The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has officially recognized David Confair of Secretary, Dorchester County, as the new state record holder for longnose gar.
Confair landed the massive 20.5-pound, 49.5-inch fish on February 8 while fishing Marshyhope Creek. Using a two-hook sabiki rig with No. 4 hooks and small cut pieces of gizzard shad, he targeted the bottom of the creek in about 15 feet of water.
The fish’s weight was certified at Choptank River Crab and Oyster Co. in Cambridge, with species verification provided by DNR recreational fisheries coordinator Erik Zlokovitz.
Confair is no stranger to targeting longnose gar, focusing on them in February and March with bottom rigs and again in the summer when they feed near the surface.
“When the fish first bit, it didn’t feel very big,” Confair recalled. “I had it near the boat in about a minute and a half before realizing it was a huge gar. It made one final dive before I was able to bring it up, where my friend netted it.”
This catch marks Confair’s return as the record holder. His latest gar surpasses the previous state record of 18.3 pounds, set by Samson Matthews in Marshyhope Creek on March 2, 2020. Confair had also held the title before that, with a 17.9-pound gar in 2019.
Longnose gar are known for their thick, armor-like ganoid scales and distinctive elongated snouts lined with sharp, cone-shaped teeth. Their unique jaw structure and feeding habits make them particularly challenging to hook and land, adding to the significance of this record-breaking catch.
Image/Source: outdoornews
