Alligator gars are the largest of all gar species with a head that looks very much like an alligator’s. They can grow long and massive – more than six feet long and over 100 pounds.

The Gar has received its nickname due to some physical characteristics which the fish share with the alligator, although these two animals aren’t related in any manner. FWC biologists continue to learn more about the cause of these declines and work to develop a plan to revitalize the population.

Tracking Alligator Gar on the Escambia River: A Photo Set on FlickrA population estimate of alligator gar in the Escambia River. So I was excited for a new-to-me species and looked forward to the adventure. Click on the species name to view the detailed information for the species. Previously, this species' range extended to the upper reaches of the Mississippi River in Illinois, Ohio and Missouri.

Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, On a Quest for a Freshwater Giant: Alligator Gar, Tracking Alligator Gar on the Escambia River: A Photo Set on Flickr, Alligator Gar Research on the Yellow River: Video, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. There are many RV parks throughout the area that can be used as a launching point.

Interestingly, this extra row of teeth only exists on the organism’s upper-jaw. I was using lighter tackle, and had a surprisingly lengthy fight with one that ended up being just over three feet – a growing juvenile successfully and safely released. These trips mainly take place at night, and the guides have their boats equipped with a variety of spotlights. The Gar is known as a euryhaline organism for its unique ability to thrive in waters with different levels of salinity.

The previous overfishing of the species have the FWC creating regulations to help the species thrive.

Unlike many other forms of Gar fish, the alligator gar sports an extra row of teeth for quicker and more lethal hunting. This was an important consideration for managers determining how to best protect Florida’s alligator gar. Biologists have shown that the species presents no threat to game fish. Alligator gar occur in rivers and sometimes brackish waters across the southeastern U.S. from Florida to Texas and into Mexico. These freshwater predators dominate their habitat and make for a truly monster catch. - Thurs.

Male alligator gar take six years to reach maturity and can live approximately 26 years, while females reach maturity in 11 years and can live 50 years. Recent studies in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana suggest alligator gar are very susceptible to over-fishing. (The white sturgeon is often considered North America’s largest freshwater fish, but it spends substantial time in salt water.). Alligator gars are able to tolerate brackish and even salt water, but they prefer the sluggish pools and backwaters of large rivers, swamps, bayous, and lakes. The technical knowledge gained through this research will guide efforts to manage alligator gar, and Florida's other fish and wildlife resources, for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. Alligator Gar are native to slow rivers, reservoirs, landlocked lakes, oxbows and brackish estuarine waters of the southeastern USA.

Alligator Gars are mostly found in freshwater habitats, but can make their way to brackish waters. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission • Farris Bryant Building They were rooted out and eliminated by federal and state authorities throughout the country for their perceived negative impact on fishing practices overall. We were using live bait with a section of steel leader, and reeled in three of varying sizes throughout the trip. Today, however, gars live only in North and Central America. They can pose a passive danger, though: The fish’s eggs are poisonous to humans if ingested. According to some anecdotes, these fish can grow to be 10-feet in length. In addition to their ability to inhale oxygen from the water or air, these fish also have spiral valve intestines. Learn more about this species and ongoing alligator gar research throughout Florida's Panhandle. If you’re looking for a chance to see the Gar in person, an RV trip is the best way to accomplish this goal. Florida Alligator Gars are the largest of all gar species with a head that looks very much like an alligator’s. They can be distinguished from all other gars species by the two rows of teeth in the upper jaw, their short-broader snout, and their size when fully grown. They can be found in the lower Mississippi River basin between, and including, Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma.The species was also introduced to Central America and Thailand and fishing for them is marketed as a world-wide sensation in the latter. Before setting out for your Alligator Gar fishing trip, make sure you know the rules and regulations. The prehistoric relatives of the species first appeared 157 million years ago and inhabited many parts of the world. In Florida, they do not occur farther east than the Apalachicola River in the Panhandle. Alligator Gar Species ProfileIn Florida, the largest member of the gar family is only known to inhabit coastal rivers in the Panhandle from Gulf County to Escambia County.

Alligator gars have few natural predators, though alligators have been known to attack them, and young fish are preyed upon by other species. It is believed that alligator gar spawn in late spring, between April and June. Since the mid-1900s, alligator gar numbers have declined, leaving populations in only half of the 14 states they once inhabited. Major swaths of the overall Gar population have been decimated due to habitat destruction. While Alligator Gar are more common in Texas, you can find them throughout the Southeast United States – including Alabama and Mississippi. While this species of Gar can be seen throughout Florida, the state’s panhandle has a higher concentration of these fish. Due to the ferocious teeth on these predators, heavy tackle is best to help get the giants to the boat. In the past, the gars developed a bad, but largely undeserved reputation as “trash fish” among anglers who believed they damaged nets and devoured game fish.

This cunning and predatory fish is not an easy catch; experienced anglers will have to fight against the gar's huge size and great strength. reserved. Alligator Gar caught by researchers on the Yellow River in NW Florida. The alligator gar bears no relation to alligators, but with its wide, crocodilian head and razor-sharp teeth, it’s easy to see how this giant fish got its name. © 2020 Florida RV Trade Association.

It may obtain as much as 70 percent of the oxygen it needs from the atmosphere. Alligator gars were historically found throughout the Mississippi River Valley and may have even existed as far north as Iowa and as far west as Kansas and Nebraska. Resource managers commonly recommending culling them, and throughout the 20th century the alligator gar numbers plummeted, with only Texas and Louisiana maintaining stable populations. These slow-growing fish can live up to 50 years old and the adult gar have very few natural predators (aside from humans). While some anglers enjoy the sport of pursuing and catching this species, other anglers actually consider it a "trash" fish, not worth their efforts.

Read on to learn about the Alligator Gar. Bowfin, Longnose Gar, Shortnose Gar, Alligator Gar, etc. Despite those trials, alligator gar made a surprising comeback and have been identified as a euryhaline species that can adapt to a range of varying water salinities, such as freshwater lakes, swamps, and even brackish marshes and estuaries.

While the alligator gar can be found in a wide variety of fresh and brackish waters, and slow moving rivers are the ideal environments for these tough, hardy fish. Over the past few decades, there have been some protective measures and laws put into place by federal and state agencies. There are many RV parks throughout the area that can be used as a launching point. Description – They are one of the most distinctive freshwater fish species. A particularly interesting ability of the alligator gar is their ability to breathe air when out of the water. Pursuant to section 120.74, Florida Statutes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has published its 2019 Agency Regulatory Plan. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- No matter which technique you use, or where your next Alligator Gar trip takes you, you’re in for an incredible experience.

Adults typically measure about 5 or 6 ft. long, and weigh about 150 lbs. Copyright 1999 - 2020 State of Florida.

Although they may look ferocious, alligator gars pose no threat to humans and there are no known attacks on people. In recent years, however, the alligator gar’s reputation has improved and the fish has undergone something of an image makeover.

So it’s catch-and-release only for Florida anglers. The Alligator Gar Fish is the largest species of fish in the Gar domain and is known to be among the largest of freshwater fishes in North America. This species of Gar is considered to be euryhaline due to their ability to adapt to different degrees of salinity. Populations of the Gar are now restricted to the southern portion of the United States and parts of northeastern Mexico.

Alligator Gar Only found dwelling west of the Apalachicola River, alligator gar are one of the most mysterious fish in Florida. They are impressive creatures, with torpedo-shaped bodies, broad snouts, and sharp teeth. Even after a fight they can still be pretty energetic, and tend to thrash about aggressively at boatside. In fact, this species outsizes a majority of other fish in the entirety of North America. Due to habitat destruction, unrestricted harvests and indiscriminate culling (as gar were considered “nuisance fish” for nearly half a century), many of the gar's historic habitats has been eliminated.

In other words, bigger fish have more offspring. The size of this fish is nothing to take lightly; the average weight of this creature is around 200 pounds, although the biggest recorded weight in captivity stands at more than 300 pounds. Unfortunately, the numbers of alligator gar in much of their range have decreased. With those chompers it’s clear they are at the top of the food chain in their fisheries.

The Alligator Gar is one of the largest freshwater fish in the United States. My trip happened to be in Florida, but you’ll need to stick to the northwest side of the state, as they aren’t typically found east of the Panhandle. Alligator gar is one of the most distinctive freshwater fish species and the largest of all gar. Cut bait works well for the ‘Gator Gar, as do jigs, live minnows, or spoons. On a Quest for a Freshwater Giant: Alligator GarA tagging study reveals a few secrets of Atractosteus spatula, but the bigger mystery is yet to be solved: how many of its kind populate Florida rivers? All rights Description of the Alligator Gar. In other words, the Gar can adapt between areas with high and low salt concentrations. Alligator gars are the largest of all gar species with a head that looks very much like an alligator’s. Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. All rights reserved.