Has anyone seen an Alligator Gar Fish?

Question

Never saw this on Discovery Channel....

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dalligator%2Bgar%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&h=483&w=275&imgcurl=billstclair.com%2Fblog%2Falligatorgar-head.jpg&imgurl=billstclair.com%2Fblog%2Falligatorgar-head.jpg&size=27.0kB&name=alligatorgar-head.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbillstclair.com%2Fblog%2F030909.html&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbillstclair.com%2Fblog%2F030909.html&p=alligator+gar&type=jpeg&no=3&tt=636&fr=yfp-t-428

Answer 1

Here's another picture, alongside a person for size reference

http://www.paulzindel.com/finalpages/Photos/albumpages/pages/Album1/21biggarfish_jpg.htm

The gar usually seen in pet stores and such are usually longnosed gar, and don't look quite as freaky as the alligator gar.

Here's some more

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/recordfish/alligatorgar.jpg

http://www.carpdreamfishing.com/alligator%20gar.jpg

http://www.sdafs.org/laafs/Amazing%20Fish%20Pictures/Big%20Alligator%20Gar%2009-03.JPG

http://www.lowrance.com/images/Fish/kirk_gar.jpg

They occur in the Mississippi River basin from SW Ohio and Illinois down to the Gulf of Mexico. They usually live in slow moving pools and backwaters, swamps, bayous and brackish lakes. They can even enter saltwater for a period of time.

Alligator gar use their long, toothy maws for catching fish.

They are apparently good eating, but a royal pain in the butt to clean and scale.

Answer 2

I have seen a gar in the Ohio River and another in a lake in Northern Michigan. They stick their heads up out of the water - by as much as 8 inches. I don't know which species of gar I saw.

Answer 3

I dont think thats what this is, b/c ive seen those before, and thats generally not what they look like. Although it might be, dont get me wrong...