UncommonNativeSecure
10
Longnose Gar
Lepisosteus osseus · Lepisosteidae
Needle-nosed prehistoric. Surface-rolling sentry.
Common
30–48 in
Max
72 in
Weight
Up to 50 lbs
Best Bite Windows
When longnose gar feeds · time-of-day read
Right now · 12:00 PM · MIDD window
GOOD58%feeding activity
First & last light · rope lures (frayed nylon — no hook)
24-hour bite curvetaller = more feeding · scrub the clock
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DAWN
66
MORN
61
MIDD
59
AFTE
74
DUSK
78
NIGH
75
Surface roller · warm-water dusk feed
Solar + LunarLOW-MED lunar pull
Major feeds7:48p – 9:48p5:09a – 7:09a
Minor feeds5:29a – 6:29a7:58p – 8:58p
Solunar window 8:03p – 9:33p
Full Moon
Day · Ambush predators near shallow bays and slow backwaters. Slight spawning lunar correlation in May–June.
Night · Some activity in warm months near Full Moon. Rope lures for gar are daytime-focused.
Habitat
RiversReservoirsBackwaters
Range
Open river, oxbow lakes, reservoir bays.
Diet
Shad, suckers, smaller fish — slashes sideways with snout.
Best baits & lures
Rope lures (frayed nylon — no hook)
Live shad
Cut bait
Ready-to-fish boxes for Longnose Gar
Gear up locallyPartner
Tale Waters & Tides
The home water for Arkansas anglers
Pocket Fishing Guide is powered by Tale Waters & Tides — gear, guides, and the stories behind the water. Plan your next trip with us.
How to fish it · techniques
Rope lures tangle in teeth — no hook needed
Patient hookset
C&R is easier
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Rileys White & Buffalo Outfitter
Your White & Buffalo River outfitter
Guided float trips, canoe & kayak rentals, and riverside cabins on the White and Buffalo rivers.
Fun fact
Longnose gar can breathe air through a vascularized swim bladder — letting them survive in oxygen-poor backwaters where most fish suffocate. They've been doing it for 100 million years.
Status
Secure
Native · Lepisosteidae