Pretty Pumped at the moment. Who'd have thought that the one trip I look forward to the most for 2010 will be chasing a dang fish?! LOL I'll be heading down to Texas for a 3 day trip this summer to chase alligator gar with my Buddy Dave Skinner and a contact we made down in Texas....This guys record fish was over 250 lbs and told us if we were just looking for a "little" 150 lber it would "be almost too easy if the weather is right" Hope it works out, right now it looks like I'll actually just haul my boat down there. Our friend has a 16 ft boat, but 3 guys fighting a 200 lb fish could get interesting...I like the sounds of my 2096 flat bottom with the luxury of a filming deck. Should get whatever happens on video! You see a few guys looking lost on the Trinity River, don't be concerned it's just a few KY boys trying to catch a fish bigger than we are.:D
Keep in mind you can only take one Alligator Gar per day bag limit each. Its a new regulation to protect the species. It has been unlimited in the past. Other Gar sub-species are still no limit. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/limits_freshwater/index.phtml#limits
Cool. We keep trying to schedule in a trip down to Texas (and over to the east coast for stingrays) but just can't seem to scrape together the time/money to do it. Good luck! I need a bunch of alligator gar scales, good sized ones.... so if you can get me any, I'd be immensely grateful.
Jim, I don't know the exact dates or locations yet...we were going to go in July, but it seems now that I may have to take an extra organic chemistry class this July to lighten the load next semester. If I do so we will have to head down after every turkey season closes out in May or else sometime in June. Dave's schedule won't allow for an August trip. So would you recommend Mid/Late May over June or is it all about the same that time of year? Christine, I have no use or want of the scales if I kill one, so give me some pointers on how I should extract them from seemingly a suit of armor these bad boys wear and I'll be happy to get a bagful for ya.
Trevor, You can't just pull the scales out. If you could carve off a piece of hide and salt it down, I can boil the hide to get the scales. They're a challenge to skin. (use a hatchet, jigsaw or tin snips) So, I'm asking a pretty decent favor. I can try to return the favor by making you a gar scale necklace or hatpin from your fish. (and I'll re-imburse you for shipping of course. Unless, I catch you at one of the KY tournys)
Gar scales are cool. They're solid enamel. http://www.ccss.us/Gar_Scale_Pictures.html I have a completely different use for them. I trade them with guy who makes primitive weapons. I cannot divulge more than that.
If we get lucky enough to stick one of these beasts, I'll hack off a side of him and bring it back with us.
