new state record

ely · February 03, 2011, 05:25:33 PM

192 pounds,7ft 8 inch long. 41 inches girth

fishpharmer · February 03, 2011, 05:42:02 PM

8) 8) Look at that!!! A true "Monster Fish!" 8) 8)

Thanks Ely. I like it.

Wonder what kind of bait he used?

pineywoods · February 03, 2011, 05:47:45 PM

DanG, that ain't a fish, that's a gator that lost his shoes.. :D I've seen several in that size range that came out of the ouichita river.

SPIKER · February 03, 2011, 06:56:51 PM

kind of looks photo shopped to me. but I have seen some BIG gar back when I spent time on the Arkansas River playing out in middle of southern Kansas when I was in military.

Mark

Magicman · February 03, 2011, 09:29:31 PM

I wonder what a gar sammich would taste like ???

Tom · February 03, 2011, 09:31:51 PM

I don't know, but I hear that they make good Salmon Croquettes. :-\

Magicman · February 03, 2011, 09:57:46 PM

I've (had to) eaten gar cooked over a campfire before. All that we took was cooking oil, potatoes and bread. Where was fishpharmer when we needed him ???

ely · February 04, 2011, 10:00:53 AM

this pic was sent to me by the guys that snagged that fish. i know them personally. no photo shop involved, and if there is i will eat my words.

this is an alligator gar, somewhat different from the gar that would be found in kansas.

the fellas name is james tucker, the fish was certified at the fish hatchery in oklahoma.

gar is good to eat,imo. ive had it baked, fried, and boiled. all good.

Just Me · February 04, 2011, 06:04:04 PM

Wow!

That looks like a nice size sturgeon! I had no idea that Gar could get that big. Wow!

Jeff · February 04, 2011, 07:21:55 PM

Isn't that an Alligator Gar?

isawlogs · February 04, 2011, 08:49:27 PM

I don't know what an alligator gar looks like, I do know what a sturgeon does though, and that aint no sturgeon.

Its a big fish regardless

:D

Chuck White · February 04, 2011, 09:08:49 PM

Quote from: Just Me on February 04, 2011, 06:04:04 PM
Wow!

That looks like a nice size sturgeon! I had no idea that they could get that big. Wow!

At first glance I too thought it was a Sturgeon, but the framework was wrong.

Then I just thought Gar, no particular kind!

Congrats to the man on setting a new state record.

fishpharmer · February 04, 2011, 11:15:39 PM

Quote from: Jeff on February 04, 2011, 07:21:55 PM
Isn't that an Alligator Gar?

yes

crtreedude · February 05, 2011, 06:07:35 AM

So, that is what I would look like if I was a fish... (I weight 192 lbs, roughly)

fishpharmer · February 05, 2011, 06:18:06 AM

Quote from: crtreedude on February 05, 2011, 06:07:35 AM
So, that is what I would look like if I was a fish... (I weight 192 lbs, roughly)

I picture you more as a shark ;) :D ;D

Magicman · February 05, 2011, 08:27:21 AM

At 165, I would be bait. :

pineywoods · February 05, 2011, 10:19:33 AM

There are several species of gar. Most of them won't get over 18-20 inches and weigh a couple of pounds. Alligator gar do get large. I think the largest on record came from the white river in arkansas, somewhere around 200 pounds. So named because they look like an alligator with no feet, that includes the teeth. Years ago, I used to help an uncle who was a commercial fisherman. Occasionally one of these beasts would get caught in his nets. Usually destroyed the net.

sandhills · February 05, 2011, 10:34:01 AM

Being a gar (don't care what type) I'd be a little nervous with his head that close to mine, dead or alive :D I've seen their teeth.

clww · February 05, 2011, 10:37:27 AM

That would be a nice prize with a bow! One fish I would not want to be in the river with!

Jeff · February 05, 2011, 12:59:52 PM

The only thing I can find on the internet about a 192 lb gar was from 2007

http://corsicanadailysun.com/outdoors/x212347908/Gar-Gantuan-Nacogdoches-teen-reels-in-new-state-water-body-record-alligator-gar-at-Sam-Rayburn

I'm kinda dubious of the authenticity of the photo the more I look at it, simply because unless that is a little man, that fish would have to weigh a whole lot more than 192 lbs at that size. It also seems like with a fish that big, the story would be all over the web.

I checked it on a Freshwater fish weight calculator and if you plug in those dimensions, you get a weight of over 300 lbs.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/fishfreshwtcalc.html

Dale Hatfield · February 05, 2011, 01:41:44 PM

If the fish is 7 foot 8 inches long then that is one very short man.

fishpharmer · February 05, 2011, 01:43:19 PM

Jeff, I find it completly believable. Compare Oklahoma fish to fish in this story. http://www.thejump.net/fishing/1fishphoto5/fish-pic-15.htm

I know the fish in link was real. If the fish was an official record it could take weeks or longer for state officials to make a press release. I know from experience. ;)

Gator gar aren't like most fish. They are tube shaped with little taper. I think the angle of pic and shadows make it appear larger than reality.

If I am wrong, it won't be the first time.

Jeff · February 05, 2011, 01:53:00 PM

I don't think the shadows are right. He is casting a long shadow, but the shadow of his hat looks like the sun is right overhead. Looking across the water into the brush, there seems to be no long shadows there. I dont think you would get the deep solid dark shadow behind him on water, because of the daytime reflected light off of the water surface.

Gary_C · February 05, 2011, 01:54:15 PM

When I saw that picture I too thought it was altered. Can't understand why you would take a picture like that unless you were trying to distort perspective.

Here is a good picture and story about a real big fish. Course to catch one of these you have to be really nuts and go ice fishing. :D :D

Bayport Man Hauls Massive Sturgeon Through Ice on St. Croix River

Woodcarver · February 05, 2011, 04:01:58 PM

The dimensions match well with the record alligator gar listed on the Oklahoma DNR website. They list the current record as a fish 92 inches long, 38 inch girth, weighing 184 lbs 3 oz.