ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologist Michael Baird of Waco sometimes thinks he’s heard it all—until the next fish story reaches his ears.

  "Through hundreds of conversations with anglers and outdoor recreationists, a fisheries biologist hears just about every kind of fish story there is," he said. "Folks will mis-identify a fish, mis-speak about a fishery issue or exaggerate the size of the one that got away. But I have never heard more mis-information than when talking about fishes from the gar family. I hope what follows will clear up much of the confusion and allow more folks to return to the waters of Central Texas with a better understanding of the importance of gar in the ecosystem."

  There are actually four different species of gar in Texas: spotted, shortnose, longnose and alligator. Spotted gar are the smallest of the four species, obtaining a maximum size of four feet in length and 15 pounds. They range from the Red River south to the Rio Grande basin and are extremely common. As their name suggests, the head, body and fins of this species are typically covered with dark spots, although there can be variations depending on water chemistry.

  Shortnose gar grow to a similar size yet lack dark spots on the head. Their range in Texas is limited to the Red River basin below Lake Texoma.

  Longnose gar can be distinguished from spotted and shortnose gar by, you guessed it, a much longer snout. Longnose gar can grow to nearly six and a half feet in length and attain weights of up to 80 pounds.

  Alligator gar differ from the other three gar species in several ways. The most obvious is their large adult size; short, blunt snout and the fact that they have two rows of teeth on both sides of the upper jaw instead of a single row. The alligator gar is the largest of the gar species and is one of the largest freshwater fishes in North America.

  The current world record is eight feet, five and one-eighth inches in length, 47 inches in girth and 327 pounds. The current rod-and-reel and bow-fishing records for Texas are 279 and 290 pounds respectively. Research suggests alligator gar are also among the longest-lived freshwater fishes in North America, and individual ages of up to 50 years have been estimated. Think about that for a second: There are alligator gar swimming around out there that have been alive since the 1960s!

  The large size of alligator gar, along with their sharp teeth and scales, has given the entire gar family a bad reputation. A hundred years ago most people thought gar fishes were responsible for declines in sport fish populations, and many fishery professionals at the time encouraged the removal of these fish. Since that time however, fisheries biologists have learned much about the eating habits of gar, and this research suggests gar are opportunistic feeders, feeding on a variety of different fish species. So, although gar will inevitably eat an occasional sportfish, they also eat freshwater drum, suckers, shad and common carp. Some researchers believe gar contribute to healthy aquatic ecosystems by helping to balance predator-prey populations through selection of over-abundant species as a food source.

  Bow and more recently rod-and-reel anglers have been enjoying the gar family’s sporting traits for quite some time. Alligator gar in particular are prized by bow fishers for their large size, while rod-and-reel anglers seek the stubborn determination and raw power all gar species can bring to the end of their lines. Currently the daily bag limit for alligator gar in Texas is one fish per day, while other gar species can be caught in any number. The Texas alligator gar regulation is meant to help conserve the population while additional research is conducted.

  Texas has alligator gar populations in a number of inland reservoirs including Lakes Texoma, Sam Rayburn, Choke Canyon, Falcon and Livingston and in most coastal tributaries and bay systems. These populations are thought to be some of the best remaining in the world, and several research studies are under way by TPWD to better understand and manage them. Conservation and management of alligator gar will require additional information on population demographics, spawning ecology, and habitat needs throughout all life stages.

  For a guide to identifying the different species of gar in Texas, go to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/#fish.

  For additional information or to share your own gar story, please call TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division office in Waco at (254) 666-5190.

   Editor’s Note: We ran this article in the September 2010 issue and thought it very relevant to use it again this year. Please check the dates as they may have changed. Also the regulations listed below are a good guideline but make sure and check your state’s rules before heading to the field. Have fun and stay safe.

  LITTLE ROCK - It’s an old and useful adage – be sure you are right, then go ahead.

  It applies to dove hunting, which is coming up quickly. The Arkansas season opens Saturday, September 4 but most states open on September 1.

  Be sure the place you hunt is not baited. Obviously, if you come to a field and see piles of wheat or sunflower seed or salt or something else on the ground, it is baited, and is to be avoided for dove hunting. If you can’t see anything and you are a guest or a paying customer of the owner or manager of the field, ask first if the field has been baited. The established rule is all bait must be gone for 10 days before a place can be hunted.

  Here are the federal and Arkansas state dove baiting rules in plain and simple language:

  "It is illegal to hunt or kill doves with the aid of bait (salt, grain, or other feed that has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered to attract game).

  An area is considered baited for 10 days after the complete removal of all bait.

  Anyone hunting who knows or reasonably should know the area is baited is liable for the offense. Hunters should physically inspect the field for any signs of baiting and question landowners, guides and caretakers to ensure the field is legal to hunt.

  Natural vegetation may be manipulated in any way to attract doves and other migratory game birds.

  The following practices are legal to prepare dove fields on planted vegetation:

  Planting – Planting grain crops in a field that has been plowed and disked (including top-sewn or aerially seeded wheat fields) is legal as long as seeding rates are in tune with extension service recommendations. It is illegal to seed the same field repeatedly, concentrate wheat in long rows or pile wheat on a field.

  Harvesting – Harvesting a field often scatters some waste grain which attracts birds. If harvest was conducted as normal agricultural operation, it is legal for doves.

  Manipulations – Unharvested fields may be mowed, shredded, disked, rolled, chopped, trampled, burned or treated with herbicides. These fields may be hunted legally for doves.

  Hogging down – Livestock may be allowed to graze on harvested and unharvested grain. These fields may be hunted legally for doves.

  Food plots – It is legal to plant food plots, provided that grains grown for wildlife management purposes are not harvested then returned to the field."