Gar Anglers Sporting Length vs. Weight Conversion Table

Length vs. Weight Conversion Tables

A gar is a unique critter. The standard fisherman's weight calculation, girth^2*length/800, does not work well for these beaked fish. These tables will help you get a rough estimate of what that fish weighs.

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The original longnose length/weight info came from:
Netcsh, N. F., and A. Witt, Jr. 1962. Contributions to the life history of the longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus) in Missouri. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 91:251-262.

The equation they used was: log W = -7.0670 + 3.5075 log L (Weight in grams and length in mm)
A newer study, from South Dakota State in 2000, was developed expressly for the purpose of creating standard weight formulae of certain non-game species. They derived the equation (mm-grams): log W = -6.811 + 3.449 log L
The numbers look close, but since they are log functions, it amounts to quite a bit of difference. I'm including both in the table, converted to inches and pounds.

Table 1
Longnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Length (in.)	Weight (lb.)1962 Formula	Weight (lb.)2000 Formula
36	4.6	5.6
37	5.1	6.1
38	5.6	6.7
39	6.1	7.3
40	6.7	8.0
41	7.3	8.7
42	7.9	9.5
43	8.6	10.3
44	9.3	11.1
45	10.1	12.0
46	10.9	12.9
47	11.7	13.9
48	12.6	15.0
49	13.6	16.1
50	14.6	17.2
51	15.6	18.5
52	16.7	19.7
53	17.9	21.1
54	19.1	22.5
55	20.3	24.0
56	21.7	25.5
57	23	27.1
58	24.5	28.8
59	26.0	30.5
60	27.6	32.3

The same 2000 study included a formula for spotted gar in English inches and pounds and rearranged, W = 10^(-4.388 + 3.431 log L)

Table 2
Spotted Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Length (in.)	Weight (lb.)
30	4.8
31	5.4
32	6.0
33	6.6
34	7.4
35	8.1
36	8.9
37	9.8
38	10.8
39	11.8
40	12.8
41	14.0
42	15.2
43	16.5
44	17.8
45	19.2
46	20.7
47	22.3
48	24.0
49	25.8
50	27.6
51	29.6
52	31.6
53	33.7
54	36.0

A Michigan DNR publication covered a formula for shortnose gar in English inches and pounds and rearranged, W = 10^(-3.8730 + 2.9811 log L)

Table 2
Shortnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Length (in.)	Weight (lb.)
25	2.0
26	2.2
27	2.5
28	2.8
29	3.1
30	3.4
31	3.7
32	4.1
33	4.5
34	4.9
35	5.4
36	5.8
37	6.3
38	6.9
39	7.4
40	8.0
41	8.6
42	9.2

A 2009 graduate thesis by by Kayla C. DiBenedetto, Louisiana State University, December 2009 Life History Characteristics Of Alligator Gar Atractosteus Spatula In The Bayou Dularge Area Of Southcentral Louisiana developed this formula (mm-gram) for both male and female gar: log(W) = - 5.4127 + 3.0513 log(L)
The table is converted to inches and pounds.

Table 1
Alligator Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Length (in.)	Weight (lb.)
48	22
50	25
52	28
54	32
56	36
58	40
60	44
62	49
64	54
66	59
68	64
70	70
72	77
74	83
76	90
78	98
80	106
82	114
84	123
86	132
88	141
90	151
92	162
94	173
96	184
98	196
100	209
102	222
104	235
106	249

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Length vs. Weight Conversion Tables

A gar is a unique critter. The standard fisherman's weight calculation, girth^2*length/800, does not work well for these beaked fish. These tables will help you get a rough estimate of what that fish weighs.

Table 1 Longnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 2 Spotted Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 2 Shortnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 1 Alligator Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 1
Longnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 2
Spotted Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 2
Shortnose Gar Length/Weight Lookup

Table 1
Alligator Gar Length/Weight Lookup