Skip to main content

Shortnose Gar

Shortnose Gar

Shortnose Gar are primitive freshwater fish native to Tennessee's Mississippi River basin waters, including the Tennessee River system and its tributaries.

These prehistoric-looking fish are efficient ambush predators with bodies armored in interlocking ganoid scales.

Scientific Name: Lepisosteus platostomus

Physical Characteristics:
  • Can be distinguished by their shorter, broader snout (about 5.5 times as long as its narrowest width) and lack of the spots found on Spotted Gar or the elongated beak of Longnose Gar.
  • Typically reach 24-35 inches and weigh 5-6 pounds, with their bodies armored in interlocking ganoid scales and colored brown to olive green above with yellowish sides and white bellies.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Native to Tennessee's Mississippi River basin waters, including the Tennessee River system and its tributaries.
  • Found alongside three other gar species - Alligator Gar, Spotted Gar, and Longnose Gar.

Key Locations

  • Tennessee's major river systems, Tennessee River system and its tributaries, Mississippi River basin waters.

Specific Spots

  • Calm backwater areas, oxbow lakes, quiet pools around vegetation or submerged logs.
  • Fish areas with structure, vegetation, or submerged logs where these ambush predators wait for prey.
  • Early morning, evening, and night can be productive when gar move into shallower areas to feed.

Shortnose Gar FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What flies work for Shortnose Gar in Tennessee?

Small patterns rather than large streamers - Clouser's Swimming Nymph in olive or orange with extra flash, damselfly nymph patterns, weightless woolly buggers, Crazy Charlie patterns, and even terrestrial patterns like grasshoppers, beetles, or deer hair bumblebees.

When is the best time to fish for Shortnose Gar in Tennessee?

Target during summer months (July-August) when water temperatures exceed 70°F. During spawning season (April through June), avoid targeting these fish to protect their reproductive success.

How do you catch Shortnose Gar in Tennessee?

When sight fishing, cast parallel to stationary gar with the fly landing behind their line of sight, then strip slowly as the fly passes in front of their eye - aim for the soft corner of the mouth. Strip set hard when using flies, as penetrating the bony jaw requires significant force.

What do Shortnose Gar eat?

Feed primarily on fish but consume more invertebrates than other gar species, including crayfish, insects, aquatic invertebrates, and even terrestrial insects during seasonal flooding.

Where do Shortnose Gar live in Tennessee?

Native to Tennessee's Mississippi River basin waters, including the Tennessee River system and its tributaries. Found alongside three other gar species - Alligator Gar, Spotted Gar, and Longnose Gar.

Fish smarter with real-time insights

Whether you're en route and conditions shift or you're looking for the best spot based on current flows, we enable you to make informed decisions on the fly.

See it in the app

Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Shortnose Gar.

  1. 01 · Species map filter

    Map every Shortnose Gar water

    Pick Shortnose Gar and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.

  2. 02 · Waterbody species

    Tap any water. See what lives there.

    Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.

  3. 03 · Angler Intelligence

    Ask how to catch Shortnose Gar

    Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.

Stop guessing where Shortnose Gar are.

Open the map, filter by Shortnose Gar, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.

  • Species map filter
  • Angler Intelligence
  • Fishing journal
Try onWater+ for free

Explore other species

Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.

No species information available.

Tennessee licenses and regulations

Explore nearby waters

Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.

onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.