Wow no way. A 16 FOOT ALIGATOR GAR. Wow! Thats big. I used to catch Gar in the wisconson river. But I never caught one over 3 feet. And I find it funny that the Gar went after you lol. I mean there the nasty predator fish and all but I did not know they were that aggresive. Also I wonder how Gar Taste....hhhmmmm....gives me an idea.
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Gar flesh is fine to eat,just different.It's much more firm than other fish and some friends of mine say it reminds them of lobster when broiled.
I think most people don't even try gar because they can't figure out how to clean them.
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If you use a machete,cleaver,hatchet,etc.,they aren't hard to clean.
Chop behind the top back fin toward the head to remove a strip of skin and scales along the back.Then just work the skin away from the sides.
Some folks I know will just take the backstrap out with a fillet knife after loosening the skin from the sides to get the best and easiest part.
We have all of the "good" fish we can use but still go out specifically get gar to eat sometimes,they're good.