The longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus, is a primitive ray-finned fish of the gar family. It is also known as the needlenose gar. Identification The longnose gar ranges in length from 60–100 cm (24–40 inches) and weighs 0.5–3.5 kg (1–7 pounds); FishBase reports a maximum size of 2 m. Avg. life span is 17- 20 years. The snout is elongated into a narrow beak containing many large teeth. The gar has a long, cylindrical (fusiform) body covered with diamond-shape (ganoid) scales. Biology and ecology The longnose gar is a primarily piscivorous ambush predator. The species is found mainly in backwaters, low inflow pools and clear streams. Longnose gars spawn from early April to early June, depending on the latitude, in shallow riffle areas. Females are generally larger than males. During the actual spawning event, females are accompanied by one or more males. Nests are never prepared; the eggs are slightly denser than water and are broadcast over the substrate. The female deposits a portion of her eggs (or roe) in several different areas. Hatching takes six to eight days depending on water temperature.As the male comes near the female she swats him in the face with her tail. Distribution The longnose gar is found in rivers and lakes throughout the eastern half of the United States, as far north as southern Quebec and extreme southern Ontario and as far south as northern Mexico. The most concentrated numbers of longnose gars are found throughout the American Deep South, Texas, and anywhere along the Mississippi River. Fishing lthough angling for longnose gars is not the dominant method of capturing them due to their tough, bony mouth, they will take live baits. They are more often captured by specialized methods that entangle the teeth in nylon threads, by bowfishing, or by spear fishing. If angling for gar, a small circle-style hook should be used, allowing the gar several minutes with it. The circle hook will prevent any serious injury to the gar, as it is designed to catch only in the corner of the mouth. The fish are known as nocturnal feeders in some waters, so anglers should be prepared to angle for them in the twilight. References
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