New Maryland record longnose gar weighs 20.5 pounds

Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recognized David Confair, of Secretary, in Dorchester County, as a new state record holder for longnose gar.

Confair caught the 20.5-pound, 49.5-inch fish on Feb. 8 while fishing in Marshyhope Creek. He was fishing the bottom of the creek in about 15 feet of water with a two-hook sabiki rig with No. 4 hooks and small cut pieces of gizzard shad.

The fish’s weight was certified at Choptank River Crab and Oyster Co. in Cambridge, and the species was confirmed by DNR recreational fisheries coordinator Erik Zlokovitz.

Confair targets longnose gar in February and March by fishing for them with bottom rigs and then again during the summer when they feed near the surface.

“When I first hooked the fish, it didn’t feel very big,” Confair said. “I got it to the boat in about a minute and a half. Then I saw it was a very large gar. It made one more dive to the bottom and then I was able to get it to the surface where my friend netted it.”

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Confair actually reclaims the record he once held. His catch surpassed the previous record of 18.3 pounds, set by Samson Matthews in Marshyhope Creek on March 2, 2020. Confair had also held the record previously, with a 17.9-pound gar in 2019.

The longnose gar is known for its thick ganoid scales and elongated, needle-like snout, which contains numerous sharp, cone-shaped teeth. The gar’s jaw structure and feeding behavior make them challenging to hook and catch.