Atractosteus spatula
The giant of the gar family, over 2 m and 100 kg. In Mexico it lives in rivers, lagoons and reservoirs of the Gulf coastal plain, from Tamaulipas to Veracruz, and is caught on natural bait.
Also called: peixe-jacaré, catán, alligator gar
The largest of all the gars: up to 2.6 m and 137 kg, and it can live over 90 years. Native to the Mississippi basin and the Gulf of Mexico coastal plain, from the USA to Veracruz. In Mexico it is the catán, common in slow rivers, lagoons, swamps and reservoirs of the northeast, such as Vicente Guerrero in Tamaulipas, where it is also fished commercially. It gulps air at the surface when the water warms and loses oxygen, and rarely enters the sea. It hunts by ambush, motionless like a log, and eats fish, crabs and even waterbirds. Its hard, tooth-filled mouth makes hooksets difficult: sport fishing uses natural bait on a float and a lot of patience.
Long, cylindrical body covered in hard diamond-shaped scales, with the dorsal and anal fins set back near the tail. The snout is broad and short for an alligator gar, and adults have two rows of large teeth on each side of the jaw. Olive-brown back with a pale band, white to yellowish belly, dark spots on the fins. The pejelagarto (Atractosteus tropicus), farther south, is much smaller and has its body and fins covered in dark spots.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Not found in Brazil. Mississippi River basin and the Gulf of Mexico coastal plain, from the USA to Veracruz. In Mexico, rivers, lagoons and reservoirs in the northeast and along the Gulf coast, such as Vicente Guerrero reservoir (Tamaulipas).
Habitat: Deep pools and eddies of large rivers, lagoons, swamps and still, warm reservoirs; sometimes in brackish water of coastal lagoons.
Best in the warm months, from spring to early autumn. In winter it turns sluggish and feeds little.
Dawn and dusk. Most active at dawn, at dusk and at night; during the day it usually stays still at the surface or mid-water, basking in the sun near logs and vegetation.
Cold water keeps the fish still on the bottom; wait for warm, stable days.
Little direct effect.
Little effect; it hunts more on calm nights.
Rain that raises the river spreads the fish into the flooded areas.
Low water concentrates fish in the deep pools; high water takes the catán to lagoons and floodplains (várzeas), where it spawns.
Wary fish in shallow water: approach quietly and don't knock on the hull.
Strong wind makes it hard to see fish rolling at the surface.
From 0.5 to 4 m in lagoons and eddies; in reservoirs, near logs and river mouths.
lures
natural baits
accessories
When the float starts moving off, let the catán run and set the hook only when it stops and makes a second run: it turns the prey in its mouth before swallowing.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not listed in the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 list of species at risk (2010 text).
In Mexico's federal-jurisdiction inland waters, the limit is 5 fish per angler per day, with one rod in use per angler. Using live fish as bait in inland waters is banned, and fish caught in sport fishing may not be sold. Each reservoir's committee may reduce the bag limit and set sizes.
At Vicente Guerrero reservoir, its diversion weir and the main channel, the minimum catch size for catán is 1,200 mm total length. Smaller fish must be returned alive to the water.
Source: NOM-060-SAG/PESC-2014, Annex 1, item XXXIX.VII d, DOF May 27, 2014
Use gloves and long pliers; support the whole body and don't lift the fish by the snout. It breathes air at the surface: don't leave it tied or trapped underwater. Release quickly.
White, firm flesh, eaten in Mexico. The roe of alligator gars is toxic and should not be eaten.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00229, b = 3.19; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana para a família e o formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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