Anyone fish for gar?

[ss30378]

I'm pretty new to the south and there are quite a few long nose gar in my local waters. I'm used to aggressive pike and musky up north but these local gar seem flat out lazy. Instead of striking a lure they tap it with their snout like a dolphin and act like they want to be it's friend. Whats the tricks to catching these?

[mrpao]

Gar normally wont hit a lure.
The best thing for them is live bait.
Their mouths are fairly bony so hooking them can be difficult .
They also like to mouth the bait for a while before actually taking it.
Where legal, big sunfish make good baits fished under a float .

[Garfisher]

Patience is key. You'll get a lot of hits but you'll hook maybe 1 in 10. Baits that float or dive and suspend to the level of the gar are best, they will not hit baits that are beneath them. I've caught them on skitter walks, original floaters (05's and 11's), and x-rap 06's, but other body baits will work as well

[Finnz922]

I had a buddy who claimed you could get some rope and unwind it a little for about a 6" or so (lure). Well anyway. Watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S79DFtd2hYw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB9gtG9X5JE

[ss30378]

Thanks guys ill slow it down a bit and try some live bait.

[Cracker]

I lost couple good poppers because of gars.
They just cut the braid line.
I know people use untangled rope to catch them. It is quite challenging to incite them to bite.
You have to spot a gar first, this sight fishing game only (if you use that rope).
Many guys shoot those gars with bow and arrow at night. I don't know how ethical it is...

[ss30378]

All of the gar that I've attempted to catch were by sight but they are a different creature compared to my normal foray. They just aren't in a hurry to do much of anything. We have a lot of people who bow fish here and I'm not too pleased with it. Especially since it's generally teens who have no desire to keep the fish after they shoot it...

[mrpao]

Agreed.
I feel that it is unethical to just kill an animal just for the heck of it.
Most people who bowfish for gars just kill them for fun. Not cool in my book.
If you're going to kill an animal, I feel it should be eaten or used for a good purpose .

[Silas]

Down in South Louisiana, we Cajuns EAT gar, and pretty much anything with eyes and a tail! GARFISH BOULET in gravy over rice is great!(only if you get a true Cajun gal to cook it. )

As a boy we used to make a sliding loop out of old piano wire and dangle a bluegill in the middle. Used a cut off broomstick as a Rod. The gar went for the bait and would swim forward and we would jerk the piano wire like a garrote and it would tighten behind the gills and you would just swing him in.

Hack down the bony back with a machete or hatchet and then scrape the meat off the bones into a large bowl in which were added the "Holy Trinity ". Onions,celery, garlic. (sometimes shallots ). Then egg and bread crumbs. Roll into little balls and deep fry.

A large Alligator gar was another story however. They were BIGGER than WE were as kids!

[zodiak311]

Down in South Louisiana, we Cajuns EAT gar, and pretty much anything with eyes and a tail! GARFISH BOULET in gravy over rice is great!(only if you get a true Cajun gal to cook it. )

As a boy we used to make a sliding loop out of old piano wire and dangle a bluegill in the middle. Used a cut off broomstick as a Rod. The gar went for the bait and would swim forward and we would jerk the piano wire like a garrote and it would tighten behind the gills and you would just swing him in.

Hack down the bony back with a machete or hatchet and then scrape the meat off the bones into a large bowl in which were added the "Holy Trinity ". Onions,celery, garlic. (sometimes shallots ). Then egg and bread crumbs. Roll into little balls and deep fry.

A large Alligator gar was another story however. They were BIGGER than WE were as kids!

Oh man that sounds good!

[BigG]

I had a buddy who claimed you could get some rope and unwind it a little for about a 6" or so (lure). Well anyway. Watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S79DFtd2hYw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB9gtG9X5JE

Cool, thanks for posting

[angelanavejas]

Tolerance is vital. You'll get a considerable measure of hits however you'll snare perhaps 1 in 10. Draws that buoy or plunge and suspend to the level of the gar are best, they won't hit goads that are underneath them.

[SteveSchmelzle]

we've caught some decent gar up here.

my tactic is the complete opposite of what is being suggested on here...instead of slowing down, rip your bait in ULTRA fast!!

I use 9" power worms with a brown or black body and a chartreuse tail. They snap at the tail...i always set upwards, as you can see in the attached photo.

It works rather nicely.





They love destroying gear!!

[dhottle]

we've caught some decent gar up here.

my tactic is the complete opposite of what is being suggested on here...instead of slowing down, rip your bait in ULTRA fast!!

I use 9" power worms with a brown or black body and a chartreuse tail. They snap at the tail...i always set upwards, as you can see in the attached photo.

It works rather nicely.





They love destroying gear!!

Listen to the multi-species angler. He knows!