Gar Bait & Setup- any suggestions?

[Pineywoods Paul]

I'm wanting to catch gar in a 20 acre freshwater lake I have access to. In the past I have caught them only at night under the lights of a pier there, using a toad hooked through the nose as bait. I would like to fish during the day for them, however- at least sometimes when its under 100 degrees.

In searching old threads on this TBH site I've learned a few things. I have heard they will eat cut bait and also small live bream / sunfish. I've also heard of people using nylon rope that is frayed on the end and the gar supposedly get their teeth snagged in it.

Also interested in what kind of leaders or trailer hooks are suggested as gar's teeth can break standard 14 pound test mono fairly easily. Also- any advice for setups using bobbers/ corks?

If you have experience with this and success in the past, I am interested in hearing from you.

[Montec man]

1/2 ounce silver spoon. Remove the treble hook and tie a 6" to 8" section of white nylon cord (the kind everyone uses for trotlines ect) to the split ring. Using a comb, fray the string so that it unravels into hundreds of tiny threads. These will stick in the gars teeth and not come loose. Have caught countless gar using this method.

[codfish]

Alot of information on you tube. Or just google Alligator gar fishing.

[Tubby]

We fish for 'em in the Trinity river with rod and reel. Biggest one so far is 107#. We save the heads, guts from out small catfish we catch and use them for bait for gar. You'll need some heavy duty leader. 100# leaders about 16-18" long, 10/0 hook, 8-16oz weight (depending on how swift the water is), 50# line and Penn reels with heavy rods. Tight lining, let them take it and swim off with it. Wait until they stop and begin eating it. Set the hook and hang on!!

[asttbe]

You guys eat that?

I married a Cajun so of course I do now lol

[txdirtfisher]

We used to catch them by the truckload in the marsh back in East Texas when I was a kid. We used the stubby saltwater poles that are set up for large fish (sturdy). We used large treble hooks and cut bait (mullet or chicken livers). Make sure you use a steel leader as well. We put it on a bobber and let them run with the bait for at least 50 yards or so. You can't set your hook too soon because of the shape of their mouth. Largest one I ever snagged was just over 200 lbs. Back then we got $1 a pound for them, which wasn't bad for being in high school and needing spending money. Good luck.

[unclefish]

Sounds like you probably don't have Gator Gar in your lake since its likely not connected t oa river system.....so its probably Long Nose or Spotted gar you are going after. Use a small cut bait (1 inch) or perch and treble hook under a float (a foot or so). You want to get it where they don't have to chew it long and swallow it quicker. You can use a heavier braid (40-50#) for a leader so they won't cut your line as easy.

Long nose gar don't have big mouths like a gator gar does so the smaller the bait the better your hookup ratio will be.

We just got back from Lake Houston and tried to catch long nose gar. Caught 1. They would run and run with it for several minutes and our hook up ratio was still lousy. You really need to let them swallow it and use a small bait.

I've heard of people catching them with frayed rope etc....but I've never tried it.

[Pineywoods Paul]

1/2 ounce silver spoon. Remove the treble hook and tie a 6" to 8" section of white nylon cord (the kind everyone uses for trotlines ect) to the split ring. Using a comb, fray the string so that it unravels into hundreds of tiny threads. These will stick in the gars teeth and not come loose. Have caught countless gar using this method.

Just one string/ cord- or better to tie several to the spoon and fray both/alll?

[Pineywoods Paul]

Sounds like you probably don't have Gator Gar in your lake since its likely not connected t oa river system.....so its probably Long Nose or Spotted gar you are going after.

Affirmative. These gar get around 30" to 42'' long with narrow jaws/ mouth.

[Montec man]

Just one string/ cord- or better to tie several to the spoon and fray both/alll?

Tie a knot to the split ring in the middle of your piece of cord, so there are two pieces of the same length trailing the spoon. The more fibers the better. Retrieve in an erratic jerking motion.

[tmurray]

When I was a kid we lived right next to oyster creek in lake jackson and we use to catch em all the time on bacon wrapped around a big ole trebble hook under a cork. There mouths are really tuff so we would let that cork stay under for 5-10 seconds and then set the hook in their guts. We used steel leaders to keep from getting broke off.

[goosekillr]

Since everyone is on the gar topic. Rockport gar tournament will be the last sunday in august again. You can fish anywhere. Weigh in at poor mans country club in Rockport. It's a good time and I think first place team usually takes home about 10,000.