Gar

	Scientific Name	Lepisosteus osseus
	Other Names	Longnose Gar. Needle Fish
	World Record	50.31 lbs

Description

Gar fish are olive-brown or deep green along the back and upper sides, with silver-white bellies. There are a few irregular, large dark spots on the body. The young display scattered spots over both sides, the upper and lower jaws and on their ventral fins. The longnose is generally distinguished from other gars by its longer, more slender body, and especially by its longer, narrower snout. The snout is twice the length of the rest of the head

Habitat

They inhabit sluggish, sometimes poorly oxygenated water, backwaters of medium-to-large rivers and lakes. Gars as well as other gar species are able to tolerate poor water quality by breathing air through its air bladder. They usually are found near vegetation and occasionally in brackish waters. Gar are usually found near the surface as they tend to be surface feeders.

Feeding Habit

Young fish mainly feed on zooplankton and any small items while larger ones feed on small fish, frogs and crustaceans. They feed by stalking their prey or lying in wait for it to come within striking distance. Gar have a very fast strike due to there shape they shoot through or across the water like streaking bullets.

Age and Growth

Females Gars grow faster, bigger, and live longer than males and can attain lengths in excess of five feet. Spawning occurs between December and March in Florida. Adhesive eggs are scattered in shallow water over vegetation or other structure and hatch between six and eight days later. The larvae attaches themselves to the substrate shortly after hatching by means of a disk-like organ on the tip of the snout while the fish continues to develop.

Tackle and Methods

Gar can be great fun if the tackle is balanced for the fish. The majority that are caught are around the 5 to 10lb mark and these fish provide great sport on light tackle. Either match or light spinning tackle is usually enough to Sufis for the majority of Gar fishing. For bait small strips of fresh fish are best.

Related Species

Listed below are similar related species that customers have searched.

Florida Gar

Alligator Gar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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