Gar

We went fishing today. The lack of rain has really lowered the level of some of the lakes and streams. We were at Louisville Swamp. After a mile hike, we found the water at the Jabs levy was really low. I mean it was a trickle. Usually the area is full of water. Sometimes it is under water after a heavy rain or snowmelt. We decided to try fishing in the "little river." Our bait minnows were dying fast in the summer heat, and I decided to try a floating Rapala. After a few casts, I had a hit and a large fish jumped. I kept at it and finally caught about a two-foot, shortnosed gar.

I was planning to release it, so I didn't want to handle it much. I asked my wife to get a picture as I held it up by the leader. Just as she raised the camera, the fish began thrashing and threw the hook. It dropped onto the mud and slid into the stream. That was the end of my gar, though I had fun catching it.

This is what the fish looked like...


This is the actual stream where I caught the gar.