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Gar along?

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Morgan:
Well, me and tater finally got a gar landed that is big enough to maybe skin back a bow. Now, this ain’t a how to, it is just a document of my attempt in case it actually works. The scales will be integral. The skin is grown to them all the way to the tip of the scale. This starts out like cleaning a gar for the table. I Cut the tail off with hatchet to bleed, then took snips or pruners whichever is cleanest and cut through the skin down center of back and from back to belly along gill bone. Then I work the skin off the meat.

Morgan:
I then removed the fillets. Now uncharted territory, i removed the carcass from the belly side of the skin. Fleshed with a wedge of wood and cut the fins out. Scrubbed the tar out of inside and out with dish soap and a plastic scrubber.  Cut down the middle and liberally salted flesh and scale side. I’ll rinse tomorrow and apply a gob of borax. I may soak in glycerine and alcohol, haven’t decided yet. Fish was 4’ from nose to tail and wound up with a 28” skin if it is stretched out. Gar skin will cut you to pieces.

Pat B:
Nice skins but don't soak them in glycerin and alcohol. The glycerin will prevent glues from adhering to it. Just dry the skins by tacking them to a board and put them in the sun or freeze until ready to use. You don't need to tan the skins.

Morgan:
Thanks pat! I was thinking the glycerine might tame that hard stuff a bit, but I’ll not do it for sure now

BowEd:
Nice pictures of your project and a nice sized gar there.Caught just a few myself while cat fishing the river.Excellent tasting fish.Pretty thick hide on those guys.I've seen a gar quiver once.Pretty cool.

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