After the white sturgeon, the alligator gar is the largest freshwater game fish in North America. They are known to reach up to ten feet in length and 365 pounds in weight. Wow, fishing for alligator gar is crazy. It’s no joke to hook one of these suckers. You need some serious muscle power to reel them in.
So, how do you catch them? Well, first of all, you need a heavy fishing rod. Don’t even attempt to use a lighter rod unless you don’t mind breaking it. Next, you need a larger reel spooled with 25 pound line, minimum. The stronger the line, the better. Then you need 2-3 foot length wire leader because the teeth on the gar can cut through line like nothing. Connected to the wire leader, you will need a large, heavy duty treble hook. Rig a large bait fish (10-12 inches) or chunk of fish to the treble hook securely.
Alligator gar prefer slower moving water like sloughs, backwaters, and still lakes. Cast out your bait and wait. When the gar takes the bait, DO NOT set the hook right away. Rather let it take the bait a little further into it’s mouth. The reason for this is, alligator gar have a very bony mouth and the hook will not hold the fish, unless it is hooked towards the back of the mouth where there is more flesh.
After you set the hook, THE FIGHT IS ON! They will give you one of the craziest fights of any freshwater fish in North America. This is why alligator gar fishing has exploded in popularity in recent years. They can tire even the toughest of anglers.
When you get the gar landed, be careful around those teeth. The last thing you want after a great fishing experience is a gaping wound. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video and good luck in your alligator gar fishing adventures.
***Final Note: The alligator gar is only the second largest fish in North America. You should see the size of the first. Here is the link:
