The alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) is a freshwater fish species in the Gars family (family Lepisosteidae) of order Lepisosteiformes (gars), native to North America and introduced to Thailand.
Alligator Gar Diet
Fish, squid & frogs
Alligator Gar Identification
A long cylindrical body covered with armour–like scales. Upper body dark brown to olive. Sides and belly white to yellow. Dorsal and anal fin placed well back on the body. Rounded tail and fins with dark brown blotches. Long snout with two rows of large teeth in the upper jaw.
Alligator Gar Typical Location
Floating like driftwood in shallow and sluggish waters of rivers, swamps and lakes.
Alligator Gar Flyfishing in Thailand
Thailand Flyfishing Season: All Year
Alligator Gar feed in all areas of water and tend to shoal together. Look for them breaking the surface to gulp air. They like to flip over on the surface making a very distinct splash. A good time to fly fish for Alligator Gar is the first hour of darkness. Cast the fly were there are light reflections on the surface. The light fascinates them to an almost fatal attraction.
The Alligator Gar is an exclusive fish feeder. Their huge array of teeth combined with a boney jaw causes problems setting the hook when striking. A ratio of one in ten fish landed for each take is an average success rate. Prepare for some spectacular jumps once hooked again as with Arapaima lower your rod tip before they jump as they will shake there head and shed the hook. Alligator gar will often jump from the landing net. Use gloves when handling the Alligator Gar; they are very slippery and lively. They don’t bite but they struggle with their mouths open and will slash at your arms and hands.
The top jaw teeth are double rowed and their teeth face backwards to prevent prey from escaping.
The Alligator Gar can breath air and can survive for up to two hours out of water. Their scales are diamond-shaped interlocking and are sometimes used by Native Americans for jewellery.
In it’s native habitat the Alligator Gar is an aggressive solitary fish. It is carnivorous and has been rumoured to have attacked humans. Alligator Gar feed by hiding amongst reeds and other underwater weed, waiting for prey to pass by. An Alligator Gar was witnessed in the wild attacking a five foot alligator before devouring it. Though subsisting mostly on fish, the alligator gar will also eat waterfowl. The Alligator gar prefers slow-moving water yet need running water to spawn. Spawning occurs in May-August, when the fish deposit their eggs in shallow water. The female swims up stream laying eggs with an escort of 2 or more males to fertilize them. The eggs are toxic to warm blooded animals and birds. The females are much larger than the males. This behaviour make the Alligator Gar similar as the European Pike.
Alligator Gar grow slowly and take a long time to mature. Females mature at 11 years old and live up to 50 years. Males mature at 6 years old and live to at least 26 years.