets them hang out where other fish might struggle. In stagnant water, what feels like a series of short strikes is often a gar. I always expect to see them when I’m fishing stagnant water, but that isn’t the only place they turn up. I’ve seen them in rivers, reservoirs, and larger creeks, usually holding in deep pools and slow seams right beside moving water.
Gar aren’t looking for trouble, but they’re curious and will often drift close to check you out. If threatened, though, they’ll disappear in a flash. Anything white moving through the water seems to flip a switch, and they’ll strike like lightning. Setting a hook in those hard, bony jaws can be challenging because there’s almost no soft tissue for it to grab. I’ve seen people get around that by making a specialized lure from frayed nylon rope, allowing the loose fibers to tangle in the gar’s bristling teeth. Two other good lure choices, because of their treble hooks, are a Mepps spinner and a Rooster Tail. White is a good color, paired with a silver or white blade.
I’m not really trying to catch them, like I said. I’ve had gar lunge at me from the net, and those teeth can make a mess of your hand or forearm. Be quick, keep your hands clear, and use long pliers. For all the hassle, though, they’re beautiful fish—their armor-like scales flash with iridescent color, and their fins can carry shades of orange, red, and gold. The meat is a hassle to prepare, but it is good to eat. The eggs are not. Gar roe is highly toxic to humans and other warm-blooded animals, so leave them alone.
