| Alligator gar are large
(sometimes well over 200 pounds), fish-eating predators found
throughout Louisiana's freshwater habitats and even the state's
brackish marshes. One look at the gar's mouthful of needle-sharp
teeth is often enough to convince fishermen that they are
fish-eating machines that can damage sport fish populations.
Texas biologists did a food habits study on this fish in Sam
Rayburn Reservoir to see just what they do eat. During a two month
period in September and October they caught 209 alligator gar with
gill nets and jug lines. The gar ranged in weight from 18 pounds to
156 pounds.
While most of their stomachs (126) were empty, enough had food in
them to get a picture of their diet. The proportion of food items by
species is listed below:
|
SPECIES |
% OF TOTAL FOOD
ITEMS |
| Gizzard shad |
26.4% |
| Channel catfish |
14.9% |
| Freshwater drum
(gaspergou) |
12.6% |
| Bluegill, redear,
and goggleye sunfish |
7.9% |
| Spotted sucker |
6.8% |
| White bass (barfish) |
4.5% |
| Largemouth bass |
3.4% |
| Spotted gar |
3.4% |
| Crappie
(sac-au-lait) |
2.2% |
| Lake chubsucker |
2.2% |
| Carp |
1.1% |
The study also showed that gar can be scavengers, as the
carcasses of 7 crappie discarded by fishermen after cleaning were
found in their stomachs. Other items found included 2 coots, 11 fish
hooks, 1 artificial lure and 1 plastic bag.
Reprinted from Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Sea
Grant Program Newsletter Volume 22, No. 3, March 1998. Source: Food
Selection of Alligator Gar and Longnose Gar in a Texas Reservoir.
E. P. Seidensticker. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Proceedings of the Forty-first Annual Conference of Southeastern
Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 1988. |
