Gar
Alligator · Longnose · Spotted · Shortnose
Alligator gar: 1 per day, any size, with mandatory harvest reporting within 24 hours. Other gar: no daily bag limit. Additional gear and spawning-area rules may apply.
Official lake regulations ↗
Habitat on Sam Rayburn
TPWD lake records document alligator, longnose, spotted and shortnose gar. Historical catches document occurrence, not present-day abundance.
Fishing approach
Gar occupy a range of shallow and open-water habitats; confirm species and gear rules before fishing or retaining.
Lake fishing guide ↗ALL GAR SPECIES: women of childbearing age and children under 12 — DO NOT EAT; other adults — no more than 1 eight-ounce meal per month.
Official consumption guidance ↗Species within this group
Alligator Gar
Harvest: 1 daily, no minimum; report harvest to TPWD within 24 hours.
Eating guidance: All gar: protected groups DO NOT EAT; other adults 1 meal/month.
Broad snout; large-bodied gar. Mandatory reporting applies.
Longnose Gar
Harvest: No statewide daily bag or minimum length.
Eating guidance: All gar: protected groups DO NOT EAT; other adults 1 meal/month.
Very long, narrow snout.
Spotted Gar
Harvest: No statewide daily bag or minimum length.
Eating guidance: All gar: protected groups DO NOT EAT; other adults 1 meal/month.
Dark spotting often present on head and body.
Shortnose Gar
Harvest: No statewide daily bag or minimum length.
Eating guidance: All gar: protected groups DO NOT EAT; other adults 1 meal/month.
Shorter, broader snout than longnose gar.
Individual lake profiles
Choose the species for its own identification, harvest rules and eating guidance on this lake.
Alligator Gar
Atractosteus spatulaNo minimum · Varies daily
Longnose Gar
Lepisosteus osseusNo statewide minimum · No statewide limit daily
Spotted Gar
Lepisosteus oculatusNo statewide minimum · No statewide limit daily
Shortnose Gar
Lepisosteus platostomusNo statewide minimum · No statewide limit daily
Source & occurrence note
TPWD Sam Rayburn lake guide and historical water-body records. Records establish occurrence, not current abundance.