What Is Alligator Gar? How Does Alligator Gar Taste?

Now there is a great effort going into raising gar commercially for food. An effort is also going into conservation and protecting the gar’s spawning areas so the baby fish can thrive.

What Type Of Fish Is Alligator Gar?

Alligator gar is one of the largest freshwater fish known to scientists and anglers. However, the largest freshwater fish is the White Sturgeon, which can grow up to 20 feet in length and reach a hefty weight of 1,500 pounds.

Like the sturgeon, the number of alligator gar in the United States and other countries’ waterways has gradually diminished. There are efforts afoot to raise the alligator gar commercially to provide food.

Their size means that a lot of food can come from one fish. And even though alligator gar and their relatives look menacing, they aren’t.

Is There More Than One Type Of Gar?

There are seven types of gar, and the alligator gar is the largest. When fully grown, this fish can stretch to ten feet in length.

That is scary big if you are trying to land one. Also, the alligator-looking mouth, with its sharp gator-like teeth, is as imposing as the size of a giant alligator gar.

Due to its face, which only a parent would love, and its size, many anglers think of gar as a trash fish. However, in most countries, every part of this giant fish is eaten.

Types Of Garfish

The alligator gar is the largest of the species and is also the one with the scariest appearance.

Although they are narrow, with an almost snake-like appearance, a few members of the gar family have vivid colors. In contrast, other gars look like they are wearing camos to hide from predators.

Alligator Gar — The Largest Member Of The Family

These massive fish make their homes in the backwaters and bayous. Or at least, they did before we disrupted their habitats.

Gar have been hunted as predators because they can decimate other fish that live in the same area if they overwhelm their habitat. A ten-foot fish weighing up to 300 pounds requires a lot of food to gain that colossal size.

The alligator gar is farmed in some parts of the world. Growing garfish commercially is being tried in the United States.

The alligator gar and its relatives have a terrible reputation. However, as a game fish and food source, attitudes toward these fish have begun to change in the U.S.

Cuban Gar — Only Lives In The Waters Of Cuba

This member of the gar family makes its home in the waters between the Isle of Youth and Cuba. Seriously endangered due to its shrinking habitat, scientists are working to turn this situation around with conservation efforts.

Due to its rarity and small habitation area, aquaculture research has been carried out in the United States. If Cuban gar can be cultivated, they may adapt to different places than Cuba.

The Florida Gar — Looks Like The Alligator Gar, But They Are Smaller

Often misidentified as alligator gar, the Florida gar has an overly toothy mouth, like its larger cousin. However, its coloring is more like the Spotted gar, which has olive-colored spots against a lighter green body.

The Florida Gar can be found in the many canals of Florida, the Everglades, and other bodies of water. So, if you catch a gar with the mouth of an alligator gar but it has spots, you have a Florida gar instead.

As the most colorful of all the gars, the Longnose gar is easy to spot if you get lucky enough to find one. Even though they are the most common of all garfish, their habitats grow smaller yearly.

Unlike gars that prefer certain areas, the Longnose gar can be found in the waters from Southern Canada to Mexico. That’s a large area and allows you to see one of these dinosaurs in the water.

The Shortnose Gar — Has The Shortest Snout In The Family

Of the seven varieties of garfish, the shortnose gar is only one color, and it has the shortest nose of the family. They are generally light, goldish brown, and it has been found that they will eat predatory carp that get into waterways.

The Spotted Gar — Has Camouflage That Protects It From Predators

Some garfish are solid in color. However, other gar have spotted bodies, such as the Spotted gar, Florida gar, Longnose gar, and alligator gar.

The markings of the spotted gar are large olive-colored spots. They prefer clean, clear, grassy waters, and their coloring blends right in.

The Tropical Gar — Makes Its Home In Central America

A popular fish in certain parts of Central America, the Tropical Gar, is being aquacultured on a commercial scale. The Tropical gar is used as a food source and for restocking populations in the wild that have lost fish.   

It can grow to about four feet long. However, the average size of the tropical gar is about two feet. Eaten whole, straight from the grill, the smaller size of this gar makes it as popular as salmon in some regions of Central America.

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Where Does Alligator Gar Live?

Alligator gar live in drainage canals, estuaries, backwaters, and rivers along the coasts of Florida, Texas, the lower Mississippi river valley, parts of Oklahoma, and south to Mexico.

Overfished in the 20^th century, when people thought they preyed on game fish, their natural habitats were nearly wiped out. However, biologists have proven that the alligator gar does not ravage the gamefish population.

However, the alligator gar has become gamefish and is a prize catch for bowhunters and anglers. 

Can You Eat Any Gar?

All types of garfish are edible. However, like all fish and other animals and organisms, garfish can become toxic from living in polluted water.

In many areas, you can catch alligator gar but must release them due to the toxicity of the water.

However, due to the loss of so much habitat, commercially growing alligator gar is a viable solution for raising them for food and conservation.

Used for sport and food, it is a viable food source. However, please beware of the waters you take your garfish from, lest it is toxic from the water it lives in.

The Eggs Of ALL Gar Are Toxic And Should Be Discarded

Besides the eggs of garfish, the scales are so sharp that American Indians used them for arrowheads. The only natural predators of the alligator gar are humans and alligators.

Can You Eat Every Part Of An Alligator Gar?

Yes, except for the eggs. Some people say they are bony fish, while others only eat the succulent back meat. This meat has an appearance that is more like lobster than fish and is usually grilled or steamed.

What Does Alligator Gar Taste Like?

Many say that the back meat, from along the spine of the alligator gar, has a lobster flavor. Thus, it has earned the nickname “poor man’s lobster’.

Besides the back meat, other parts of the alligator gar have a mild flavor and can be broiled, grilled, or fried like any other fish.

However, every part of the gar, except the eggs, is edible. The eggs are toxic and can cause an adverse reaction if eaten.

How Can You Catch An Alligator Gar?

There are many ways to catch alligator gar, including trotlines, limblines, and jug lines. When using active fishing methods to catch alligator gar, some anglers often use a rod and reel with live or artificial bait.

Bowhunting is also a popular method of landing an alligator gar. However, once an alligator gar has been shot with an arrow, it can’t be released back to the wild.

So, if you need to practice catching and releasing alligator gar due to the fishing area, bowhunting may not be the best method.

Also, if you intend to bow hunt for alligator gar, check with local laws and regulations regarding the alligator gar and other types of garfish.

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What Texture Does Alligator Gar Have?

Alligator gar has firm white meat with a mild flavor, much like other gamefish. It can be cooked in many ways, and the back meat can be cooked and served much the same way you would serve lobster.

Alligator gar can also be grilled, fried, baked, or used in fish stew. As with all fish, there are many ways to cook alligator gar.

And, as with many fish, you may find it tasty or not like it. However, the only way to find out is to try it.

How Do You Eat Alligator Gar?

There are many ways to eat alligator gar, from fried to grilled and everything in between.

The size of the fish is a determining factor in how you cook it, but small or large, you have many choices when it comes to eating alligator gar.

Nutritional Value Of Alligator Gar

High in protein and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, garfish is a good form of protein and other nutrients.

As you can see, alligator gar and their relatives are a healthy form of protein. And like other fish, there are many ways to cook gar.

Recipes For Alligator Gar: Quick Table

You can find recipes for this large, meaty fish. Unfortunately, however, they are few and far between.

A few recipes utilize whole fish, and others focus on the back meat. However, no matter how you cook your alligator gar, you will likely be surprised by its flavor.

1. How To Fry Alligator Gar

Fried fish is a favorite way to cook most fish; the same goes for alligator gar. Whether you have caught a two-foot gar, or one that is seven feet long, either can be cleaned and broken down to fry.

The smaller alligator gar is easier to prepare than a seven-foot monster. But a smaller gar doesn’t have as much meat and can be cooked whole, like bass or other panfish.

Calories: 143

Total Preparation Time: 2-3 minutes

2. Grilled Mango Garfish

This recipe has an Asian flair and cooking methods. Combining the flavor of many with most kinds of seafood gives it a tropical taste and works as well on gar as other fish.

This recipe would work well for a couple of people or a group, from preparation to the final product. Also, the size of the gar is a factor when feeding a group.

But no matter the size of the fish, it can be broken down into small enough pieces to recreate this recipe with chunks of meat instead of the entire fish.

Calories: 650

Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes

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3. Garfish — Cajun Made Gar Balls/Boulettes

This recipe uses a bigger garfish chopped up and mixed with potatoes and other ingredients formed into balls. These balls are dropped into hot oil, fried for a few minutes, and can be served as an appetizer or can accompany other dishes.

This recipe has many variations and is an excellent way to utilize all the fish. It’s not uncommon to have crab cakes or crab balls with a fish dinner, so why not Cajun-flavored gar balls?

Calories: 168

Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can You Catch And Keep Alligator Gar Anywhere You Find Them?

Every state has regulations regarding every type of fish in its waterways. So, before actively fishing for alligator gar, find out the rules where you live.

Where Can I Buy Alligator Gar?

Small meat shops across the country sell game animals such as gator tails, deer meat, and alligator gar to fit that bill of fare.

However, where you live may be a problem if you want to try an alligator or another type of gar unless you live in an area where they can be caught and eaten.

Does Alligator Gar Taste Good? 

 Alligator Gar is a fishy flavor that gives little gamey taste. It’s a texture that gives a light meat flavor. With desired flavors, it is perfectly acceptable and tasty fish to eat.

Amazing Alligator Gar Recipes To Have

Alligator Gar Taste Has A Mild Flavor And Is Quite Lean. It’s Often Served With Red Sauce, Butter, And Cheese.

Ingredients

• How To Fry Alligator Gar

• Grilled Mango Garfish

• Garfish — Cajun Made Gar Balls/Boulettes

Directions

• Pick a recipe from the list above
• Click the recipe name and visit the website
• Collect the ingredients and cook the food
• Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

• Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!

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