This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

[scott8058]

Ok so idk if these actually attached or not but was out fishing today and caught this gar, not huge by any means but check out those teeth! Not sure if the wife and kids will get in the water again lol. It hit a 3" gizzard shad while i was reeling in, i've fished for cats my whole life but this is the first gar i've caught, do they like movement

 

[roscoe]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Thats funny, because I never even thought once about swimming in the Illinois river.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

That's just a baby compared to the "alligator" gar we have down here in FL which can get well over 8' long. However, don't let the looks fool you. They're perfectly harmless fish eaters, hence the tiny needle like teeth, just like Gharials or Ragged Tooth Sharks. Native Americans in the region used to use their oil as a mosquito repellent and their skin as a sort of armor for their shields. Jeremy Wade the "River Monsters" host even did an episode on them. Unfortunately, people like to hunt and kill them indiscriminately despite the fact that they pose no danger to humans, they're not particularly good to eat and are a PITA to clean :/ Once again, the naked, two-legged, simian land predator proves to be the greater danger by far.

 

[scott8058]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

First the river isn't that bad anymore! It's brown as hell but very muddy but some nice sandbars that r fun to play on. Secondly although ill swim in it I would nvr eat any fish out of there just catch and release for me, but some people actually do. Oh and just so it's known I threw it back even tho majority say chuck it on shore to die it put up a good fight so I can let it live.

 

[nimmor]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Most of the time Gar will run at the sight or sound of a human. I wouldn't worry about them.

 

[southkogs]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

... been swimming with the gar for 15 years. They stay on their side ... I stay on mine

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

That's just a baby compared to the "alligator" gar we have down here in FL which can get well over 8' long. However, don't let the looks fool you. They're perfectly harmless fish eaters, hence the tiny needle like teeth, just like Gharials or Ragged Tooth Sharks. Native Americans in the region used to use their oil as a mosquito repellent and their skin as a sort of armor for their shields. Jeremy Wade the "River Monsters" host even did an episode on them. Unfortunately, people like to hunt and kill them indiscriminately despite the fact that they pose no danger to humans, they're not particularly good to eat and are a PITA to clean :/ Once again, the naked, two-legged, simian land predator proves to be the greater danger by far.

lake O is full of them and they can be a pain as they will strike at anything moving or bobbing on the water. They will play with a float and they love shiner's. They are really hard to get a hook to set as the jaw is mostly bone and once they find you they will not leave so if you are not fishing for gar they can be a pain. Ive never eaten one so I just throw them back as its better to catch a bad fish than to catch no fish.

 

[kahuna123]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

I heard second hand they were pretty good to eat. They get HUGE in some areas. Louisiana I think hold the record. What a pain the butt when you are trying to fish. The alligator gar have REAL teeth

 

[hivoltg]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Gar wont harm you but they sure are fun to fish and look mean. I spent all last week out on the boat fishing for them. They put up a really good fight. I catch and release.

 

[L.R.Fulmer]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Bowfishing for gar and carp is fun day or night.

 

[bakerjw]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

I lived most of my life in Peoria Il. I fished the Illinois River quite a bit. River bass fight much harder than do their lake bound counterparts. As many have stated, the gar are harmless.

When there has been a lot of rain, the river will be muddy. A lot of the brown color is algae and other bio matter. I wouldn't drink it, but it is pretty clean compared to what it used to be.

It's the Asian and silver carp that are the menace now.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

View attachment 210822I heard second hand they were pretty good to eat. They get HUGE in some areas. Louisiana I think hold the record. What a pain the butt when you are trying to fish. The alligator gar have REAL teeth

Some swamp folk (Boureauxs) might eat them, but they're pretty gross. They're insanely oily, full of bones and have sort of a putrid smell about them. The natives used to rub garr oil on themselves as mosquito replant. They're basically just big old, ugly, harmless living dinosaurs. They even have a primitive pulmonary system which allows them to breath air for short periods of time like a lungfish.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Anyone catch the show on cable last night about the sharks they are trying to ID down near the tip of South Africa? Apparently there was a guy fishing, (on video) on a rather big boat, maybe 40-50 footer. He hooked a very big fish, and fought it for several hours then it eventually snapped his line. Never saw the fish, then suddenly the boat was rammed so hard it sank. They recovered the video camera that shows all of this, but sadly no one survived. They showed the boat sunk on the bottom, and concluded no shark known could do this. And they also said no Whale could do it either based on the damage??? They are speculating that the super shark thought to be extinct was the only thing that could cause such massive damage to the boat. It was actually kind of interesting, worth the watch if you enjoy this kind of stuff.

 

[ricohman]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

What the hell is that? Looks like some kind of parasite. Is it native to the area?

 

[southkogs]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

What the hell is that? Looks like some kind of parasite. Is it native to the area?

Yup - GAR

 

[phillyg]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

Finding out someone hooked a 9' bull shark the day after you swam in the same area is fairly sobering, too.

 

[ricohman]

Re: This kinda makes you think twice about swimming in the Illinois river!

The eggs of a Gar are highly toxic to humans? Interesting fish you guys have there. I think I will stick to the native species here!