Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Gar

So I've noticed Gar seem to be getting the shaft. Not wanted in ponds. are they not just like musky, walleye, pike, and prickle?

So I was wondering why Gar are not wanted in ponds.

They are next to impossible to catch on hook and line, so removal could be very difficult. Also with their small mouths I think they would not be nearly as effective as pike or bass at being a top predator.

They are cool looking though.

Gar can be removed!!!!!!!I know you guys like pics!!!!!

I fish the meramec river and catch my fair share of them on our trot line and even caught a few on the rebel crawdad.

I catch them every so often... Not exactly my favorite fish to catch. I certainly wouldn't stock them on purpose into my pond.

How do gar taste? Like pike?

Gar taste like lobster! I wasn't saying I would like to stock Gar in my pond but trying to promote discussion on the topic. Also I was wondering if it has ever been done before and how the pond did?

Gar vs NP: A reliable bartender friend of mine was down at the Gulf and had AG from a local merchant and said it was tasty, but a bit chewy. NP is very good meat after you deal with the bones. I hate to admit it, but my sargent and I freeze NP fillets, pickle them, and give them away to our friends. Very good in hot oil too.

Very mild, hardly any fishy smell or taste. Chews and tastes a lot like lean pork. Good fried, BBQ'd, grilled, or in a tomato-based sauce. Large bones are not a problem. Cleaning is not hard once you get a little practice.

Dont forget gar-fish balls.

Just don't eat the eggs as they are supposed to be highly poisonous.

We were fishing for some CATS yesterday and the Gar kept snatching our bait.

Of course we could never hook one.

Would like to know more about having some in a pond though, and what the Pros and Cons are.

thanks

Gar is very tasty. If you filet them then you do not have to worry about the bones. They have a very long rib cage which leads people to believe that they are bony. I filet catfish too and after the hard exterior is removed (cut off tail fin, then take sheet metal scizzors and cut the length of spine to the base of the head. Then you can take a fillet knife and run it against the inside of the exterior shell and remove the meat that before you filet it) it isn't much different than catfish to filet. The bigger the Gar the tougher the meat so I would recommend grinding really big gar while making steaks out of the smaller ones.

Gar is good stuff. You just have to get used to getting through the tough skin.