Gar one of the oldest and most misunderstood fish in Texas

Gar one of the oldest and most misunderstood fish in Texas

By Selina McSherry

Source: gosanangelo

9/10/2020

I remember my first encounter with an alligator gar. I was 10 years old fishing with my dad on Lake Buchanan. We had just set up camp and couldn’t wait to get our lines baited and in the water. About an hour in, my dad had something tugging on his line. I was in complete shock as he reeled in an alligator gar. Its appearance was unique and striking. I clearly remember telling my dad, “That’s a dinosaur.” He chuckled, of course, but carefully released the hook and explain everything about the “dinosaur.”

My dad, in his many years of fishing, knew this species as a trash fish. People never like catching them because they could easily break your line. However, he was fascinated with them. He explained there are four species of gar in Texas: longnose, spotted, shortnose and alligator gar. And I wasn’t so wrong about it being a dinosaur … their ancestors have been found in Permian deposits as fossils from 215 million years ago. They are ancient fish and true Texas natives. Most live to be around 50 years old. These fish can get large, too. Many reports of individuals catching alligator gar from the Trinity River to the Brazos River include catches up to seven feet and nearly 200 pounds. The size and appearance of these toothy species can be frightening to many; however most gars are gentle giants.