Spotted Gar
Lepisosteus oculatus
About This Fish

Though primarily distributed in the southeastern United States, the Spotted Gar can be found in the Mississippi and Great Lakes drainages north to Canada. They live in a wide range of habitats in pools and backwaters. Like all gars, they have hard protective scales (ganoid scales), are ambush predators, and are able to gulp air for supplemental oxygen. As the common name suggests, Spotted Gars have spots on the top of their head.