Spotted Gar

The spotted gar is a hard-fighting fish that is found in several areas of the U.S. including Illinois, Texas, and Florida. They can be caught by drift fishing, still fishing, bait casting, fly fishing, and spin casting. These fish are not picky eaters, though they prefer bait over lures.

Spotted Gar

Region: Midwest, South
Habitat: Lake, Pond, River

How to identify Spotted Gar

The spotted gar is a freshwater fish that is native to North America. As its name would suggest, the spotted gar has many spots on it body and fins. These spots can range from greenish-brown to black, as can the overall coloring on its body. Its lower sides and belly are white or yellow. Spotted gars have long snouts, one row of teeth, and long, cylinder-shaped bodies covered with hard scales.

Where to catch Spotted Gar

Spotted gars can be found from southern Ontario, west to Illinois, and south to the western panhandle of Florida. They’ve also been found from the gulf coast to central Texas.

Range: Midwest, South
Spotted Gar Fishing Map

The following are habitats where you can catch Spotted Gar:

How to catch Spotted Gar

When trying to target a spotted gar, it is best to use a treble hook, although anglers can also use a single hook. Anglers often use a shiner for bait and fasten an orange bobber about 18 inches above the hook. Keep a lookout for schools of gars since they like to swim together. Effective methods for catching these fish include drift or still fishing on the water’s surface. Other effective methods include bait casting, fly fishing, and spin casting. These fish are known to put up a good fight, so it is advisable to have a net on hand to help get the gar into the boat.

The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Spotted Gar:

Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Spotted Gar

Spotted gars aren’t very picky eaters. They respond well to bait, including crabs, crayfish, and shiners.

The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Spotted Gar: