"Last year, TPWD biologists analyzed the stomach contents of 392 gator gar collected at Falcon Lake on the Texas/Mexico border and found carp, tilapia and shad. Game fish made up 20 percent of what the gar had consumed, with largemouth bass accounting for only 8 percent. Studies at six other Texas reservoirs, dating back to 1970, showed even smaller percentages of bass in the gars� diet, and there�s no evidence that the big fish are having a significant impact on bass populations."

https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2015/mar/ed_3_gar/



Fishing is emotion-based. Most don't go out there day after day just to get a meal, they go out there for the love of the fight, the fish, the outdoors. It's not just a means of getting a quick meal, it's a passion.

TPWD has nothing to do with this. It�s beimg pushed through the legislature.

Be careful what you wish for. If trotlines went on the chopping block, there's a chance juglines could end up there with them.

i knew bows were pretty ineffective & cause lots of wounds
3 arrows to kill that big blue?

Just imagine the ones that they shoot that get away.

So if the average gator gar weighed 40 lbs, and a gator gar eats 1/4 his weight in food every day, then those 392 gar ate 3,920 lbs of fish every day. 20% (gamefish) of 3,920 = 784 lbs of gamefish. 8% of 3,920 = 313 lbs of black bass every day. Like I said, alligator gar eat a lot of game fish.

Assuming 25% daily feed rate would be very high. Even a rapidly growing small fish only consumes around 4% of its body weight daily. A mature fish is closer to 1%. It could still add up if there is a lot of gar.

Well said indeed!

I got no problem with bowfishing, as long as they follow the current restrictions. I would even be willing to support a more restrictive limit on catfish for bow fishermen.

I guarantee once they get out on these lakes late at night the homeowners will squash it.

So who are the real enemies here?
It's not other fishermen, no matter what you use, it's those who are pushing for this change, and that is where the anger needs to be directed.
Just saying, that arguing back and forth on a fishing forum is preaching to the choir.

Wishful thinking, they're already out there late at night and there's just one or two places that restrict or prevent them.



I've gotta disagree, this is very similar to the battle over whether or not snagging is permissible. Snagging salmon even before they die after spawning is illegal in the majority of states. There are definitely ethical and unethical methods for targeting fish, and I'm not one to side with an "enemy" (IE bowfishermen) to defeat another (IE PETA).
On another note, lots of guys read the TFF and while you probably won't change someone's mind that's already made up there are a great deal of people that haven't made a decision yet. Sometimes seeing your support/opposition for an issue might just convince them