Pacemaker Fishing Forum

kidnikarus · May-07-12 10:38AM

There are a ton of gar at Roaches Run now. Any tips on how to catch these guys? I am assuming some sort of topwater. Since they seem to just be floating around and snapping at whatever is floating past them.

Bryan · May-07-12 10:45AM

I've never been able to get gar to bite anything. They sure do make a lot of ruckus in the grass beds this time of year.

kidnikarus · May-07-12 10:52AM

Thanks, are they here all year long? I've read posts about people catching them, but never saw them before the other day.

IL_DUCE · May-07-12 11:28AM

The best way to catch them is by taking a buzzbait or spinner bait, and replacing the skirts with shredded nylon rope. Their bony jaws and pallets make it hard to get a hook set on them. Can be done- but its tough. Their teeth will sink in to the nylon rope and get caught in there enough that you can reel them in, but can easily free them with pliers upon release. They are not an easy fish to catch. I have thrown everything at them when they are doing their spawning dances in the Lower Potomac. I have seen 10 at once in one big group all swimming back and forth, weaving in and out of each other right on the top of the water. Really cool looking fish.

Plastic Bigfoot · May-21-12 10:43AM

They are not an easy fish to catch.

I'll definitely second that.

The nylon rope technique has never worked for me, I've tried pink and white, but maybe another color would work better. Robert, have you heard about any specific colors to use? They completely ignore the rope, even when its presented right in front of them. I've had luck with sections of hot dog and 3" senkos, both on very small offset, circle, or wacky worm hooks. It just takes time and a lot of luck (partly due to their mouths, as mentioned). I'll run 6-8 lines in the water at once to increase my chances. They are fascinating to watch, like modern day dino-fish. It makes me really sad and angry to hear about how often these majestic fish are mistreated. I've heard stories of people snapping off their beaks and throwing them back in to die when they catch one instead of their intended target fish. Nick, where I catch them they are apparently around year-long, but seem to get a lot more active the hotter it gets.

Last edited by Plastic Bigfoot (May-21-12 10:49AM)

kidnikarus · May-21-12 11:10AM

They are still doing their crazy porposing around roaches run. I hooked one there about a week ago on 1/4 oz white inline spinner by Field and Stream - It hit as soon as the lure touched the water. I lost it about 10 feet from the shore. It was one of the smaller ones that I see there - probably about 15 inches.

On a side note - the inline spinners by Field and Stream are fantastic. Dick's sells them from anywhere .98cts to 1.38. I picked the smaller ones up initially for trout but these things have caught me carp, bass, stripers, white perch, catfish and almost a gar. I end up losing 1 or 2 lures a day fishing from the shore - you can't go wrong with the price.

Pacemaker Fishing Forum

#1 May-07-12 10:38AM

Gar

#2 May-07-12 10:45AM

Re: Gar

#3 May-07-12 10:52AM

Re: Gar

#4 May-07-12 11:28AM

Re: Gar

#5 May-21-12 10:43AM

Re: Gar

#6 May-21-12 11:10AM

Re: Gar

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