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Posts: 1317
Location: Lebanon,Mo | While this may not pose a problem in the northern region of sportfish(yet),I do believe it has and will continue to be a question about our stocking here in the south.For instance,Missouri currently has four species of the Gar,nicknamed the "River Robber" and has taken over most of our rivers,and some lakes,including Missouri's largest stocked musky lake.20 years ago you could float a river and catch plenty of game fish without coming into contact with a Gar and now you take a float,it's all you see and catch rates are so low on game fish now anglers have quit fishing rivers,and I dont mean a few Gar,but dozens,even hundreds at a time.I dont believe they are eating "all" gamefish,but have multiplied to the point they are "pushing" or even stressing out other species.I also hear the Dept. of Conservation is now stocking Gar in rivers and lakes in some states for who knows what reason.When you compare a lake infested with Gar compared to a lake without them,the numbers of gamefish seem to be lower as per angler catch rates.Im sure Illinois,Iowa,Kentucky,and other states agree that the Alligator Gar poses a threat while some biologists say these ancient creatures pose no threat,but spending time on these waters prove somethings not right.Does anyone agree?? Maybe somebody with some experience or studies of these fish can chime in... |
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| On the lower Great Lakes, namely St.Clair, we have a ton of gar, I mean we see them everywhere. And we have a very high musky population. However we have more water and more spawning area. |
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Posts: 20217
Location: oswego, il | Indiana has alot of gar too, I suppose it just depends on just how big the population is. As far as muskies go, how big are the stocked fingerlings? I can see 3-5"ers being snapped up but not 12"ers. I would be willing to bet that catfish get their share of young muskies. If the fish's head fits in a catfish's mouth, it's food. |
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Posts: 2361
| I am thinking you are confused on the alligator gar's range, I believe them pretty much a southern fish. I do not think the other gars and muskie would have a problem co existing, and musky would probably push them out of the same habitat, and also readily eat them, where as a musky as prey, soon sizes out for a gar. Gar exist with lots of muskies in various waters and don't seem to have too much problem. Could it be that the gar are now eating all our walleyes? I doubt it, they seem like a really specialized predator to me and built for shadlike forage.
gar range map, they tend to only be reproducing below the sweet tea line
http://www.fws.gov/arkansas-es/A_Gar/AGar_Maps.html
Edited by firstsixfeet 1/25/2010 10:30 PM
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Posts: 572
| Interesting........I've seen several gars in Pomme de Terre Lake in Missouri (I think that is probably the largest stocked lake in Missouri). I've even caught a few. One was larger than most muskies in the lake. Actually, I've seen muskies in the areas where there are gar. Since muskies are stocked in Missouri, I don't see gars a problem for muskies.
Actually, I kind of like to fish in the area where gars are active (where you can see them surfacing).
As to lakes being infested with gars, I wonder if the gars aren't saying the water conditions are too poor for other fish to multiply.....At least that is what I thought the first time I encountered gars in a small stream many (about 40 years ago), I thought these gars can make it in waters other fish can't.....
Interesting subject...may be worth asking conservation department... |
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