Think I caught a state record

[Bluebasser86]

But I'll never know. Decided to stop by the little river in the town just north of the house about 10 minutes after work this morning. Loaded with gar and when the river gets low, they're really aggressive. I know most shun gar, but they're hard fighters, aggressive, and very acrobatic, on top of the fact that they're dang near impossible to hook. I was fishing a 6' 8" M/F Mojo with a 30 size Pflueger when I got that telltale sharp tap of a gar's beak slapping my grub. When I set the hook, it moved really slow, kind of started wondering if I hadn't missed the fish that bit and snagged a different fish, which happens because of how stacked up they get at times. A normal fish down there is 28-36 inch range, but when I saw this mammoth longnose gar's body, I seriously thought I might have hooked a rogue alligator gar that had somehow found it's way up the river. It was gigantic, I was positive it would swim into one of the 2 log jams pushed up against the concrete walls, but when I was able to slowly finesse it away between leaps and wild tailwalks across the small pool, I started to realize I had a real shot at landed this monster. I grabbed my grippers that were attached to my scale from my open bag and walked to the most opportune spot to try and beach it, really wishing I had a pair of gloves like I normally would so I could just grab the beak. The fish made several more slow, determined runs and at one point stopped and did some massive headshakes that resulted in my line being between it's teeth, I knew the clock was ticking on my 8lb leader then. One failed attempt to clamp the grippers on it's beak, then I lead it to shore once again and clamped further back and drug it onto shore, I could not believe the girth on the fish. I've never seen a gar look fat before, but this looked like a giant muskie's body with a gar head. I had a tape with me, it went right at 53" long. Tried to get a weight, wouldn't open it's mouth, so I tried to pry it open with pliers despite knowing it was a bad idea, and I was right. One huge headshake and I was dripping blood all over and just as fast the fish had propelled itself back to the water and bolted off. The pictures are terrible because they don't really show how truly massive the fish was, but it gives a little idea anyways if you take into consideration the size of the objects around it. It was as big around as my leg with scales the size of nickels. 

[Turkey sandwich]

holy ****! congrats! Not only is that fish massive, its colors, scales and spots are beautiful!  Why on earth did you take that tackle gar fishing?!? No stitches?

[Bluebasser86]

1 minute ago, Turkey sandwich said:

holy ****! congrats! Not only is that fish massive, its colors, scales and spots are beautiful!  Why on earth did you take that tackle gar fishing?!? No stitches?

They're normally smaller fish, no bigger than 5-7 pounds, no problem handling on spinning gear with no current (the only other one I caught yesterday was barely a foot long). I've seen some big ones, but never any dinosaurs like that thing. It wasn't as bad as it looked, looks like I tried to grab a stray cat. There's just so many cuts from all those needle teeth raking the back of the fingers and hand that I was bleeding from everywhere at once. 

[Turkey sandwich]

what were you using for leader? was that just 8lb mono?

 

[Bluebasser86]

Just now, Turkey sandwich said:

what were you using for leader? was that just 8lb mono?

 

8lb Hi-SEAS Grand Slam fluoro coated copolymer, great stuff. 

[Turkey sandwich]

copolymer is so gloriously indestructible.

[A-Jay]

Wow ~ 

Bet that was fun.

Well, except for the bleeding part.

You know I love a good by-catch.

Congrats

A-Jay

 

[NYWayfarer]

Beautiful fish!! Sorry about your hand. Those will be battle scars to remember that gar.

[FishDewd]

Gorgeous! I hooked into a huge alligator once by mistake when I was a kid at our lake house, fishing in the little cove down the hill near the boat ramp. I hooked it using cut finger mullet that one of the neighbors had given me iirc. I had it on my line for all of 5 seconds before it chomped my lightweight mono in half and swam off. I had been fishing for catfish anyway. I was definitely underequipped, all I had for a pole at a time was a 5' light uglystick with a Zebco 33 reel lol. About pulled it out of my hands.

 

I'd love to try fishing for gar again now that I have more knowledge and much better equipment. I know of several spots around here that are loaded with decent sized longnose (I think based on the coloring when they come up) gar.

[TOXIC]

Kansas Record

 

Gar, Longnose
Ray Schroeder, Topeka
31 lbs., 8 oz - unknown length
May 21, 1974 - Perry Reservoir
Rod and reel with yellow beetle

[Bluebasser86]

50 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Kansas Record

 

Gar, Longnose
Ray Schroeder, Topeka
31 lbs., 8 oz - unknown length
May 21, 1974 - Perry Reservoir
Rod and reel with yellow beetle

Oh I knew what it was, and I know it was close. I shot a 51" gar that wasnt nearly as thick that was 23lbs several years ago. This one was in a whole different size class. It was an awesome catch regardless and I don't think I would have killed it even if it was a state record. I know where it lives and it's a small area, hoping maybe I can catch it again.

[EGbassing]

Congrats!  I think it's probably a state record based on the pictures and information you gave, but even if it isn't, it's still a really nice catch.

[Russ E]

that is a fat gar. 

I hooked into a few while bass fishing the Rock creek arm of Perry. they were nowhere near the size of that fish.

They are a tough fish to hook.

Most of the time they get off before I get them into the boat. 

 

[Darren.]

Congrats on that beast of a gar, Blue!

[lonnie g]

53 inches is huge! man they do fight great  and are a blast to catch. Alabama seems to be full of them I have seen 4 footers landed .they will surely cut you not only with there teeth but there scales as well. we don't like them, they really love minnows when we are crappie fishing . nice catch!!!!

[roadwarrior]

Great story, I hope you catch it again!

 

[TnRiver46]

Awesome fish. Believe it or not a large gar is some of the best eating fish I have ever tasted 

[Bluebasser86]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Awesome fish. Believe it or not a large gar is some of the best eating fish I have ever tasted 

People here use bandsaws to fillet them but the eggs are poisonous during certain times of year so you have to be careful with big females. 

[everythingthatswims]

Don't worry, I wouldn't be surprised if you got the state record for one of the "desirables"

[Oregon Native]

Very cool....well done.

I probably would have ended up bleeding too!!