Record Longnose Gar: Some of you all have probably seen this already, but thought I’d post for those who haven’t. We don’t have these around here, but some of you Must have caught one...

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

Some of you all have probably seen this already, but thought I’d post for those who haven’t. We don’t have these around here, but some of you Must have caught one in the past.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

RuffplayOR57 wrote:

Some of you all have probably seen this already, but thought I’d post for those who haven’t. We don’t have these around here, but some of you Must have caught one in the past.

Puny cousins of these guys I reckon. Alligator gar. Thanks Ruff.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Spiritof27 wrote:

Puny cousins of these guys I reckon. Alligator gar. Thanks Ruff.

That’s what I was thinking too Spirit. I’ve caught plenty but I hate catching them.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I've never caught one. Of either variety. Like Ruff said, we ain't got them this far west. I hear that they're inedible. True? I hear that about carp too, but I know better.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

The ones I have caught seem to be armor plated, so they get released.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Spiritof27 wrote:

I've never caught one. Of either variety. Like Ruff said, we ain't got them this far west. I hear that they're inedible. True? I hear that about carp too, but I know better.

I tried killing the first one I caught with an ax. It bounced off that Gar like it was made of steel. It was about three feet. I gave up and kicked it back in the water. I’ll tell you a fish that is delicious ground up and made into patties, is a Grinnell (Bowfin).
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Looks like a gar, except for the snout.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Spiritof27 wrote:

Looks like a gar, except for the snout.

They get huge and are a hell of a fighter with razor sharp teeth. You need a large hook and at least 50# test line.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

Spiritof27 wrote:

Puny cousins of these guys I reckon. Alligator gar. Thanks Ruff.

I think they both look like they’d be very destructive on the rest of the fish populations.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

RuffplayOR57 wrote:

I think they both look like they’d be very destructive on the rest of the fish populations.

I’m sure they are Ruff. The ones I caught were in a creek off the Trinity River in Liberty, Texas. You talk about a fight! First one I caught, I thought was something prehistoric.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

hacksaw wrote:

I’m sure they are Ruff. The ones I caught were in a creek off the Trinity River in Liberty, Texas. You talk about a fight! First one I caught was something prehistoric.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Sounds like I might need to pack my 44mag to finish one off. I’d hate to have to let one go to just think it would be eating more of the fish I was after.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

RuffplayOR57 wrote:

Sounds like I might need to pack my 44mag to finish one off. I’d hate to have to let one go to just think it would be eating more of the fish I was after.

That would work Ruff. They make great patties, seasoned and fried up. It’s all white meat.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

hacksaw wrote:

That would work Ruff. They make great patties, seasoned and fried up. It’s all white meat.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone had tried "Gar-Balls"... Same as patties, I GUESS; just different shape... There's so many tiny bones in them rascals, that ya pretty much GOTTA make patties or balls out of 'em! (A friend of mine fixed up "Gar-Balls", down in LA, back in 1976... Sure were GOOD!)

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Able Man wrote:

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone had tried "Gar-Balls"... Same as patties, I GUESS; just different shape... There's so many tiny bones in them rascals, that ya pretty much GOTTA make patties or balls out of 'em! (A friend of mine fixed up "Gar-Balls", down in LA, back in 1976... Sure were GOOD!)

Gar Balls are good too Able Man. It’s just not worth the effort in killing one of them. They’re scales are like sheet metal. Like I wrote, I tried to kill one with an axe and gave up. A guy at work fried up some Gar-balls and another brought some Grinnell patties. Both were good, but I got hooked on trying to catch those Grinnell. I haven’t thought about that in years. I don’t know if I could land one now. They get really big.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

Able Man wrote:

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone had tried "Gar-Balls"... Same as patties, I GUESS; just different shape... There's so many tiny bones in them rascals, that ya pretty much GOTTA make patties or balls out of 'em! (A friend of mine fixed up "Gar-Balls", down in LA, back in 1976... Sure were GOOD!)

Able, You made me think about something my Uncles use to do. I don’t remember the fish they used but do remember had quite a few bones. My Uncles cut, seasoned, smoked and canned them. I remember them serving it kinda like a cracker spread, and it was good, the canning made all the bones very very soft and you could not even tell you were eating them right along with the meat.