Trinity River guides gearing up for summertime fishing on world's premier alligator gar river
Steve Barclay and Sam Lovell don't believe in the boogie man, but they are quick to admit that monsters are the real deal. Their job brings them up close and personal with the piscatorial titans all the time.
Barclay and Lovell call themselves "The Gar Guys." The title is a befitting one. The two men make a living chasing alligator gar, a prehistoric-looking throwback that is quickly gaining ground on the hit lists of thrill-seeking anglers all over the world.
It is probably a good thing the gar guys work as a team. Texas freshwater's most fierce-looking predator also is the biggest and baddest. Capable of growing beyond nine feet in length and reaching weights in excess of 300 pounds, the alligator gar can be a rough customer when made to tango on a hook and line. For lack of a better comparison, imagine trying to manhandle a young brahma bull with a bad attitude, a mouthful of razor sharp teeth and veins gushing with steroids using a lead rope.
Despite its massive size, the gar fish is extremely agile and equally powerful. Most battles are not easily won. Once hooked, the alligator gar makes the switch from a lazy loafer to a fierce fighter. They jump. They tail walk. The big ones pull like a freight train.
Indeed, gar chasers frequently have their boats towed considerable distances before they are finally able to subdue the fish. Barclay, who also runs guided bowfishing trips for gar, once had his flatbottom boat towed for about 1 1/2 miles before he finally won the battle with a fish he estimated to weigh about 250 pounds.
While alligator gar can be found in waters all across the South, their numbers are not near as plentiful as they once were. At one time the species had a range that spread across most large river systems from the Gulf of Mexico states and Mexico upstream to the Ohio River Valley.
However, studies conducted by the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society indicate gar numbers recently have dropped significantly. Scientists blame the decline largely on intense pressure from commercial fishing operations.
Luckily, that has not been then case in Texas. Alligator gar, which can live beyond 50 years of age, are holding their own on many lakes and river systems across the state.
To help protect them, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2009 implemented restrictive harvest regulations. The rules limit anglers to one alligator gar per day and encourage the catch and release of large fish. Inland fisheries biologist Craig Bonds summarized the catch-and-release theory in a recent TPWD news release.
"While it is legal to harvest one alligator gar a day, catch-and-release fishing with rod and reel is an equally exhilarating and more conservation-minded way to fish for alligator gar," said Bonds. "Releasing fish after they are caught, measured and photographed will help assure these fish will have the opportunity to perpetuate the species and make it possible for present and future anglers to continue to enjoy the extraordinary recreational experience of bringing one of these incredible fish to hand."
While the toothy leviathans can be found in several water bodies in Texas, the most abundant populations of trophy class fish are associated with major river systems and the reservoirs they feed. Many believe the Trinity harbors the richest population of big gar anywhere in the world.
Barclay agrees with that assessment. The guide said it is not uncommon to hook multiple fish in excess of 100 pounds on any given day when rod-and-reel fishing prospects are prime.
The bite is generally best from June through September when the river is running low and green. This tends to confine the fish to deeper holes found in bends where they can be readily caught on big rods rigged with heavy lines and hooks tipped with magnum chunks of cut buffalo or whole shad.
TPWD scientists have been conducting intensive research on the Trinity's alligator gar population since the restrictive regulation was put in place. Their findings indicate the fish can live beyond 50 years, and they have a natural mortality averaging 9 percent annually.
The research also shows:
* An estimated 9,200 alligator gar measuring 42 inches or longer in the upper Trinity River (from Lake Livingston to Dallas/Ft. Worth).
* Estimated sustainable harvest from the Trinity would be about 400 alligator gar 42 inches or longer, of which only 60 can be above 70 inches.
* Very limited movement between coastal alligator gar and those within the Trinity River. This suggests that localized overfishing may be possible in high-use areas.
* Estimated current rate of harvest for the upper Trinity River is about 3-4 percent of the total population per year, which is considered sustainable if recruitment is maintained.
* Trinity River gar usually reach 42 inches within 3-5 years, but it takes 20-50 years for a gar to reach 78 inches.
Rising in far North Texas, the Trinity winds a serpentine path across the Post Oak and Pineywoods regions of the state before dumping into Trinity Bay on the upper Texas coast. While alligator gar roam the entire system, one of the best stretches begins about 25 miles south of the Lake Livingston dam and runs northward to the U.S. Highway 287 crossing below Richland Chambers Reservoir.
While there are miles of of dead water in that stretch, there are also plenty of sweet spots along the way that will kick out mega gar for anglers who know what to look for and, more importantly, which cards to play once they get there.
The Gar Guys always play with a stacked deck. You can reach them at 936-546-4860 or garguys.com.
Matt Williams' email address is mattwilliams@netdot.com.
Share this story:
Google
Yahoo
digg
del.icio.us
facebook
Slashdot
