Ha! that answered the question I was reluctant to ask. Good for you. I haven't eat them but I had a friend who did. What he told me was that it was good to eat as long as it was still hot. He said it was unpleasant after cooling off. He didn't used shears but since I know you will get a kick out of this I will share. He said he used a skilsaw opened to cut as deep as it would go. He would cut the fish orthogonal to its length in 3/4" or so chops, then he would cut the loin above the ribcage. So after cutting the loin all the way around he could pop them free of the chop ... just the tenderloin piece.
He said that when he cut them with the skill saw that "The sparks will just fly." I was never sure if he was goading me to try them as joke or if he was really being honest with me. One thing I can tell you is this. Another friend who knew him as a child road the bus with him. One morning the bus came to pick them up and he and his brothers had a bobcat treed just 50 yards or so from the house. He was frustrated that the bus had not come later because he had wanted to harvest the bobcat. He told him, "I sure hope the hounds can hold him till after school, they're mighty fine to eat." This gave me a little more confidence that he was telling me as he really saw it.
My dad and my grandfathers (both) really drove home in me the importance of using wildlife. The wanton waste of anything but something that was destroying livestock was taboo. So I've always released rough fish though I have kept some to eat. My favorite rough fish are buffalo but its been maybe 30 years since I have had some. I never built the courage to eat gar but I certainly support this use for any that do.
Last edited by jpsdad; 12/03/21 05:01 PM.
