Did You Know That Gar Eggs Make You Sick?

A few of you may have eaten gar balls

(which are not as gross as they sound). But a family in Arkansas recently found out the hard way that cooking up a batch of gar eggs isn’t quite so appetizing. In fact, it can be downright dangerous.

From the AP story

:HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. — Take it from Darwin Aaron and his family in Cleburne County: gar eggs are poisonous. Tiffany Aaron said her husband, Darwin, and brother-in-law, Russell Aaron, took a long-nosed gar while spearfishing at Greers Ferry Lake on April 5. Gar meat is edible, so they figured they’d try the roe. They prepared the eggs that evening, with Darwin and Russell Aaron eating some, along with Darwin and Tiffany’s 10-year-old son, Carson. Carson was the first to start vomiting at about 1:30 a.m. Russell and Darwin soon were sick, too. Tiffany Aaron looked online and read that gar eggs are poisonous. All three family members recovered after a few days. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said eggs from all gar species are highly toxic.

I must confess that even though I’ve never had the desire to try, I had no idea gar eggs were toxic. Anyone ever get sick from eating gar eggs?