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THE_BLUFF_RAT · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:01 pm Post subject: gar

i have never been gar fishing and i heard they taste great. i wanna go soon...anyone hee know how to gar fish?....where? when? how? thanks

RAT
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catcheminthewater · Finger Mullet Joined: 02 Dec 2008 Posts: 12

nueces river has some pretty decent gar. wire leader..big bait freelined..let em take the bait and run till they stop and swallow when they take off again you got em..treble hooks work the best..the mouths are really hard so they pretty much have to swallow the bait to get em hooked up
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where did i catch those fish? corner of the mouth in the water

Big Ed · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:36 pm Post subject:

I have never tried it, but have heard all my life that you can fish for alligator gar without hooks. You use a well frayed piece of nylon rope instead of a hook. The gar bites the rope and it's teeth become entangled in the nylon and there is no way they can get loose.
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Big Ed
San Antonio

"A word to the wise ain't necessary. It's the stupid ones who need advice.", Bill Cosby

chazthefisherman · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:58 pm Post subject:

I heard the same thing Big Ed.

ironmanstan · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:53 am Post subject:

have a good sharp axe or a machete on hand for splitting them down the back....I was never thrilled with the meat that is 99% of the time deep fried. Thats why very few folks target them. They are more fun to swim with especially the big ones they just look scary, quite the opposite.
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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

The Trash Heap · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 6:31 am Post subject:

Don't dull your blades and risk injury whacking. Gar scales have common opal reinforcement, and the big guys' hides will turn a small caliber bullet.

Instead, use heavy tin snips. Take a sharp knife to make an opening for the snips between the scales in the middle of the back just behind the head, and scissor towards the tail. When you have the back open, filet straight down on both sides of the backbone to the ribs, then outwards along the ribs to the skin. Separate the filets from the skin and you have two nice white meat backstraps for barbeque or chicharones.
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The Trash Heap Has Spoken!
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ironmanstan · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:41 am Post subject:

Oh yes metal shears would be perfect for the job, growing up in the valley and learning from the local majority I guess all we had were more primitive tools for the job. Trash is right about opal reinforcement on the scales or for us regular guys its know as ...scales like stone. You will see sparks from time to time using and axe but the shell splits fairly easy, its not like swing blows at an old mesquite tree. Very Happy

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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:53 am Post subject:

I read somewhere years back that some indian tribes used gar skin for shields! Shocked

Definitely tough stuff!!!
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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

topdog15 · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:46 am Post subject:

Matt · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:57 am Post subject:

I caught a bunch of 'em when I was a kid, at a tank on a ranch outside Laredo.

We used pretty heavy tackle, and they fought like hell!

I read somewhere a while back they were catching gar in Aransas Bay...
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hrb2be · Pony Mullet Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 76

Do you remember the name of the ranch Matt?

Mark · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:54 am Post subject:

I believe I saw a 3-4 gar at the ferry landing in Port A about 10 years ago. Do they cruise in Salt Water sometimes?

Sherkus · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:39 am Post subject: gar technique

Another tip for Gar. When you hook one, Swoop your rod tip in several giant circles. This wraps the line around the gars mouth several times. Works great, especially when using the nylon rope.

Before relocating to Corpus, I fished the Hill Country all the time. Having hooked some giant Gar, I can tell you, they are the toughest fish. Be careful when handling them. They are STRONG !
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I wouldn't take Tuesday off if you will show me a fish that bites on weekends!

ironmanstan · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:21 am Post subject:

Yes gar love river mouths and swimming in the bays.
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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

Big Ed · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:40 am Post subject:

While fishing on the Rio Grande north of Langtry back in the early 60's we caught an alligator gar on a trot line that was about 7' long. We had no tape measures, but it was bigger than my dad who was 6'6" tall. Caught it on a live goldfish. Dad had me run up to the top of the canyon to our camp and get the 22 out of the car to kill it. That was by far the biggest fish I ever caught (well, helped catch anyway).
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Big Ed
San Antonio

"A word to the wise ain't necessary. It's the stupid ones who need advice.", Bill Cosby