A rant about killing garfish

[spasor]

I`m afraid I grab garfish by the tail and give them a good smack on the nearest solid object?

Their fillets are wonderful bait.

But I agree. Ripping a fishes head off, whilst it is still alive is a tad barbaric.

I can only point to one of my earlier postings. I pulled up a fresh mackeral on a boat, smacked its head against the fish box and cut it into baits! Some sensitive folk on board were disgusted. Should I have quietly cut it up whilst it was still alive? Just as well fishes screams are inaudible.

[Phone]

All,

 

question,

 

Are your "gar" the same as we have in North America?

 

Gar, like many creatures in the environment are seeing a resurgance of respect. Our Alligator Gar has nearly become an "endangered species" (especially the big 300 lbrs). They certainly serve a purpose in keeping a river in proper balance over here.

 

Now, a not so cool comment. Gar, longnose gar mostly, were great sport for idiots. They would prop the mouth wide open with a stick. Watch the fish slowly drown itself after it was released (they stay on the surface). The entire fishing community cringes at such today. But it wasn't long ago drinking beer and drowning gar was an all day long sporting event.

 

Phone

[Zigs]

All,

 

question,

 

Are your "gar" the same as we have in North America?

 

Gar, like many creatures in the environment are seeing a resurgance of respect. Our Alligator Gar has nearly become an "endangered species" (especially the big 300 lbrs). They certainly serve a purpose in keeping a river in proper balance over here.

 

Now, a not so cool comment. Gar, longnose gar mostly, were great sport for idiots. They would prop the mouth wide open with a stick. Watch the fish slowly drown itself after it was released (they stay on the surface). The entire fishing community cringes at such today. But it wasn't long ago drinking beer and drowning gar was an all day long sporting event.

 

Phone

 

Hi Phone,

 

Probably not the same, ours are usually about a foot & a half in length & about the same width as a banana. They do have very long beaks & swim near the surface. People don't like to eat them as they have green bones, which the brits associate with the green stamp put on condemned meat I guess.

 

They are very nice smoked.

 

I guess the idiots ran out of bears to bait then.

[Steve Walker]

Not at all related to the US gars - not much is! Garfish are just another teleost (bony fish) species, like the vast majority of species we fish for.

 

[Dan]

I'd add that they are very good eating without smoking, just as nice as mackerel and less boney IMHO. But I only eatem if I cant get the hook out (usually the trebble on a toby as I dont fish for them) With braid you can feel them hit the spoon with their beak before they go for it.

 

Dan