Aligator gar

LittleBigBass · 12-24-11, 02:33 PM

every time i go to set the hook on an aligator gar, i loose em. I have never fished for them before and came across them today. I set the hook on it as if it were a bass, and i set the hook without pulling hard, but it always comes out. Any suggestions?

wallywallace · 12-24-11, 03:50 PM

its something with there mouth, when the go to take the bait, for me they take off real fast and you got to load up and they are gone. There is a lake i fish for catfish and i can always tell it is gar when i get a strong bite, it is pulling out line and boom, nothing. It is like the grab the fish sidways and when they feel the resistance they shred it, lol a paragraph with not real help, but it pisses me off, thinking i have a big cat

nofearengineer · 12-24-11, 03:54 PM

Their mouth is very hard and bony...not much for a hook to penetrate.

bamabassman · 12-24-11, 05:12 PM

all the above it true. but i got a question to ask. what are you using for bait? in MY experience, seems like wheni am using a ROOSTER TAIL inline spinner i catch more gator gars than bass. if oyu haven't tried em , get a couple (white) and see if it helps you out. personally i hat em, kill everyoen i catch and leave it on the bank.lol! make sure oyu got some pliers and don't EVER try to "lip" a gator gar.OUCH!!!

LittleBigBass · 12-24-11, 06:39 PM

I use the storm shad swimbaits today, and they worked great for bass yesterday. they are good for catching varietys of fish. today i caught 2 carp, 2 catfish, and 4 aligator gar with the storm. The aligator gar are not good to eat are they? What is the purpose of killing them?

bluebasser86 · 12-24-11, 09:01 PM

Are they alligator gar, longnose gar, or shortnose gar? Alligator gar get huge and their numbers aren't what they used to be. They are becoming a very popular sportfish in their pretty small home range.
Longnose and shortnose gar however are found almost everywhere and can be a real pain. All of them have very hard mouths and are really hard to hook. You might try sight casting with a rope lure if you can see them or if you know they are around. My preferred way to catch longnose and shortnose gar is with an arrow

Bassboss · 12-24-11, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Their mouth is very hard and bony...not much for a hook to penetrate.

Exactly. We had all kind a gar swimming around in the many many canals in my home town in Florida. Best way to get em was to snag em. Fun too. Fly fishing for em was very successful as well, ya had to be real sneaky, or they'd spook. Sorta like red neck bone fishin I guess. lol

The reason the flys worked so well is they were small, and if they grabbed the fly, they got the hook. You'd get allot bits on a little rapala, but they'd never grab the hook. Usually bit em right in the middle. When you set the hook, you either got em outside the mouth, or not at all.

The gar we caught where small (40" at the biggest), and they ate little minnows, so the flys imitated em real well.

Not sure how big the ones are you're after, or what they eat, but best advise I can give you is make sure it's small enough for them to get the hook in there mouth then they bite it. Also there's no rush to set the hook, they'll hold something in there mouth for for ever.

Sometime with a plug, we'd watch and wait for them swim off and get the thing in there mouth so that when you set the hook, you got fish. Hope this helps ya out!

Bassboss · 12-24-11, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleBigBass

I use the storm shad swimbaits today, and they worked great for bass yesterday. they are good for catching varietys of fish. today i caught 2 carp, 2 catfish, and 4 aligator gar with the storm. The aligator gar are not good to eat are they? What is the purpose of killing them?

More food for the bass, and more little bass that live. When ever I'd catch em in my bass lakes, I'd kill em. I tried eatin one that would find there way in out yard after a big rain. Total pain in the asss to get the meat out of em, since they've got that hard armor to em. Meat is mushy and muddy. Not to bad for throwing in hush puppies after you mash it. But gives the puppies a funny taste, but makes em kinda chewy which I kinda liked. To each his own though, IMO not worth the time by a long shot.

Top Tiger · 12-24-11, 10:59 PM

Best way to catch Gar is with a piece of yellow poly rope folded over and frayed. Garfish have teeth that slant backwards. They hit the rope and their teeth get caught up in the frayed end of the rope. If the fish is big enough, there is a channel of meat down the back, on either side of the spine that is delicious. Remember, Gar like clean running water and eat live food. Not a garbage fish at all.

Embrey · 12-25-11, 03:10 AM

i always prefer not to hook one at all. i definately dont want to TRY to hook them

LittleBigBass · 12-25-11, 11:15 AM

i realized they are actually long nose gar today. I am going to try the technique using the rope some of you described, thanks for the help and info guys. Merry Christmas

lilmule · 12-25-11, 01:11 PM

Actually many sub species may be together in one area.
My friend Steve Huber with a long nose.

And me with a short nose

Often when landed line is meshed in teeth or has a loop around the bill itself,ive found that a small crankbait with smaller hooks will penetrate the bill as its a rather small target.
I hadnt even noticed it was a short nose until I looked at the pic,state record is but 7 lbs,for a short was a trophy,frog fish as well,lassoed around the bill.Holed a nice frog, as in mouth to.

LittleBigBass · 12-25-11, 05:26 PM

Wow lilmule, thats a nice fish. The picture of your friend with the longnose was about the same size fish as what i caught yesterday. There deffinately cool looking, and unique fish.

lilmule · 12-25-11, 07:41 PM

Dont make the mistake of trying to lip em,those teeth dont all fit in a long slender mouth wont take long to realize that once grabbing a closed bill.
Like a musky can thrash around a bit in the boat pays to holdem.
Last one I caught was this year about aug,twas a long nose and on purpose largemouth bass not cooperating and found a pack of gar 1/4 mile around,while hard an absolute ball to catch,get treble hooks out and away from them while in the net.
Bony prehistoric fish that get much larger than what most actually land.

nofearengineer · 12-26-11, 10:24 PM

I think it is wrong to kill one of god's creatures for no reason whatsoever. If you're not going to eat them, leave them be.

lilmule · 12-26-11, 11:41 PM

Myself never do always release unharmed,as kinda bony but has a place in nature.
I do at times kill and eat fish,but not just kill them without utilizing in some manner.
Pet food and or fertilizer would be an alternative for silver flying carp and other undesirable nonnative species.
The grennel another prehistoric fish and bony,yet native and has its place.
Catching and killing without using in some manner is I believe wrong as well,and many states have laws pertaining to such.
There are some things not illegal just immoral,every now and then whats immoral is also illegal.
As for leaving them be I enjoy catching them when other fishing is slow.

12-24-11, 02:33 PM	#1
LittleBigBass BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 70	Aligator gar every time i go to set the hook on an aligator gar, i loose em. I have never fished for them before and came across them today. I set the hook on it as if it were a bass, and i set the hook without pulling hard, but it always comes out. Any suggestions?

12-24-11, 03:54 PM	#3
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Their mouth is very hard and bony...not much for a hook to penetrate. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

12-24-11, 05:12 PM	#4
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	all the above it true. but i got a question to ask. what are you using for bait? in MY experience, seems like wheni am using a ROOSTER TAIL inline spinner i catch more gator gars than bass. if oyu haven't tried em , get a couple (white) and see if it helps you out. personally i hat em, kill everyoen i catch and leave it on the bank.lol! make sure oyu got some pliers and don't EVER try to "lip" a gator gar.OUCH!!! __________________ so many lures, so little time.

12-26-11, 10:24 PM	#15
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	I think it is wrong to kill one of god's creatures for no reason whatsoever. If you're not going to eat them, leave them be. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

12-24-11, 03:50 PM	#2
wallywallace BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 849	its something with there mouth, when the go to take the bait, for me they take off real fast and you got to load up and they are gone. There is a lake i fish for catfish and i can always tell it is gar when i get a strong bite, it is pulling out line and boom, nothing. It is like the grab the fish sidways and when they feel the resistance they shred it, lol a paragraph with not real help, but it pisses me off, thinking i have a big cat

12-24-11, 06:39 PM	#5
LittleBigBass BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 70	I use the storm shad swimbaits today, and they worked great for bass yesterday. they are good for catching varietys of fish. today i caught 2 carp, 2 catfish, and 4 aligator gar with the storm. The aligator gar are not good to eat are they? What is the purpose of killing them?

12-24-11, 09:01 PM	#6
bluebasser86 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Gardner, KS Posts: 605	Are they alligator gar, longnose gar, or shortnose gar? Alligator gar get huge and their numbers aren't what they used to be. They are becoming a very popular sportfish in their pretty small home range. Longnose and shortnose gar however are found almost everywhere and can be a real pain. All of them have very hard mouths and are really hard to hook. You might try sight casting with a rope lure if you can see them or if you know they are around. My preferred way to catch longnose and shortnose gar is with an arrow

12-24-11, 10:59 PM	#9
Top Tiger BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 245	Best way to catch Gar is with a piece of yellow poly rope folded over and frayed. Garfish have teeth that slant backwards. They hit the rope and their teeth get caught up in the frayed end of the rope. If the fish is big enough, there is a channel of meat down the back, on either side of the spine that is delicious. Remember, Gar like clean running water and eat live food. Not a garbage fish at all.

12-25-11, 03:10 AM	#10
Embrey BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 505	i always prefer not to hook one at all. i definately dont want to TRY to hook them

12-25-11, 11:15 AM	#11
LittleBigBass BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 70	i realized they are actually long nose gar today. I am going to try the technique using the rope some of you described, thanks for the help and info guys. Merry Christmas

12-25-11, 01:11 PM	#12
lilmule BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Buchanan,Tn Posts: 2,685	Actually many sub species may be together in one area. My friend Steve Huber with a long nose. And me with a short nose Often when landed line is meshed in teeth or has a loop around the bill itself,ive found that a small crankbait with smaller hooks will penetrate the bill as its a rather small target. I hadnt even noticed it was a short nose until I looked at the pic,state record is but 7 lbs,for a short was a trophy,frog fish as well,lassoed around the bill.Holed a nice frog, as in mouth to.

12-25-11, 05:26 PM	#13
LittleBigBass BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 70	Wow lilmule, thats a nice fish. The picture of your friend with the longnose was about the same size fish as what i caught yesterday. There deffinately cool looking, and unique fish.

12-25-11, 07:41 PM	#14
lilmule BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Buchanan,Tn Posts: 2,685	Dont make the mistake of trying to lip em,those teeth dont all fit in a long slender mouth wont take long to realize that once grabbing a closed bill. Like a musky can thrash around a bit in the boat pays to holdem. Last one I caught was this year about aug,twas a long nose and on purpose largemouth bass not cooperating and found a pack of gar 1/4 mile around,while hard an absolute ball to catch,get treble hooks out and away from them while in the net. Bony prehistoric fish that get much larger than what most actually land.

12-26-11, 11:41 PM	#16
lilmule BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Buchanan,Tn Posts: 2,685	Myself never do always release unharmed,as kinda bony but has a place in nature. I do at times kill and eat fish,but not just kill them without utilizing in some manner. Pet food and or fertilizer would be an alternative for silver flying carp and other undesirable nonnative species. The grennel another prehistoric fish and bony,yet native and has its place. Catching and killing without using in some manner is I believe wrong as well,and many states have laws pertaining to such. There are some things not illegal just immoral,every now and then whats immoral is also illegal. As for leaving them be I enjoy catching them when other fishing is slow.

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