Gar fish can be hard to catch. They do not have lips for your hook to pierce, and their mouths are armored with teeth and bone. Gar will grab onto your bait and swim away before they swallow, so it is best to keep your bale open to allow your line to unwind. Once it seems the gar has swallowed its meal, close your bale and set the hook. Gar have been around since the Triassic period, over 240 million years. This is a Spotted Gar I caught in Louisiana in May.