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General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 08:58:16 PM

Title: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 08:58:16 PM

Anybody got a sure fire way to catch Gar Fishes ???
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Riles on May 30, 2005, 08:59:04 PM
Grenades.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Haytrader on May 30, 2005, 09:10:51 PM
 ::)

Drain the pond?

smiley_mad_crazy
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Jeff on May 30, 2005, 09:12:33 PM
The big ones? Alligator Gar?  Bow and Arrow.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Tom on May 30, 2005, 09:15:02 PM
We used to fish for them for sport when I was a boy.

1. take a piece of rope about 6 or 9 inches long.  Unravel one end and whip the other end, tying it on a spinning line.  dragging it through the water of the canals of S. Florida will interest a Gar in attacking it.  He will get his teeth ensnarled and you can land him like he was hooked.

2. A 22 rifle works good if you don't have the law around.  Standing on the bridges of the drainage canals, you can spot Gar from above in the clear water.

3. A spinning reel attached to a bow and the line to an arrow allows you to reel one of them in if you can hit him with the arrow.

I catch them with a small (#6) hook on a cane pole, using dead shrimp, worms or sometimes hot dog pieces in the creek behind the house.  You need a lot of patience and a little luck because their mouth is tough as bone.  

The big ones can be real scrappers.   Indian River and St. Lucie County have Gar as big around as your leg. ;D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 09:20:16 PM

  DanG, that was quick.  ::) ;D

  Know about all them ideas. Need a sure-fire way. Grenades will mess things up.  ::)  Bow shootin is too slow.  Tried the unraveled nylon rope trick. Too slow also.  Been wonderin about baitin 'em.

  The bigger ones are what we are after.  Not Alligator Gar.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Tom on May 30, 2005, 09:22:36 PM
The only other thing that might work is a seine.  I don't know what the rules would be though.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Jeff on May 30, 2005, 09:22:44 PM
Can you make noises like a female gar and swim fast?
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 09:24:50 PM

   ::) ::) We WANT the Females  ::) ::)
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Tom on May 30, 2005, 09:29:37 PM
What are you trying to do, Harold, go into the Shad bait business? :D :D   You gotta watch how many irons you get in the fire or you won't be able to stay in CR. :D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Buzz-sawyer on May 30, 2005, 09:35:13 PM
The best numbers of gar I ever caugh was when I was commercial fishing........a tremell net catches everyone that comes near...thier teeth get snagged in it.......I hated them because they fouled my nets and cut your fingers when you get them out
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 09:49:21 PM

  Can't use nets, legally.  ::)
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Tom on May 30, 2005, 10:05:41 PM
Here's a link, just for fun.
http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/gar.html
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Kirk_Allen on May 30, 2005, 10:33:48 PM
We used mulet on a treble hook to catch gar in Mississipi years ago.  We cought some whoppers.  Had the best luck near the power plant water discharge. The water was very warm there and the gar claimed it as home. 
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: DanG on May 30, 2005, 10:35:44 PM
I knew you needed help, but I didn't know it had anything to do with gar. ???  You goin' in the caviar bidness 'r sumpin?

You sure shot down a lot of good ideas when you said "legal." :o ::)  I think you can still use a seine up to 100ft long, but check the law first. You may have to handle it from the shore rather than using a boat. Not sure.  The "net ban" laws are complex, so you need to study the rules and keep a copy with you.  Some of the law enforcement people aren't as familiar as they should be.

Now, whatcha want a bunch of female gar for?  Might as well go ahead and spill the beans.  I'll pick it out of ya between here and Ohio, anyway. ;D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Jeff on May 30, 2005, 10:39:26 PM
From what I read, gar eggs are toxic to humans. If hes after females it seems it would to be for the eggs.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 30, 2005, 10:56:35 PM
 :-X :-X :-X
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: CHARLIE on May 30, 2005, 11:42:19 PM
I used to go rabbit hunting in the orange groves of St. Lucie County.  I'd walk the high banks of the irrigation ditches and on hot afternoons, the gar would be floating just below the surface taking in the warm sun.  I'd blow them out of the water with a 12 guage shotgun.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Fla._Deadheader on May 31, 2005, 07:03:24 AM

   :o :o NOT a viable option, Charlie.  :o :o
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Blake22 on May 31, 2005, 07:26:47 AM
Maybe you ought to swim down there along side of one & hook him like you do them big ole logs. But really that rope deal Mr. Tom

was refering to works as good as any that I know of. Legal that is.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: jerry-m on May 31, 2005, 09:56:22 AM
Fish Styks ??? ??? ???

if so good luck on huling those suckers out... Think I'd rather peal a pine pole ;D

Once saw about 1000 or more in a bend of the Sabine river... All swiming  on top of the water,
if I had had a dip net could have fille the boat to over flowing... Never did figure out why they were concentrated like that, never saw it again ??? ??? ???

   jerry
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: slowzuki on May 31, 2005, 12:00:31 PM
Do you have electro fishers down there? I'm pretty sure they aren't legal though.   They use them for studies up here.  Turn them up enough and the fish and your buddy with leaky boots jump out of the river!
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: DanG on May 31, 2005, 01:58:13 PM
The Fish & Wildlife Commission uses them around here for the same purpose.  They'd probably frown on ol' Harold usin' their methods, though.   :D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Teri on May 31, 2005, 05:00:55 PM
He wouldn't even tell ME this morning when I asked him.  >:(

We probably don't want to know.  :D :D :D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: CHARLIE on June 01, 2005, 08:40:29 AM
Teri, don't be surprised to be fed a breakfast of fried gar fish, grits and biscuits some morning. ;D
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: GF on June 01, 2005, 08:57:43 AM
Use a pacemaker and some chain, extend a couple of poles (fiberglass, PVC) on each side of the boat loop a chain from each end of the poles going under the boat, attach one wire from the pace maker to each end of the chain, you may want to attach a couple of lures to the middle of the chain (will explain later).   Start trolling real slow with the pacemaker on, look about 30-50ft back behind the boat for any floating fish.  If for some reason you get some unwanted company toss pacemaker in the water and tell them you are trying a new trolling rig out that what the lures are for on the chain.  ;D.

I have never seen this done but have been told it does work, would be interseting to know if it does or not.
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Teri on June 01, 2005, 03:42:10 PM
Charlie, that won't happen.  I can't even get him to have supper fixed when I get home after work. He'll only cook if I write down a menu!!!   ::)
Title: Re: Need Help, Again
Post by: Ed_K on June 01, 2005, 09:39:35 PM
 Guy I knew in the service yrs ago, got a hold of an old telephone crank generator. Took so striped copper wire looped it out into the lake with a row boat, comes back to shore and hooks up the ends to the gen. Says we'll have fish real soon, grabs the gen and gives it a good crank, bout lectracuted himself  ;D.