Aligator Gar on Today's Show

James and Jacob !!!!

That looked like a blast !!!

My back was sore just watching you two on the tube !!

Thanks for the smiles created this morning !!!

Great show. Nice break from watching ice fishing.

Fun! Were you unhooking them or cutting lines. Not sure I’d want to get too close to those teeth!

tweak wrote:

Fun! Were you unhooking them or cutting lines. Not sure I’d want to get too close to those teeth!

If you can’t get at the hooks easily the best / safest way to deal with the release is to cut the line and leave the hook where it is at. One swipe of the jaw during a violent head thrash, with those protruding teeth, and you’d be a hurting unit. Heaven forbid one was to actually get a grip on a body part. Jake was telling me that according to the Texas DNR, which has done survivability studies on leaving the hooks in place, the bronze hooks break down in a fairly short amount of time leaving the fish no worse for the wear.

As far as those gar are concerned… they’re one of the coolest fish I’ve encountered in fresh water. They fight like mad, make hard runs and they’ll even jump which puts them in a league of their own for a fish that size. I know the first time I got to wrap my arms around one my whole body trembled and I wasn’t even the one that caught the fish. That type of adrenaline rush is worth the drive in and of itself.

A huge thanks to Jakob Hals for telling me alligator gar stories until I wanted to make the trip and then for making those “stories” a reality!

Here’s the show, if you missed it on FSN this morning.

Great show. Watched a bunch more IDO on you tube while sorting tackle today too. Awesome afternoon really.

LOL! I would have pushed him in after it Jakob!!

Cool show!!

Brian Klawitter wrote:

LOL! I would have pushed him in after it Jakob!!

Cool show!!

I know losing that fish broke his heart but thankfully he was able to forgive me quickly. I felt bad, really, really bad.

You guys had a chance to see it and caught it on camera somewhat.

I think it was a good ending AND set up for a sequel!

James Holst wrote:

I know losing that fish broke his heart but thankfully he was able to forgive me quickly. I felt bad, really, really bad.

I still have a little heartache from that one – however – you can’t take all the blame James. We were under geared to land that fish in the first place – a nice “real” Texas lasso would have done the trick on the first attempt, glad we left that back at camp.

Also – you had to endure listening to me the whole 18 hour drive back from Texas – I think your off the hook.

Atta Boy Jakob!

I would have still accidentally bumped him.

18 straight hours of how you should of lasso’d that gar, James you should be a pro next time around!!!

Great show! Another trip to add to the bucket list