Gar Fishing

[rockinmichigan]

I am looking for someone here on the site that's caught gars before on rod and reel, whether you were trying to or not. I guess specifically longnose gars, but really any specie of gar. What did you catch it on and how big was it? Where did you catch it at? I've hooked into two, one I landed and one that got off the hook as my buddy was trying to net him up. That one that got off the hook had to be a good 40", the one I landed was 26". That bigger one that got off I hooked him using a gobie as bait in deeper water in the middle of this past July. I had 15 lb. test line on, and a 3/4 ounce sinker.

[rockinmichigan]

Thanks for the tips Kirk, I will try them when things warm up in the springtime. I've seen them bigger then 40" but I'd say the ones I've seen spawning were in that 26-35" range.

[rockinmichigan]

Kirk, most people around here do refer to them as dogfish, but I choose to call them bowfin. Tends to confuse people sometimes because they won't know what you're talking about when you say bowfin, but have heard of dogfish forever. Kinda like sheephead, most people around here don't have a clue what you're talking about when you say freshwater drum, though its the same thing.

[big country]

hey kirk i might be wrong but i beleive the sunshine bass is a hybrid between a white bass and a striper....

[rockinmichigan]

I've heard about those white/striper hybrids. How big do they get down there?

[rockinmichigan]

Cool site, looking over the message boards now. That's a good size fish. What's your personal biggest striper/white hybrid, Kirk?

[Stump Bumper]

Check with Don Minchew (Wewaser) about how to catch, clean and eat Gar. From what I have been told, when prepared correctly, you can dip the pieces in melted butter and you would think you were eating Lobster! Maybe with a little coaxing Don will post an article on the How-To Page for preparing Gar....Ray

[rockinmichigan]

You know, I've heard similar things about sheephead, that if you boil them in saltwater it tastes real shrimpy, which is cool cuz I like shrimp but don't know if I'd actually clean 'em. I hear the sheephead are really boney, and I have heard that gar are a pain in the butt because of their hard scales.

[rockinmichigan]

The state record for a hybrid striped bass is actually 19 lbs. 3 oz. About longnose gar, the state record in Indiana was caught in '04, and that weighed 18.42 lb. and was caught in the White River in Pine County. I'm not sure where that is but I'm going to have to check it out. Would love to challenge myself by going for something near that mark, if not breaking that mark.

[rockinmichigan]

Kirk, I'm up at all different times. Normally though I'm up until 4 or 5AM and I get up around 2PM, that's been the last month. If its spring through fall, I'm getting up early to go fishing, or I'll be up all night fishing, depends sometimes. Cabin fever is starting to kick my butt, going to be a long winter up here I'm afraid. At least you don't have to worry about freezing your butt off when you're headed to your fishing hole. The couple times I've handled gar, I've used one hand to hold it up right behind the gills, and the other hand is right near the tail. A lot like you see when your watching the snake shows how you see that croc hunter holding those big snakes.

[rockinmichigan]

I'd kill for it to be 65 here right now, only got to the 20s today up here.

[rockinmichigan]

Kirk, here's a few Michigan records for you:
Largemouth bass11 lb, 15.04 ounces, done twice, one in 1959 and once in 1934, one in '34 was 27" and the '59 was 26".
Smallmouth bass 9 lb, 4 oz, 27.25" and caught in 1906.
Longnose gar record was caught in 1995, was 18 pounds even, and was 53".
The sheephead record in Michigan is 26 lbs. even, 37.5" and was caught in 1973.

[CavScout]

A good gar lure is gust a piece of nylon rope 2-3 inches long. Tie your line around it in the middle and then fray the rope as much as you can, so that is just really fine fibers. fish it like a plastic worm. The gars teeth will get snagged on it. The more it fights the better it is "hooked". Some people make gar balls by shredding up the meat and frying it like a hush puppy. I do not want to clean any fish that you have to use tin snips to cut the "hide" off.

[rockinmichigan]

CavScout, that's a cool tip. I'm sure to try that when I'm able to next year. :D

[Catbird]

I had an older guy tell me to tie on a red rag...there teeeth are supposed to get stuck in it as well. I was out today plugging and caught a 12-14" longnose gar on a yellow roostertail. Also, got 5 white bass and 2 smallmouths.

[rockinmichigan]

Catbird and Kirk, I'll definately have to go with your suggestions. Catbird, how big were those white bass and smallies that you caught? I love catching white bass, don't have to be big and they do tug on the line really good. Same as smallmouths.
Gofish, one gar my buddy caught this summer that was about 26 or 27" caught him really good. Wasn't careful enough and it got his finger. Bled pretty good for awhile, and was still drawing blood a couple days later.

[Catbird]

The smallies were probally 3/4 lb. and a couple of the white bass were 1 lb.

[rockinmichigan]

Yeah those white bass are a blast to catch. During the summer at night they bite really good. By the time you bait your hook and throw it out, and light a cigarette, you'll be getting a hit. You'll miss some, and catch quite a few.

[blackpowderscout]

When we fish the Kissimmee River using shiners, at the end of the day we take all the dead ones and head to the 2nd oxbow south of River Ranch on the west side. Without fail, we always catch BIG, BIG mudfish (or bowfin, dofish, rockfish,etc.). I love it. They aren't worth eating in my opinion but boy can the big ones fight!!!
As far as gar, the Hillsborough River has the biggest that I know of in this area. I have caught many using liver, cut fish, live shiners, spinner baits, etc., etc. We had one hooked and to the bank one day that was to big for us to get up. There was a steep bank and it was too big. The line got cut on a palmetto frond and that fish swam around for over an hour. The line broke above the "cork" (we were using a HUGE float, I've never seen one since that was as big. My friend always had the wierdest tackle) and the fish would dive and pull the cork under a foot or two and then it would surface again. I always wished I'd have had a camera cause it was the biggest I've seen from Florida.

Adam

[rockinmichigan]

blackpowderscout, what did you hook that biggun with? What kind of bait? Many gator gars there in Florida?

[blackpowderscout]

Kirk...The part of the river I always fished was inside Dead River Park off of US 301. We did catch quite a few small to medium catfish and butterballs but I never tried for bass( not too fond of bass). The bream fishing is real good too!!

Rockin....If I remember right we were using cut up shiners that had sat in liver juice. We used that mix alot to catch gar and turtles back then. I don't remember what size hook it was but it was a big sturdy treble hook.

I don't know if it was an alligator gar or not but it was the biggest I've ever seen around here.

Adam

[Schoe]

Rockinmichigan, Go to our Galery and you will see some pics. of gaters that were taken while fishing a lake close to Blackpowderscout. I saw at least 15 different ones that day. Schoe

[blackpowderscout]

Rockinmichigan, Go to our Galery and you will see some pics. of gaters that were taken while fishing a lake close to Blackpowderscout. I saw at least 15 different ones that day. Schoe

I think Rock meant Alligator GAR. If you mean alligator's i.e. swamp lizards then lord yes, we got lots and they're big too!!!

Adam

[rockinmichigan]

Actually, I was referring to alligator gars, but I'll still check out the gallery to see some of those swamp lizard pics.