What to do with Gar and other (trashfish)

[mattscru]

I think that there is a legitimate debate on what to do with gar. They can be detrimental to the bass and panfish population but at the same time they are part of the ecosystem and have their place. Ive seen people slit them open and throw them on the bank, wrap their mouths with steel wire and throw them back. I always release them like I do most fish. I think if they start to overpopulate a fishery then action should be taken but I dont see the need to kill these animals just for the sake of it. I'd like everyone voice their opinion on this one. Lets include mudfish(bowfin) in this as well because they get alot of the same treatment atleast in my neck of the woods.

Matt
[signature]

[ChickenFoot]

Gar are good eats if you know how to clean and cook em []. Carp help keep the water weeds in check, Don't know much about bowfin except that for pound for pound one of the toughest fighters there are.[pirate]
[signature]

[Tarpon4me]

I always let them go as well. If the DNR puts out a bulletin to start tossing them on the bank, then I will. But until then, C&R all the way.

I've never heard of eatting gar, and even though it may be good, I don't think I could do it. LOL I also would never try mudfish. I've said this before, there are too many good eatting fish in the water to mess with those guys. Give me a slab of deep fried crappie or some flathead catfish nuggets, and i'm good to go. [cool]
[signature]

[davetclown]

there a number of gar anglers in michigan, those who target them as a regular say if caught in clean water they taist similar to walleye...
[signature]

[mattscru]

Taste like eyes? That makes me kinda want to try one now.....I dunno, they eat about the same stuff that most game fish eat. I bet they would be a pain to clean with those tough scales. If anyone has anymore info on eating gar please post it here. Ive just always been told not to eat them.
[signature]

[tubeN2]

[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][size 1]Servings: 3-4 Prep Time:: Less than 15 minutes Cook Time: Less than 15 minutes Cooking Method: Fried Meal Type: Appetizer Main Fish: Gar [/size][size 1]Ingredients [/size] [/size][/black][/font][ul][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1] [li]6 large strips of alligator gar meat
[/li][li]a steel cookie cutter
[/li][li]corn meal
[/li][li]salt and pepper
[/li][li]cyan pepper
[/li][li]peanut oil
[/li][li]tarter sauce
[/li][li]jalapeno pepper
[/li][li]milk
[/li][/size][/black][/font][/ul][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]
Directions Clean and prepare stips of gar meat. Season with salt,pepper,cyan pepper. Use a steel cookie cutter and cut shapes of your choice. A round cookie cutter works best. Drop the nuggets into milk and cover with corn meal batter.

Heat peanut oil to 350 and drop the nuggets into the oil. When floating the nuggets are ready.

Dig nuggets into tarter sauce with a generous portion of jalapeno peppers and juice added Other Notes A ice cold beer works best with this appetizer while watchig a game or your favorite fishing show.[/size][/black][/font][/size][/black][/font]
[signature]

[davetclown]

as far as being a meat supplyer gar rank pretty low, they do better than a blue gill but pound for pound gar are mostly inners skin and bone.

I saw them cleaned on a program produced here in michigan, from what I understand is you are only taking the back strips from the head to the tail, the rest is skin and bone, no flesh.

so a forty inch gar will give you two strips of meat depending how fat it is about inch and a half to three inch in diamiter about 30 inches long. no bones in that section to contend with..

you can then cut them in to 1inch scampies or 3inch fingerlings or even coil them on to a baking sheet to be cooked and served.
[signature]

[davetclown]

my recipie and yours dont match.[crazy]

mine has a whole lot less milk and jalapeno pepper and a little more flower and a whole lot more Strosh Beer.
[signature]

[tubeN2]

Oh 10-4 on the Strohs. Just can't get it out here anymore.[crazy]
[signature]

[bassngal]

[cool] I know a few south Louisiana folks(cajuns) and when they clean gar they fscrapethe meat off the leaders that are in the fish. They mix the meat with green onions, corn meal, a little flour, salt,pepper to taste, a little Louisian Hot Sauce, milk, or butter milk(your choice), mix together like you would make hush puppies, maybe a little dryer, roll into balls, and drop in hot grease. Then you have GAR BALLS!!!!!!!!!
[signature]

[tubeN2]

That sounds like a very tasty recipe. Thanks for sharing![cool]
[signature]

[mattscru]

I wonder the best way to clean them? I guess most the meat would be on their back straps, but the scales are like armor. Well I hear bass calling my name, the storms are starting to devolep about 100 miles to the north heading this way and the wind is minimal. So I think I have a few hours of prime fishing! Tell yall how I did later on tonight.
Matt
[signature]

[tubeN2]

You will need to get you a good electric knife from Wallys World or Cabelas. Otherwise, you could spend about 60bucks on a good Forshner fillet knife and practice with it.[cool]
[signature]

[davetclown]

I forgot to mention, Longnose gar are good for combing the morning donut crumbs out of your beard while on the water. []
[center][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/1349/cat/500/ppuser/89"][/url][/center]
[signature]

[tubeN2]

I forgot that you had some handy tools too.[cool]
[signature]