Atractosteus tropicus
Tropical gar of the warm lowlands of southern Mexico and Central America. A symbol of Tabasco cooking; in Nicaragua and Costa Rica the gaspar is the one caught with natural bait in lagoons and slow rivers.
Also called: pejelagarto, gaspar, peixe-jacaré-tropical, tropical gar
Tropical gar of the Caribbean and Pacific slopes, from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. It lives in backwaters and slow stretches of rivers, lagoons and flooded lowlands, in warm, often still water, where it floats like a log and gulps air at the surface. In high water it enters the floodplains (várzeas) and spawns in large groups over flooded vegetation; the young stay in the grass and the adults return to the river. It eats mostly fish. In southeastern Mexico, especially Tabasco, it is fished and farmed in ponds and served roasted. For sport anglers it is a natural-bait target in lagoons and canals, with hard hooksets because of its bony mouth.
Long, cylindrical body covered in hard diamond-shaped scales; flattened snout, longer and narrower than the catán's, with slender teeth. Dorsal and anal fins set back near the rounded tail. Olive-brown back, pale belly, body and fins speckled with dark spots and blotches. The catán (alligator gar) is much larger, has a broader snout and lives farther north, up to Veracruz.
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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. Caribbean and Pacific slopes of southern Mexico (Tabasco, Chiapas and neighboring states) and of Central America: Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, including Lake Nicaragua and the Frío River (Costa Rica).
Habitat: Backwaters and slow stretches of rivers, lagoons, canals and flooded lowlands, in warm, still water near vegetation and logs.
Fishable all year. In the dry season (generally February to May) fish concentrate in lagoons and canals and are easier to find; in high water they spread over the floodplains to spawn.
Dawn and dusk. Hunts most at dawn and dusk; during the day it often floats motionless at the surface of lagoons and backwaters.
Rare in the region; prolonged cold rains reduce activity.
Little direct effect.
Little effect.
The first rains and high water take the fish into the floodplains and scatter the schools.
As the water falls, fish concentrate in lagoons and at canal mouths: it's the best phase.
A fish floating in shallow water sinks with a splash; approach by paddle.
Strong wind makes it hard to see fish at the surface.
Shallow, from 0.3 to 2 m, near vegetation and logs.
lures
natural baits
accessories
Cast the bait in front of the floating fish and let it sit still: it approaches slowly and takes it sideways. Wait for the second run before setting the hook.
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.
The official table of minimum catch sizes from INPESCA for inland waters sets 80 cm for the gaspar (Atractosteus tropicus). Smaller specimens must be returned to the water.
Source: INPESCA — Minimum catch sizes allowed, inland waters (2019)
Use gloves and long pliers, support the body and don't lift it by the snout. Release quickly, at the surface, so it can breathe.
White, firm flesh, highly prized in southeastern Mexico, especially roasted. The roe is toxic and must never 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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