Longnose gar

The longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus, is a gar, a type of primitive ray-finned fish. It is also known as the needlenose gar.

Identification

Snout is very long and a narrow beak containing many large teeth. Body long and cylindrical, covered with diamond-shape scales.

Adult Size

Usually ranges to about 24-40 inches and weighs 1-7 pounds; may grow to 49 inches and 25 pounds.

Food

They usually eat minnows and gizzard shad.

Biology

You can usually find Longnose Gar in backwaters, low inflow pools and clear streams. Longnose gar spawn during early April, in shallow riffle areas. Females are larger than the males. They are usually accompanied by one or many males. Nests are never prepared. Each female deposits a portion of her eggs in several different areas. Hatching takes six to eight days.

How to Catch

Longnose gar may be captured by entangling the teeth in nylon threads, or by bowfishing.

Economic value

Gar skin is sometimes sold as jewlery.