Gar

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TX300mag

TX300mag

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Crosby, TX
I don't catch them really frequently, but they are a treat nonetheless.

I caught a 3" gar Friday. I cut the backstraps off just like I would a deer. Cut into 1" chunks. Drop in crawfish/shrimp boil for five minutes, remove and let sit in boil for another five. Serve with melted butter (mixed with just a little cajun seasoning).

VERY nice treat to break up the monotony of catfish after catfish after catfish. :)
 
How would you know what a three inch gar tasted like? Lol. But seriously, that's on my bucket list, I've never tried gar but would like to make some of those patties like on Swamp People.
 
CATCHDAWG":2i5sqsvw said:
How would you know what a three inch gar tasted like? Lol. But seriously, that's on my bucket list, I've never tried gar but would like to make some of those patties like on Swamp People.
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Ha ha, I figure it would taste like a 3' one-but I'll never take the trouble to find out. :D

I also took a fillet from a 29lb catfish I caught Friday and cut into "shrimp" slices. The meat from the bigger cats seem to hold together better in the boil without bagging. Still not as good as the gar, though.


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I always heard the way to cook gar was to boil it off the bones, mince it, and make gar balls. I also heard eat it while it's hot because cold it was like chewing on rubber. I never tried it myself so I don't know if that's true.
 
I figure it would be fine, but the flavor and texture are too good to mix with potatoes and them batter and fry.

I have no issue eating them cold. The texture is between shrimp and fish IMO, not chewy at all. I'm sure there're are ways to make it chewy, though.


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How did you clean it? The scales look tough, normal fillet methods with a fillet knife or more heavy duty? And how would you compare the flavor to more "traditional" fish? (Freshwater fish)
 
CATCHDAWG":29uxiill said:
How did you clean it? The scales look tough, normal fillet methods with a fillet knife or more heavy duty? And how would you compare the flavor to more "traditional" fish? (Freshwater fish)
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This^^^
Is there an easy way to clean them. Last one it took a hatchet to get through his scales. There's got to be an easier way. Tin snips??
 
Scales are VERY tough. Cut along the back with a pair of tin snips, saw, HD scissors, etc. pull backstraps off just like a deer.

Meat has a very mild flavor. Not as "fishy" as fish-more like crab or lobster IMO.


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Twinshooter":1rmjsanv said:
If that sucker taste like Lobsters and Crabs then it would be worth the trouble.
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Texture like shrimp IMO. Just trying to draw a comparison away from "fish" flavor.

Yes, definitely worth the trouble to me. Actually, with the right tools and method, I'm learning it's not too bad at all to get the filets out.


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Being from Miami I tried it once. Maybe the south Florida gar are different. I am thinking fried palmetto bugs would be better. Maybe catch a bunch of those little lizards and pull their tails off, eat 'em like spaghetti. Comparatively, Alligator tail is Filet Mignon. Even Jack Crevalle is better. How do you get the smell out? I don't mean to be unkind but the Haitians don't eat them and quite frankly they eat most anything.
 
Maybe preparation has a lot to do with it (style, not necessarily quality).

I've fried it alongside fish. I was NOT impressed, although I have someone I fish with who would rather eat fried gar than fish. I won't eat it that way again. It was very good in gumbo.




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TX300mag":hkm74wi3 said:
I've had longnose before from the Tennessee River, but here in Texas the most common are alligator gar.
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so are the longnose worth the trouble? around here it's mostly longnose and a few spotted gar
 
I've ate plenty of Gar usually ground up and cooked like salmon patties. I've also had them cooked on a smoker till the bones are crispy enough to eat. The smoked gar makes a good fish salad.
 
46 keepers up to 14.5lbs, but no gar.
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Key to catching gar is a creek minnow on a smaller hook with 4-5" of paracord guts/frayed white shoelace put through the eye and let it drape over your minnow. They go to eat the minnow and instead of getting hooked, their teeth get tangled in the paracord/shoelace. I have caught hundreds of gar this way. I don't eat them but they are fun to catch. Don't forget you can always punch this bad boys with a bow as well!
 

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