Been noticing a lot of gar activity on some of the hill country and Southcentral Texas rivers where I love to fish at. On several trips I decided to target the gar. I was using cut bait (Bluegill/Sunfish) as bait. Sunrise till 11 am was the best time of the bite. Had a lot of runs and was able to catch about 50 percent of them. Most were released and several were kept for upcoming dinners. The wife really knows how to cook and prepare all types of fish. Enjoying a bunch of gar runs and catching some gar for dinner. It just don't get any better!


Side Note: The fried gar dinner was GREAT!

Have you tried the frayed rope trick on the gar? Looks like you are having good success anyway.

Great pictures and fish.

I know you are trying lots of different foods right now. Gar meat is ok to eat, but DO NOT EAT GAR EGGS. They are highly toxic. Even the meat adjacent to the eggs can cause gastric distress. This is a public service announcement.

https://scholars.uky.edu/en/publica...hyotoxin-poisoning-induced-by-gar-eggs-i

Thanks Curt0407 and Barry for the replies. Curt0407: No Sir I have not tried the frayed rope trick. I have also heard that nylon stockings work well. I do use treble hooks and they work very good. Barry: We did not eat any of the eggs. The only meat we eat is the back strap. Good information to know. I also check the fish consumption bans on the water bodies as well.

That last one is a fatty. You gotta get on some gator gar when you get the chance. Shouldn’t have to go too far from your neck of the woods.

Thank you Sir. I have seen some of your videos including your most recent on Alligator Gar! You have caught some "Monsters"! I personally do not target gar, but love catching them when I see them active. Six pound mono line, a treble hook, large cigar shape float, and a very small Bluegill or other small sunfish. The drag is set just right for when I set the hook. I usually let them run a little before setting the hook. Love both the run and the fight that follows. Even get some jumpers during a fight. I mainly target the sunfish and the Rio Grande Cichlids.


Side Note: I enjoy your videos and looking forward to seeing more. The TFF has several outstanding anglers who post their videos on the TFF. I truly love watching all of them. I learn a lot watching them as well.

Do they taste like rattle snake ?

Lol, they do have a unique flavor, firm white meat, always been very good when I've eaten them.

Nice fish Banker, love catching gar. Used to catch some monsters behind the dam at Lake CC before they cut off access in the 90s. For the rope rig, get a 4-6 in, melt one end, stick a hook in that end (or a jighead to help cast) and fray the other end about halfway to the hook. Floating surface bites are more exciting but it will work under a float, we would put a jighead about 18in under a big popping cork and drift it in the river behind the dam. Your "hook up" rate will improve immensely. We would also add a chuck of cutbait on the hook to make it even more appealing. Miss those days, wish I had pics of some the beasts we caught.

Thanks Butch Sanders and jaymzinsa for the replies. Butch Fried Gar taste similar to chicken and just what jaymzinsa said about the meet and taste I can agree with. My wife cooked them two ways. One with a regular frying pan the other a air fryer. Both ways the fish turned out FANTASTIC!

Nice ones Chuck! Been seeing a lot of gar while fishing the hill country rivers and a few lakes. Any plans to catch a Gator Gar?

Thanks Curtis for the reply! Yes Sir the Gator Gar is on my Bucket List for sure.

Let me know Chuck when you want to go!

Will do!

Back in the early 1980s when I worked as a mechanic for Brazos Valley Concrete, Mel (plant foreman) told me Gator Gar tasted just like shrimp. Yikes!!! My Granddad had always said they tasted like cotton or mush. So we caught a 5 pounder a year or so later & fried up chunks in light batter, and sure enough, it was close to shrimp. Mel also told me to use a pair of tin snips to open & slit their armor down their back, to get the back straps. Much harder & sometimes not worth it to try for the other side. If you freeze the meat in water, do not cut up in small chunks. Leave in long slabs, as the meat tends to dissipate when thawing out.

Now for the other item.

I post a monthly Catfish Calendar over in the Catfish section. It is for Yellows & Blues, as well as Gator Gars. "gar1970" & "pot licker" & family have been using the calendar for years. As per the calendar, use the YC "sig". And it is possible that they run exactly according to my PYC days (my Personal YellowCat days), as to the pattern behind the scenes. Since GG & YC seem to run the same on the YC calendar days, I assume they are running the same inbred pattern (Roam-Feed circuit switch). It is like an instinct that kicks them out of the house to go roam & feed. Note that the Gator Gars run a little ahead of the Yellows. Just remember that now you can only catch one a day of Gator Gars, and you have to fill out the paperwork or electronically. The biggest I have caught was a 45 pounder in the Trinity River back in 2002. It was taller than my Mom. Next size was a 35 pounder in 1986 with Kristina (my daughter who was 5 at the time, also in the Trinity River. She was a river rat & loved fishing & camping, still does.