Gar On The Fly?
- Thread starter pegboy1
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theboz
Well-known member
Haha! Great experience on getting them to take. Keeping them hooked zero experience. Big streamers and poppers with alot of bucktail and leechlike patterns all at a quick retrieve plenty of takes . Keeping them on the hook is the hard part. Finally hooked one in the front of the beak just about to land him and he opens his bottom jaw into the mud and another one bites the dust! Talk to the two guys on the muddy water thread at least they seem to land some. Lotta fun either way!
brookfieldangler
Well-known member
I have actually had a bit of success with them.
I think there are two tricks that have helped
1. Use small trailer hook - almost like you would with a steelhead fly.
2. Use a softer action rod to help absorb the head shakes. It tends to pull the hook out of the bony mouth a lot less.
If you really get desperate, the old rope fly will produce and almost guarantee that a gar wont get off.
I think there are two tricks that have helped
1. Use small trailer hook - almost like you would with a steelhead fly.
2. Use a softer action rod to help absorb the head shakes. It tends to pull the hook out of the bony mouth a lot less.
If you really get desperate, the old rope fly will produce and almost guarantee that a gar wont get off.
Poke 'Em
Well-known member
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I'm assuming you've got longnose gar. If they're shortnose, then I'd probably just go with a really stout rod and give 'em hell when you set the hook. But if they are longnose, then I'll offer this advice (copied and pasted from the advice I gave in a previous thread):
I've caught who knows how many longnose gar on a fly. Here's how I would do it (we don't have to have a hook on the end, but that can be easily remedied):
Take any large hook and cut the point off at the bend. In your case, I would then tie in a very, very small hook to the shaft of the first hook, as you would if you were tying an articulated fly. As far as tying the nylon in, I start with 1/4" nylon rope and very heavy thread. Wrap your hook shank with thread, then tie in about 2-4" of rope. The amount of rope you use depends on how big of a rod you have and how good of a caster you are. The shorter flies are much, much easier to cast. Anyway, tie the rop in and use a LOT of pressure. I usually also add a little flash and some bucktail, but it's up to you. Then unravel your rope, and I usually cut some of the pieces of nylon on the outside shorter than the ones in the middle. This creates a more fishlike profile.
On another note, when you fish these flies, I usually like a very slow, methodical retrieve with a sinking line. And I hold my rod out to the side while I'm stripping the fly. The reason for that is, as soon as you feel a strike, you want to immediately give the fish as much slack as possible. By holding your rod off to the side, you can quickly point your rod at the fish, and then start feeding him line. If you try to "set the hook" when the fish strikes, you'll lose the vast majority of your fish. Give him some slack and count to 20 or so. Then ease up on your rod. When you give the fish slack, he'll sit there and chomp on the fly, and entangle himself. Do it this way, and you should land upward of 80% of the fish you get to strike.
Oh, I highly recommend against tying in any weight. These flies soak up water and will sink just fine without it, and they're heavy enough as it is when it comes to casting.
I've caught who knows how many longnose gar on a fly. Here's how I would do it (we don't have to have a hook on the end, but that can be easily remedied):
Take any large hook and cut the point off at the bend. In your case, I would then tie in a very, very small hook to the shaft of the first hook, as you would if you were tying an articulated fly. As far as tying the nylon in, I start with 1/4" nylon rope and very heavy thread. Wrap your hook shank with thread, then tie in about 2-4" of rope. The amount of rope you use depends on how big of a rod you have and how good of a caster you are. The shorter flies are much, much easier to cast. Anyway, tie the rop in and use a LOT of pressure. I usually also add a little flash and some bucktail, but it's up to you. Then unravel your rope, and I usually cut some of the pieces of nylon on the outside shorter than the ones in the middle. This creates a more fishlike profile.
On another note, when you fish these flies, I usually like a very slow, methodical retrieve with a sinking line. And I hold my rod out to the side while I'm stripping the fly. The reason for that is, as soon as you feel a strike, you want to immediately give the fish as much slack as possible. By holding your rod off to the side, you can quickly point your rod at the fish, and then start feeding him line. If you try to "set the hook" when the fish strikes, you'll lose the vast majority of your fish. Give him some slack and count to 20 or so. Then ease up on your rod. When you give the fish slack, he'll sit there and chomp on the fly, and entangle himself. Do it this way, and you should land upward of 80% of the fish you get to strike.
Oh, I highly recommend against tying in any weight. These flies soak up water and will sink just fine without it, and they're heavy enough as it is when it comes to casting.
ditz
Well-known member
Just a reminder when using rope flies. After landing the gar use something to hold his mouth open so that you can get all of the nylon strands out of his mouth. Some fellas even use a brush to remove all of the rope. If you do not do this you are dooming the fish to a slow, miserable starvation death. 
fishinkeebs
Active member
I use nylon ropes flies that ive colored w/ couple different markers. I also use a brush and long screwdriver to hold their mouth open to get the rope out.
stl_geoff
Well-known member
Rope flies work awesome on gar, especially red/white combos. Its alittle tricky getting used to them though. Once they take the fly, you need to let them gnaw on it for a second or two, then do a nice easy take up of the line. that will greatly aid to successful catches.
So which one from Pegboy are you? Reverb was a good show, ended up buying the DVD.
So which one from Pegboy are you? Reverb was a good show, ended up buying the DVD.
I would be the one with the big nose and the fly rod company...haha. Actually we had alot of fun filming the documentary. Robs a great film maker.So which one from Pegboy are you? Reverb was a good show, ended up buying the DVD.
stl_geoff
Well-known member
Awesome! You guys looked like you had alot of fun doing it.
chuck s
Well-known member
Gar Flies: general rules
use double salmon hooks
use sparce body material or you'll never get a hook set as teeth hang up too easy.
I prefer a Muddler head, gold or silver mylar body
and a bit of a red tail and a red throat.
Gar slash sidewise at the fly so the trick is to balance the deer hair against the weight of that hook so you get a relatively neutral fly..
Wait till the Gar turns before you set the hook.
use at least a 6, preferrably a seven weight and use a hard slip strike!
use double salmon hooks
use sparce body material or you'll never get a hook set as teeth hang up too easy.
I prefer a Muddler head, gold or silver mylar body
and a bit of a red tail and a red throat.
Gar slash sidewise at the fly so the trick is to balance the deer hair against the weight of that hook so you get a relatively neutral fly..
Wait till the Gar turns before you set the hook.
use at least a 6, preferrably a seven weight and use a hard slip strike!
argail
Well-known member
yesterday caught, on fly by type Shad fly (most caught black crappie)
