Here's how we clean the gar. 2 blocks of wood, nailed to a board, to form a "v". Then put a piece on top of the "v" to cover it. Now, the head goes into the "v" to hold the gar. Then get a sharp machete, hatchet or cane knife and starting from the tail, chop a strip off of the top of the fish all the way to the head. Then you should be able to work the meat out.