# Gar question, saw one in a pond



## creekrock (Oct 28, 2008)

Tonight I happened to notice a Longnose Gar in a pond in Hardin County while taking a walk. Those of you who fish in this area know that Longnose Gar do not occur in the river systems in Hardin county (Ottawa, Blanchard, etc.) or the surrounding area. I have been fishing these rivers and their tributaries for the past 4 years and have not seen any. In addition, based on information online the closest river that gar occur is the Maumee. Does anyone know how a fish like this would end up in a pond? Fishing is not permitted at this pond and to the best of my knowledge it has not been stocked. However, it is public so people do have access to it, walk and bike around it, just not allowed to fish there. It seems unlikely that someone would drive two hours catch a gar and bring it to a pond where fishing is prohibited just for fun. In addition, how do fish get into ponds naturally and what species work their way into ponds naturally?


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Ponds that are new that are only a few years old will get stocked by nature. Waterfowl traveling from pond to pond will attach eggs of fish to thier legs and feet and transfer the eggs. Waterfowl just doing thier normal thing will do all the stocking.


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## maxpower (Jul 2, 2008)

While flathead's answer is definitely a possibility, it could be the actions of an irresponsible pet owner as well. Some people "free" their overgrown/unwanted pet(s) into the nearest, most convenient area where they think it will survive.


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## creekrock (Oct 28, 2008)

Birds or a released pet would have to be the explanation. However, it is still very strange.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Having not actually seen or heard of any gar occurring in that area naturally dosent mean they dont. Its been my experience that they turn up just about anywhere and everywhere almost as common as carp or bass in some places. Either the egss came from a birds legs , or a flooded stream or river carried the fish to the pond , or someone fishing with minnows containing atleast one gar fry in the bunch dumped them into the water.


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## Bob579 (10 mo ago)

creekrock said:


> Tonight I happened to notice a Longnose Gar in a pond in Hardin County while taking a walk. Those of you who fish in this area know that Longnose Gar does not occur in the river systems in Hardin county (Ottawa, Blanchard, etc.) or the surrounding area. I have been fishing these rivers and their tributaries for the past 4 years and have not seen any. In addition, based on information online the closest river that gar occur is the Maumee. Does anyone know how a fish like this would end up in a pond? Fishing is not permitted at this pond and to the best of my knowledge it has not been stocked. However, it is public so people do have access to it, walk and bike around it, just not allowed to fish there. It seems unlikely that someone would drive two hours to catch a gar and bring it to a pond where fishing is prohibited just for fun. In addition, how do fish get into ponds naturally and what species work their way into ponds naturally?





creekrock said:


> Tonight I happened to notice a Longnose Gar in a pond in Hardin County while taking a walk. Those of you who fish in this area know that Longnose Gar do not occur in the river systems in Hardin county (Ottawa, Blanchard, etc.) or the surrounding area. I have been fishing these rivers and their tributaries for the past 4 years and have not seen any. In addition, based on information online the closest river that gar occur is the Maumee. Does anyone know how a fish like this would end up in a pond? Fishing is not permitted at this pond and to the best of my knowledge it has not been stocked. However, it is public so people do have access to it, walk and bike around it, just not allowed to fish there. It seems unlikely that someone would drive two hours catch a gar and bring it to a pond where fishing is prohibited just for fun. In addition, how do fish get into ponds naturally and what species work their way into ponds naturally?


Gar do live in the portage river near Ottowa County


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

X2 on the ducks feet. As Jeff Goldblum said in Jurassic Park- "Nature will find a way "
Having said that, I've never seen a gar in a pond that wasn't susceptible to river or creek flooding


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Doesn't the Sciota River go right through Hardin County? I would be very surprised if there weren't any gar in most of those creeks and rivers.


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Longnose Gar are in basically every river system in the state. I have a creek that I’ve fished for years that flows into the Scioto. I had never seen or caught a gar until one day that I was there and the gar were spawning. I saw dozens that day congregated in one pool. Even if you haven’t seen one, they are probably around.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Considering they are in Erie and all the other major water ways in the state I guarantee you they are in all the areas you think they are not. Probably got in a pond from flooding. Or maybe someone caught one and threw it in there


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## Jace McDonald (Apr 14, 2021)

Could be natural I’ve caught flathead out of the Ottawa around Kalida which is surprising there considering all the dams on the maumee


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