As with other gar species, fish appear in the diet very early. Spotted gar are less tolerant of turbidity than Shortnose gar. They are typically associated with aquatic vegetation, or timber, in clear water. Distribution Spotted gar are found from central Texas east into western Florida. The species range extends north through the Missisippi River drainage into Illinois, and the lower Ohio River.
Populations also occur in the Lake Erie drainage.
As with other gar species, spotted gar may be captured by entangling the teeth in nylon threads, or by bowfishing. In Texas, bowfishers have landed spotted gar up to 15 pounds. .