# Escambia Bay



## Trucker (Sep 25, 2008)

My son Shane and I launched out of the Archie Glover ramp this morning about 0730 and really had a good time. Didn't bring any home but had some good laughs and poked fun at each other all morning. The big excitement was catching the alligator gar on the ultra light. What a BLAST that was. That bad boy did not want to get in the boat. Just about the time I thought I had him up to the boat he would take off again and that little Zebco would sound off a whining. Really alot of fun. The little one Shane caught wanted to mate with his lure we believe. That was a little fish with big ideas. We used top water poppers, cut bait, plastic worm, spinner baits, and the shallow water lure you see with the gar and only fish caught was with the shallow water lure, green chartreuse.


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

That's a good size gar, but I believe that's a florida long nose gar.


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## Trucker (Sep 25, 2008)

*gar*



skiff89_jr said:


> That's a good size gar, but I believe that's a florida long nose gar.


You are absolutely right. I googeld it and saw it. Thanks for the education, never to old to learn.


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

I catch them all the time when i'm flathead fishing. They are quite the pest. The choctawhatchee river is full of them too.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

The lower half of Escambia is swarming with them, looks like a fun day on the water though:thumbsup:


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## Trucker (Sep 25, 2008)

Do ya'll cut um up for bait or just release them?  That's the first one I've ever seen and when I saw all the teeth all I wanted at the time was for it to be gone.


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## redfishreaper (Apr 23, 2012)

Trucker said:


> Do ya'll cut um up for bait or just release them? That's the first one I've ever seen and when I saw all the teeth all I wanted at the time was for it to be gone.


I'm not shur for the gar but the alligator gar is illegal to even Put in your boat in Florida


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

redfishreaper said:


> I'm not shur for the gar but the alligator gar is illegal to even Put in your boat in Florida


Yes, the alligator gar is illegal to put in your boat, but the florida long nose gar is completely legal to fish for and take. There are so many on the upper choctawhatchee that they are a nuisance. They are extremely overpopulated and unwanted. I catch them all the time when i'm catfishing and i usually don't even bring them in the boat. They get a round house swing with the boat paddle and are left for the gators and scavengers. Most people don't use them for cut bait or anything, but a buddy of mine caught a 30# blue cat on the apalachicola with a live baby gar... i'd call that luck though!


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