I also have a pond that ONLY has longnose gar in it. They have spawned every year like clockwork. I read the other thread about the gar spawn in the ponds. Here's the deal. His longnose gar have already spawned. Yes,you read that right. All of his pictures with the exception of a couple are pictures of baby longnose gar. The picture of the gar in the thread (#43 I think,it had a bottom jaw that 1/2 was missing) is one of a couple that are spotted gar. I have seen and caught thousands of baby longnose over the years from 1/2" to 6" long when I catch them with an aquarium net. I Promise. Here's the second part of MY problem. Every year I see the gar in the Tennessee River spawning in coves off the main river channel. The fish I see are 100% without a doubt SPOTTED GAR. Males (about 18"-30" long and usually 2 or 3 to 6 or 8, on average) are chasing the female (they are generally larger,about 24"+ to 36"-40" long) around in the weedy shallow water along the bank. This is usually late April to early May. When I start to catch the baby gar it usually about May 15th. They are about 1" to 3" long by then. Here is the problem. I catch 100 to 400 every year. NOT ONE when I grow them up in an aquarium EVER is a spotted gar. NONE!!! All longnose gar, every last one . I have seen the parents closely, three feet away. Every year for 20+ years. I have never seen ANY longnose gar spawing,EVER! OK, now ,so knowing this when do the longnose gar spawn? At night? That's the only time from dawn to dusk that I haven't been there to observe at one time or another. Ok,also, I see ONLY spotted gar spawning. What happens to the fry? I have NEVER caught one in 20+ years of collecting. Where do they go? It is not misidentified fish when they are young because they look identical every year and I have grown dozens up to 12"+ in my aquariums. Their nose/Bill gets longer like pinocchio as they grow. Every single gar,every single year! I am a pretty smart guy,but this has me completely stumped and has for twenty years. What's the deal in y'all's opinion? Let's figure this out together. Take everything thing I have said as the absolute truth,because it is. Where do the baby spotted gar go?
