I read an earlier thread about cleaning and cooking gar so I decided to give it a try. My parents have a large retention pond in their back yard that is full of some monster fish and I like to take my son over there on the weekends and fish for gar with him. I went over this afternoon and caught a little guy, cleaned him up and brought him home. First of all I was surprised at how much meat was on it and how easy it was to clean once you get the top strip of scales off his back. Secondly, I was shocked at how good it was. I didn't have high expectations. I thought it'd be real fishy or at least a bit muddy tasting but it wasn't. I cut both of the huge tenderloins into nugget sized pieces and fried them in a bisquick batter. They came out really good. We fish a lot and my in-laws a lot more so we never have a shortage of grouper, AJ, snapper, hogfish, or trout but I have to be honest and say that this gar gave all those fish a run for their money. I regret not taking more pictures. I will next time.
Also, I caught this guy on the same spoon that I hooked a redfish on just a few days earlier. Pretty sweet.
Gar are excellent IMO. I heard the same thing about gar before I tried it for myself. Now I wont turn one down. :fish
Hmm, I guess the only thing better than fried gar would be fried gar nuggets wrapped in bacon :>) Mmmm.
Might have to give it a try soon. I know a place in Port Charlotte that is full of gar. :fish
Gar ain't hook shy, that's for sure! I've had a lot of fun catching them in the past, we just never bothered eating them. When Crock and I went down to Miami after peacock bass, we fished the canals along Alligator Alley on the way there and back. They are full of gar, and we caught a few nice ones that we threw back. Next time I'll keep a couple and see what the fuss is all about!
