*Alligator Gar at El Dorado wilderness area 3 lake*

[OnlyHappyHooknHawgz]

So im having a fun morning walking around the area 3 lake, catching a few bass, concentrating primarily on fishing the reeds as im watching small bass darting out from the reeds chasing baitfish, and hanging tight to the reeds-a few of the bigger bass just sitting still. I change to flylining a plastic swimbait and flip it into a pocket within the reeds and see my swimbait being stalked by something. As it came a little closer, im still staring at the shadow thats following close behind my lure and think: "hmm.. thats definitely not a bass.. or a bluegill, crappie, or catfish.. and i know thats definitely not a trout either..." As i reeled in a little closer (by this time my baits only about 5 - 7 ft from shore in front of me) the shadow lost interest in my swimbait and turned to swim back into the reeds, this is when i realized what kind of fish it was: it was a gar. When it turned, the distinct long nose and sleek body of the fish was a dead giveaway. It was about 1 1/2 - 2 ft long. I sat and watched the gar for about 5 more minutes as it patrolled the reeds, chasing bass out of their hiding spots until i lost sight of it and it disappeared. Anyways... just remember that you heard it from me here first about the gar in el dorado lake (just like before when i was first to report the gar in alondra :P)

[smokehound]

Dang man, that sucks. Gar are no-joke. A single large gar can decimate a small lake.

At least you know where it haunts. Hopefully it doesnt turn out to be a breeding population. That would suck.

[sshernandez]

A guy got one at one of the lakes in OC and it was the same size..

[dfisher]

bring the gaff next time out hehe..

[Hoshnasi]

New item to throw in the tackle bag... My .22lr.

[Surfer]

I'm heading out there tomorrow to try to catch it.

[smokehound]

Oh hell no. Im gonna go around some park lakes late at night and catch one of these bastards red-handed.

Damn irresponsible aquarists!

[BrandonFish]

kill that ****** gar where exactly is this i might just go kill it my self

anybody want the gar after i catch it if not im chopping him up throwing him in the trash can!

[Fishbones]

looks like no ninja wading here...lol

[OnlyHappyHooknHawgz]

the gar i saw was lurking in and out of the reeds in the wilderness area 3 lake (the lake with the concrete walkway around it) and it was on the opposite side of the paddle boat rental dock. (its in the same place as in a picture of a nice cat someone posted in the http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?46477-El-Dorado-park-kittys-are-going-off thread)

** On a quick sidenote** just got back from el dorado early morning fish session ... my fishing buddy caught 2 bass about 1/2 lb each and a crappie that was just about the same size.. and i caught 2 bass, one was close to 2 lbs and the other was close to 3 1/2

[bman90278]

I hope you guys have better luck than we do at Alondra...cause the gars keep getting caught and released back into the lake. There are several mis-imformed bass fisherman who believe the gars pose no more threat to the lake than a nice LMB which is totally not accurate.

brian

[bman90278]

the gar i saw was lurking in and out of the reeds in the wilderness area 3 lake (the lake with the concrete walkway around it) and it was on the opposite side of the paddle boat rental dock. (its in the same place as in a picture of a nice cat someone posted in the http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?46477-El-Dorado-park-kittys-are-going-off thread)

** On a quick sidenote** just got back from el dorado early morning fish session ... my fishing buddy caught 2 bass about 1/2 lb each and a crappie that was just about the same size.. and i caught 2 bass, one was close to 2 lbs and the other was close to 3 1/2


I took the picture of that cat when I was at Dorado last time. The pic was taken on the south shore of the big lake on the west side of the south canal. Either way, I can guarantee the gar will be swimmin the lake nice and slow because he will own the lake.

[dfisher]

so people release these things in the lakes for fun?

[bigfish420]

I was wondering how my guy was doing, he's still alive after I let him go huh. Thats sweet!! Lol J/K

[Surfer]

I was wondering how my guy was doing, he's still alive after I let him go huh. Thats sweet!! Lol J/K

Haha!!!!!!

[smokehound]

so people release these things in the lakes for fun?Maybe. There are assholes like that out there..

But it's likely fish that were just too expensive and demanding for stupid aquarists that dont know a thing about fish.

I think california should ban/restrict air-breathing fish.. these are largely highly invasive, and destructive fish.

Gar are very aggressive and are known to kill and maul much larger fish. this is the main threat.

[smokinflies]

... my fishing buddy caught 2 bass about 1/2 lb each and a crappie that was just about the same size.. and i caught 2 bass, one was close to 2 lbs and the other was close to 3 1/2

What did you catch'em on?

[DockRat]

i was wondering how my guy was doing, he's still alive after i let him go huh. Thats sweet!! Lol j/k

Save the Gar !

Save the Humans !

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/BrieC/peta.jpg:ROFL:

DR :Envious:

[socalsteez]

I hope you guys have better luck than we do at Alondra...cause the gars keep getting caught and released back into the lake. There are several mis-imformed bass fisherman who believe the gars pose no more threat to the lake than a nice LMB which is totally not accurate.

brian

most if not all the gar that may be found in these lakes are regular florida gar or tropical gar...not alligator gar which are much harder to come by in the fish keeping hobby

having kept these types of gar w/ bass none the less - i can tell you that the gar will have a harder time competing with bass than vice a versa....

it would take 50+ at least per lake to have any impact on there little mirco eco systems....a number which i doubt will be reached

[beethao]

** On a quick sidenote** just got back from el dorado early morning fish session ... my fishing buddy caught 2 bass about 1/2 lb each and a crappie that was just about the same size.. and i caught 2 bass, one was close to 2 lbs and the other was close to 3 1/2[/QUOTE]

Hey we went fishing today at El Dorado too and got skunked. where were you fishing? and what lures did you use?

[smokehound]

most if not all the gar that may be found in these lakes are regular florida gar or tropical gar...not alligator gar which are much harder to come by in the fish keeping hobby

having kept these types of gar w/ bass none the less - i can tell you that the gar will have a harder time competing with bass than vice a versa....

it would take 50+ at least per lake to have any impact on there little mirco eco systems....a number which i doubt will be reachedYour observations in a crowded aquarium are NOT a proper example of natural behavior. Not only do most gar get bigger than bass, they also regularly prey on them in the wild. Aside from the traumatogenic problems they pose, gar also have highly toxic eggs and milt. Any fish that eat the eggs will in turn, become toxic themselves, poisoning lots of birds.

It is far more likely that these are spotted gar, which are far more popular and grow large enough to swallow adult bass.

[socalsteez]

Your observations in a crowded aquarium are NOT a proper example of natural behavior. Not only do most gar get bigger than bass, they also regularly prey on them in the wild. Aside from the traumatogenic problems they pose, gar also have highly toxic eggs and milt. Any fish that eat the eggs will in turn, become toxic themselves, poisoning lots of birds.

It is far more likely that these are spotted gar, which are far more popular and grow large enough to swallow adult bass.

crowded aquarium........yup, i had a 10gal w/ no filtration and 20 fish....not over 900gals of various tanks.....

good note on the toxicity - but again, i can almost guarantee no city park lake will have an even close to reproducing population of gar....

i have seen more "natural" behavior of gar than you may imagine....

and if you think a 5lb gar can "swallow" a 5lb bass......trust me when i say a 5lb bass can harass, out-compete, thrive, etc.....a 5lb gar....

[eldo69]

this explains alot..

if anyone sees this thing snag it and throw it in the trash

i wonder how long these fish have been in here. ive also heard of alot worse fish being dumped in eldo than gar. a few years ago there were dozens of fish washed up dead on the shore with bites taken out of them.

it would be very interesting to see what kinda fish would come out of these lakes if the lakes were all drained.

[snakeplissken]

i heard about a gar being aught at alondra.heard it was pretty big.it was given to a pet shop somewhere in hawthorne or lawndale , can't remember which. but i guess it's better than having a snakehead in so cal lakes.

[fishmounter]

It's a Pike Cichlid. A very common South American aquarium fish that people let go in parks/lakes because they outgrow their tanks and eat all the other fish.

[Danny300]

lmao....so many myths about gars in this thread.

[bman90278]

lmao....so many myths about gars in this thread.

I haven't seen the Gar or a Pike Cichlid at Eldo in person, but I find it hard to believe that the 2 could be confused. 2 totally different fish.

This thread starter, OnlyHappyHooknHawgz's certainly would know the difference too as he used to fish the A-pond quite often back when the Gars were still there. He probably seen the Gars more than anyone.

During the last 2 years at Alondra I occasionally saw the Gars and they were clearly Gars. Nothing like seeing a an air breathing Gar over 2 or 3 ft long swimming along the shore at a very slow speed and with there head out of the water. They clearly owned the lake and had an impressive look to them. Plus I saw one of them get caught and it was definitely a Gar.

Because Fishmounter and OnlyHappyHooknHawgz's are both reputable sources, I personally think the lake has both species of fish.

-b

[dfisher]

Yeah there used to be Gars in Alondra, but they are all gone now :(

[Danny300]

MDC Fisheries Supervisor, Chris Kennedy:

"Many people think alligator gars are eating sport fish, but that's just not true," Kennedy said. "Past studies indicate that alligator gar feed mainly as scavengers, and after When we pump the stomachs of tracked alligator gar we find that they are also feeding on non-game species, they're feeding as scavengers, which helps to clean our water systemscommunities and balances riverine fish communities."

[bman90278]

MDC Fisheries Supervisor, Chris Kennedy:

"Many people think alligator gars are eating sport fish, but that's just not true," Kennedy said. "Past studies indicate that alligator gar feed mainly as scavengers, and after When we pump the stomachs of tracked alligator gar we find that they are also feeding on non-game species, they're feeding as scavengers, which helps to clean our water systemscommunities and balances riverine fish communities."


One note that many don't know is the Gars eggs are toxic to other fish. Certainly it would worry the bass community, but it can't be good for the other fish who might eat eggs.

[Danny300]

another statement about gar eggs.

Professor Jamie Ladonski writes:

Did yall know this?

Alligator gar eggs are poisonous, to birds, animals, and humans, but safe for other fish to eat.

A single female alligator gar can produce 100,000 to 300,000 eggs. But the quantity of these eggs is not unusual. It’s what the eggs contain that’s remarkable: a deadly toxin.

[bman90278]

strike one. gator gar are scavengers & do not just prey on game fish

strike two. gar eggs are toxic to mammals not to fish.

SOME of you need to learn a little about gator gar. Before you start spreading your myths & lies about a fish you know nothing about.

I thought I had read somewhere the eggs were also toxic to the fish...I would have thought they would be toxic to fish too...Sorry for the myth my friend.

As far as Gars only being scavengers? I dunno...but I've always read they will eat anything that fits in their mouth.

Here is the most important thing I'm concerned about Mr Danny.

The Gars are not indigenous to our City Park Lakes or any waters out here in Californal and transporting any live fish from one water to another is illegal. They simply don't belong in our lakes whether you like it or not.

Respectfully,
brian

[Danny300]

strike one. gator gar are scavengers & do not just prey on game fish

strike two. gar eggs are toxic to mammals not to fish.

SOME of you need to learn a little about gator gar. Before you start spreading your myths & lies about a fish you know nothing about.

[Sparky70]

Did U guys throw he bass back? :EyePop: :EyePop: :EyePop:

[Danny300]

What alot of people aren't getting is. This fish isn't a threat. YES, IT DOESN'T BELONG IN ANY LAKE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

All these myths & outright lies aren't right to be spreading. Because some people only read a thread so far and take it as facts.

1. Gar are scavengers. They aren't a killing machine, like people are posting. Look it up!
2. Gar eggs are only toxic to mammals. NOT TO OTHER FISH
3. Gars only bread in running water.

People don't have to worry about gar. WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT ARE THOSE SNAKEHEADS. Because those are killing machines.

[bman90278]

What alot of people aren't getting is. This fish isn't a threat. YES, IT DOESN'T BELONG IN ANY LAKE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

All these myths & outright lies aren't right to be spreading. Because some people only read a thread so far and take it as facts.

1. Gar are scavengers. They aren't a killing machine, like people are posting. Look it up!
2. Gar eggs are only toxic to mammals. NOT TO OTHER FISH
3. Gars only bread in running water.

People don't have to worry about gar. WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT ARE THOSE SNAKEHEADS. Because those are killing machines.


LOL Danny, Sounds like u are running for Mayor of our Local Gars. LOL

BTW, we have enough politicians that break the laws and don't need any more of them. lol

Dude, seriously, I'm just concerned when people transport live fish and replant them in areas they don't belong. The DFG Warden told me last year at the A-pond that he didn't want them c&R'd in our lakes. Plus its against the law to release them in our lakes out here.

Also, I'm sure most people realize how to use search engines and that these message boards aren't the Gospel.

Brian

[carpanglerdude]

Whole lotta people get excited over a whole lotta...nothing.

Pics or bs. <^_^>