Video: DIY Alligator Gar Bowfishing Trip in Texas
OutdoorHub Reporters 05.22.19
After seeing the new Ohio state record Bigmouth buffalo, we got sent down a bowfishing ‘worm hole’ and came across this group of bowfishing DIYers –Bragging Rightz Outdoors – who recently embarked on an epic alligator gar bowfishing trip in Texas.
These gentlemen traveled 25 hours straight to Texas for an epic adventure of shooting fish in the swamp with their bows, and lets just say – even after hitting a couple snags along the way – they weren’t disappointed..
Day 1 starts slow, but the group wraps up their first day on the water with a nice gar in the boat!
On the second day, though, the team of guys appears to find their groove a little, and their luck suddenly turns around..
After getting an arrow in what appeared to be a big fish, the crew went right to work to get it in the boat. And if you’ve been bowfishing before, you know this can be pretty tedious work..
The team worked together for what seemed like forever, but were rewarded at the end of it all with a nearly 7-foot-long alligator gar – the largest species in the gar family.
Check out the video below, and look for the part when they’re cleaning the fish to get an idea of just how tough these fishes scales are:
An alligator gar has scales that are unlike any other fish. They’re called ganoid scales, which are bone-like, rhomboidal-shaped scales, often with serrated edges, and covered by an enamel-like substance. Ganoid scales are nearly impenetrable and are excellent protection against predation.
These fish are often referred to as “primitive fish” or “living fossils” because they have retained some morphological characteristics of their earliest ancestors, such as a spiral valve intestine, which is also common to the digestive system of sharks, and the ability to breathe both air and water.
Good work fellas, and way to press on when things got a little hairy there in the beginning. After all, that’s the name of the game!
