Alligator gar fish

Alligator gar fish hunting

Alligator gar fish are sold as food fish, but it is not a very popular food fish and lot of sport fishers never eats their catch. The main purpose of Alligator gar fishing is instead the thrill of the hunt since this fish species is large as well as feisty.

If you want to catch Alligator gar fish during your fishing trip, you should ideally fish near driftwood in slow moving waters since such environments are known to attract the Alligator gar fish.

The like to stay hidden under driftwood and among aquatic plants to ambush prey that comes too close. Alligator gar fish feed on fish, waterfowl, crustaceans, turtles and have even been spotted killing Alligators.  

Whole mullet is often used as Alligator gar fish bate among sport fishers. Alligator gar fishes are not line shy and attracting an Alligator gar fish is usually not hard. The difficult part it to handle this large and powerful fish. Ideally follow the bobber until it halts, since the Alligator gar fish must swallow the line before the hook is set. Do not set the hook until the Alligator gar has begun to move again.

Since the Alligator gar fish is so big and powerful it is usually not a good idea to place it in your boat until you know that it is dead. An Alligator gar fish struggling for its life can deliver really painful bites with its small but razor sharp teeth. It should be noted that Alligator gar fish pose no real threat to swimming humans, not even children. Humans are not considered Alligator gar fish prey.

Alligator gar fish regulation

Since it eats virtually any type of prey, the Alligator gar fish is sometimes called “trash fish”. A lot of fishermen dislike the Alligator gar fish since it prey upon other game fish. Earlier, it was common for fishermen to snare Alligator gar fish, kill it and throw it back into the water to keep the population down. Today, the Alligator gar fish is considered threatened in several regions and Alligator gar fishing is more strictly regulated. Always check current legislation in your state before you engage in Alligator gar fishing.   

Alligator gar fish adaptations

The Alligator gar fish can breathe while submerged as well as obtain oxygen directly from the air. This is an adaptation to muddy and oxygen depleted slow water environments. The buoyancy bladder of the Alligator gar fish is connected directly to the throat of the fish and makes it easy for the Alligator gar fish to loiter just below the waters’ surface. This habit makes them quite an easy catch for bow hunters.  

The name Alligator gar fish is derived from the snout of this fish with its two rows of really big teeth in the upper jaw which gives the species a somewhat Alligator like appearance. The teeth are small, but extremely sharp and specialised for shredding prey. A third adaptation is the joint located behind the head of the Alligator gar fish. This joint makes it possible for the Alligator gar fish to make nodding head movements.

Source : http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/predatory/Alligator-gar-fish.php