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Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731053 11/30/22 07:23 PM 11/30/22 07:23 PM
Joined: Jul 2019 Oklahoma J justjosh trapper
justjosh trapper J Joined: Jul 2019 Oklahoma	Caught a lot with red yarn tied to a hook out of Red River when I was a kid.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731061 11/30/22 07:35 PM 11/30/22 07:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas S Sheepdog1 trapper
Sheepdog1 trapper S Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas	I watched three old black men wear them out on nothing but red and yellow yarn type rope, no hooks at all. that was about 1982 in May and the river was up pretty high. It was hot as hec too, i do remember that part. my bud and I shot the state record needlenose that day. He ended up breaking that record of 39 pounds with one that he has life size mounted, I think it weighed 92 pounds and was certified as a needlenose, its not a true needlenose gar. Its a hybrid of some sort. none the less he still holds that record as far as I know. back then, 88 pound braid is all we could find to spool the Zebco 808 and 888. got broke off many times. now with that new stuff that is 200 and 400 pound line, you probably wont lose many if you just let the darn thing wear down.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Boco] #7731085 11/30/22 08:00 PM 11/30/22 08:00 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad... H Hutchy OP trapper
Hutchy OP trapper H Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...	Originally Posted by Boco Hutchy and Sheepdog should trade fishing trips. I'm game

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731109 11/30/22 08:30 PM 11/30/22 08:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2014 Central Texas C Chancey trapper
Chancey trapper C Joined: Mar 2014 Central Texas	Choke Canyon produces some big ones as well. Resident Conspiracy Theorist Accused Moron, Nazi, Low IQ, and Putin Fan Boy

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731114 11/30/22 08:36 PM 11/30/22 08:36 PM
Joined: Oct 2013 Nebraska Mocular trapper
Mocular trapper Joined: Oct 2013 Nebraska	When I was in Pascagoula at the Northrop Grumman shipyard the big gar would circle under the waterline security lights at night. Some of those fish were enormous. The water was brackish so you would see freshwater and saltwater fish in the same area. Biggest I saw was probably 10’ long and big around as a bushel basket. 2024-25: Beaver 11, Bobcat 4, Coyote 11, raccoon 6, opossum 3, muskrat 7, badger 1

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731139 11/30/22 08:50 PM 11/30/22 08:50 PM
Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas S Sheepdog1 trapper
Sheepdog1 trapper S Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas	I have never bow fished Choke Canyon but have some good friends that bass fish it a good bit. They see them in the spring and early summer, hec, thats when they are there. I knew some guys that we shot a lot of tournaments withyears back. they primarily bow fished the Brazos and they shot some really nice gator gar. I havent heard from them in many years. Hutchy, I cant bowfish anymore due to all these darn spine surgeries. I sure know some folks that know the same info that I know and they are darn good folks. The Gar Guy I know of but I have never been around him. seen his videos.. If I was still after these big gar you would be more than welcome to come on down when the time is right. I certainly hope you can hook up with a good guide and catch several over 150 pounds. Hec, if you want to know about certain guides, most of these cats are darn good at catching gar and know where to find them. especially the ones that are on the fishing shows. Just be very sure that if you want to keep the meat or get one mounted, dont come to Lake Livingston or the Trinity River from the Lake Livingston Dam down to the 146/Hwy 90 river bridge. The state will not allow you to keep them in this zone. they have made it a real pain in the butt,

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Sheepdog1] #7731171 11/30/22 09:03 PM 11/30/22 09:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad... H Hutchy OP trapper
Hutchy OP trapper H Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...	Originally Posted by Sheepdog1 I have never bow fished Choke Canyon but have some good friends that bass fish it a good bit. They see them in the spring and early summer, hec, thats when they are there. I knew some guys that we shot a lot of tournaments withyears back. they primarily bow fished the Brazos and they shot some really nice gator gar. I havent heard from them in many years. Hutchy, I cant bowfish anymore due to all these darn spine surgeries. I sure know some folks that know the same info that I know and they are darn good folks. The Gar Guy I know of but I have never been around him. seen his videos.. If I was still after these big gar you would be more than welcome to come on down when the time is right. I certainly hope you can hook up with a good guide and catch several over 150 pounds. Hec, if you want to know about certain guides, most of these cats are darn good at catching gar and know where to find them. especially the ones that are on the fishing shows. Just be very sure that if you want to keep the meat or get one mounted, dont come to Lake Livingston or the Trinity River from the Lake Livingston Dam down to the 146/Hwy 90 river bridge. The state will not allow you to keep them in this zone. they have made it a real pain in the butt, Thanks for the info! Sorry about the back.. I hear summer is prime time, but I only have time off in winter. Are they still catchable in the winter?

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731227 11/30/22 09:43 PM 11/30/22 09:43 PM
Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas S Sheepdog1 trapper
Sheepdog1 trapper S Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas	I have no idea, only messed with em from mid April to mid September. I would call some of the guides that actually advertise. I cant see them being to active in the cold months.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731237 11/30/22 09:51 PM 11/30/22 09:51 PM
Joined: Aug 2010 Asheville, NC C charles trapper
charles trapper C Joined: Aug 2010 Asheville, NC	I recall seeing a Utube video of someone who smoked gar.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731566 12/01/22 09:47 AM 12/01/22 09:47 AM
Joined: Feb 2014 Louisiana Aix sponsa trapper
Aix sponsa trapper Joined: Feb 2014 Louisiana	Boco I have not had smoked gar yet. I would think it’s delicious though. Smoked meats are a big part of the way we eat here. You mentioned the meat looking like sturgeon. I believe it. I would think that most of those ancient freshwater species would be similar—-alligator gar, sturgeon, choupique, and paddlefish. I would treat them all the same... Out of curiosity, how is sturgeon frozen? Is it frozen with or without water?

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731747 12/01/22 02:20 PM 12/01/22 02:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Coldspring Texas Savell "Wilbur"
Savell "Wilbur" Joined: Dec 2006 Coldspring Texas	Insert profound nonsense here

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Savell] #7731764 12/01/22 02:40 PM 12/01/22 02:40 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad... H Hutchy OP trapper
Hutchy OP trapper H Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...	Originally Posted by Savell That clears things up

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731781 12/01/22 03:14 PM 12/01/22 03:14 PM
Joined: Nov 2014 Texas J jtg trapper
jtg trapper J Joined: Nov 2014 Texas	Downtown Houston in the flood control channels and https://buffalobayou.org/ It's an overlooked area.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731786 12/01/22 03:17 PM 12/01/22 03:17 PM
Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas S Sheepdog1 trapper
Sheepdog1 trapper S Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas	they are a bony fish, not an Osteichthyes like shark or paddlefish or shark. I have smoked them in the fall or early winter when smoking sausage. we would cut the backstrap off of these big gar and blot them dry, then vacuum seal them until we were smoking sausage and a couple of hams. One thing I would suggest is to put the fish under the sausage to allow it to catch the drippings from the sausage. I have also smoked them on a pit old style with mesquite and pecan. very fine table fare. The slab of meat that Mr Aix Sponsa showed is one backstrap section of a gar. there is nothing else to retrieve on them. dont do like my brother in law and feed the row to your laying hens. It will kill every one of them in short order. he learned the hard way, i wish he had eaten them himself and left the laying hens alone. they are or were way more than his sorry a..!

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731805 12/01/22 03:40 PM 12/01/22 03:40 PM
Joined: Oct 2012 Wisconsin E Eagleye trapper
Eagleye trapper E Joined: Oct 2012 Wisconsin	Hutchy- you better swing your figure 8 pretty wide at boat side

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Aix sponsa] #7731807 12/01/22 03:42 PM 12/01/22 03:42 PM
Joined: Aug 2011 james bay frontierOnt. B Boco trapper
Boco trapper B Joined: Aug 2011 james bay frontierOnt.	Originally Posted by Aix sponsa Boco I have not had smoked gar yet. I would think it’s delicious though. Smoked meats are a big part of the way we eat here. You mentioned the meat looking like sturgeon. I believe it. I would think that most of those ancient freshwater species would be similar—-alligator gar, sturgeon, choupique, and paddlefish. I would treat them all the same... Out of curiosity, how is sturgeon frozen? Is it frozen with or without water? I like sturgeon deep fried also-so I have frozen it right after cleaning and cutting up into big chunks. It freezes well like any other fish.We smoke sturgeon outside over a fire on racks made of willow and close off the sides with old plywood or brush etc.We smoke with the skin on and whole(split down the back) right when they are caught fresh.If it is a big one we slice each side in half lengthwise so the sides are no more than a couple inches thick on each side. When I freeze fillets or meal sized chunks of sturgeon,I lay it on a baking sheet in the freezer.When it is frozen,I take it out and dip in cold water(or spray water from a spray bottle) and back in the freezer on the sheet.I repeat this about 4 or 5 times until each fillet is coated with about an eighth inch of ice,then I bag them.They keep good with no freezerburn,and you can take out as many or as few as you need for a meal. Last edited by Boco; 12/01/22 03:44 PM. Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Hutchy] #7731845 12/01/22 04:07 PM 12/01/22 04:07 PM
Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas S Sheepdog1 trapper
Sheepdog1 trapper S Joined: Sep 2015 Livingston, Texas	he wont need to do that fella. that big gar will be pulling his back out by the point he gets it next to the boat. this isnt sissy fishing. you know dang well that big mother is on there in short order after setting the hook. that musky technique wont be needed. Just a good catch pole and a savvy guide to get that mother in the boat. then steer clear of that tail and head.

Re: Where to catch big alligator gar? [Re: Eagleye] #7731862 12/01/22 04:17 PM 12/01/22 04:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad... H Hutchy OP trapper
Hutchy OP trapper H Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...	Originally Posted by Eagleye Hutchy- you better swing your figure 8 pretty wide at boat side I thought you got in the water and noodled them.

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