What type of fishing do you do?

[BigRedMoe]

Because they are a bitch to skin.

Ya know, that is probably a big part of it. Its so much easier to fillet a walleye.... and frankly I like the taste better.

 

[BigRedMoe]

Has anybody tried "gar balls" and would you recommend them? We have tons of gar around here but people usually just beat them to death and throw them in the tree lines or leave them on shore to rot.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

catfish aren't that bad to skin with the right set up.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Has anybody tried "gar balls" and would you recommend them? We have tons of gar around here but people usually just beat them to death and throw them in the tree lines or leave them on shore to rot.

I've heard of them but never tried it. People are fucked up. As many gar as I've caught and as much tackle as they have ruined, I still have never killed one. Cut the hook if I can't get it out and cut him loose.

 

[SLSKOW]

I've heard smoked gar is good.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I've heard of them but never tried it. People are fucked up. As many gar as I've caught and as much tackle as they have ruined, I still have never killed one. Cut the hook if I can't get it out and cut him loose.

DNR asks that you kill them. They are eating monsters that destroy game fish populations.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

DNR asks that you kill them. They are eating monsters that destroy game fish populations.

Where are you? I can understand that though. They are eating machines. I guess we're just not over populated with them. We have a problem with the flatheads here on the river where I live. They have crushed the redbreast population and we are allowed to catch them using methods that aren't approved in other parts of the state.

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

Because they are a bitch to skin.

Just cut the head and the barbs off and cut the catfish into steaks. I marinate with buffalo or barbecue sauce and then bake it. After its done the skin and meat just falls off the bone really easily. That's my preferred method

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

Where are you? I can understand that though. They are eating machines. I guess we're just not over populated with them. We have a problem with the flatheads here on the river where I live. They have crushed the redbreast population and we are allowed to catch them using methods that aren't approved in other parts of the state.

Down in Texas we have tons all over, and while they do eat alot, alligator gar are about as lazy as fish come. They don't chase fish down like a bass or catfish would, but just grab whatever swims in front of them, particularly carp, buffalo, and shad. Even though they are eating machines, they are a natural predator here (like a shark would be in an ocean reef) and do not destroy the environment like people claim they do. I see them first hand every day- they may mess up you lures or snap your line if you accidentally snag or hook them, but they put up a great fight and make for a cool picture. They are not really good eating like carp and are even more difficult to clean (a big alligator gar will blunt your sharpest knife- you need an electric saw to cut through it), so if you typically take and eat the fish you catch then the gar isn't for you. They play a key part as top predator in our waters and are currently our only real predator that can keep the real invasives out of the south- giant snakeheads, which are currently running through Arkansas and the east coast

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

DNR asks that you kill them. They are eating monsters that destroy game fish populations.

Actually the real fish you should be scared of are snakeheads. Can you send me the official link that said to kill gars? I can't believe that would be a mandate. I can imagine it applying to some rare areas where there are too many, but it simply can't be a state wide thing (i checked the dnr and i didn't see anything like what you said you read)

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

Where are you? I can understand that though. They are eating machines. I guess we're just not over populated with them. We have a problem with the flatheads here on the river where I live. They have crushed the redbreast population and we are allowed to catch them using methods that aren't approved in other parts of the state.

South Carolina.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

South Carolina.

I've never heard dnr say that. Lived here my whole life.

 

[Ballboy534]

I've never heard dnr say that. Lived here my whole life.

Snakefish suck, big time. I haven't seen a lot of them, but DNR is aggressively trying to ensure they don't take off in the state (I think).

FTR, I primarily bass fish and fish for shellcrackers in my pond inland, and do the occasional redfish run in the panhandle of FL. I love to redfish, just aren't close enough to do it a lot

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Snakefish suck, big time. I haven't seen a lot of them, but DNR is aggressively trying to ensure they don't take off in the state (I think).

FTR, I primarily bass fish and fish for shellcrackers in my pond inland, and do the occasional redfish run in the panhandle of FL. I love to redfish, just aren't close enough to do it a lot

I agree with killing snakefish, but not gar.

 

[Ballboy534]

I agree with killing snakefish, but not gar.

I completely missed that; gar are annoying, but I haven't heard of any special rule allowing them to wiped out or anything.

 

[WhiteMamba]

I dont know what the hell any of you southern fellas are talking about..

But hey....

 

[tech_iceman]

not much now... used to do catfish, crappie, bass and striper.... I love top water

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I've never heard dnr say that. Lived here my whole life.

I never read it, i was fishing and a DNR agent saw me release one, he said don't release it, kill it and toss it in the woods. He said they have completely wiped out the game fish in this lake. ( florence area). And some locals also told me you are never supposed to put them back alive. It was my first time fishing in SC.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

River fishin...Steehead-n-Salmon, bout all the time I have for. May average 10 a year.

 

[birdsonthebat]

Mostly chase trout in rivers and creeks due to where I live. Have nothing against bass when I'm in their neighborhoods.