• Characteristics - olive green above to whitish below; diamond shaped scales; long, beak-like snout with sharp teeth, dorsal fin far back on body
• Distribution - Mississippi River, occasional in oxbows and tributaries of Missouri River, natural lakes
• Foods - smaller fish, insect larvae, crayfish
• State Record - 4 pounds, 10 ounces - June 23, 2001 - Jeremy Leu, Batavia, Iowa
• Expert's Tip - gar feed at the suface, use floating lures with large hooks

For more shortnose gar information, see our printable pdf (75K) or Iowa Fish & Fishing.