POPULAR BLUFF, Mo. (KMOX) - A new state and world record for the largest spotted gar caught has been set by a Missouri man fishing in a lake this February.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says Devlin Rich's spotted gar, weighing 10-pounds, 9-ounces is the largest of its kind ever caught in either the state of Missouri or the world. The Williamsville native reeled in the fish with a pole-and-line at Wappapello Lake on Feb. 25.
It beat the previous world record of 9-pounds, 12-ounces set back in 1994.
Spotted gar is rather common and widely distributed in the Bootheel lowlands of southeastern Missouri.
“Because of the hard, bony jaws, gars are seldom taken on hook-and-line and are rarely used for food,” noted MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “Special techniques are required to capture them consistently with rod-and-reel, but they do provide a ready target for the bow hunter because they often bask near the surface of the water.”
Gars are generally associated with warm, sluggish backwaters. They frequently rise to the water’s surface, opening and closing their jaws with a loud snap, then sinking below. This behavior allows them to swallow air into their swim bladder, which allows it to function much like a lung. This adaptation helps them survive in still or slow waters with relatively low oxygen levels.
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