Gar

[wittich]

I found a spot loaded up with gar and hooked on a fly rod that ripped out line and got off.
My brother battled one on a little bass rod. This one went airborne 3 times just like a tarpon. It was crazy fight.

[wittich]

I found a spot loaded up with gar and hooked one a fly rod that ripped out line and got off.
My brother battled one on a little bass rod. This one went airborne 3 times just like a tarpon. It was crazy fight. Gar.jpg

[karstopo]

Crazy fish.

[junkyard chihuahua]

My neighbor down the street has worked for years to learn about Gar. He guides trips targeting this species and is a strong advocate for their preservation and respect. He has an Instagram called Catching Dinosaurs. Its worth a look.

Recently he has set his sights on tarpon on the Texas coast and has had incredible success.

[karstopo]

I see a lot of gar around here. I see nothing but Alligator gar in the estuaries and then spotted gar in the lake behind my house. There are also some longnosed gar in the lake. My fishing buddies and I hook a few from time to time, mostly unintentionally. Most of the time the gar come off the hook, sometimes they break/cut the line, rarely do we get one to hand. They can do some insane moves and jumps.

I put gar in the same category with ladyfish and gafftop, fish to avoid. Not necessarily being fair to gar. Gar are way more interesting to look at than ladyfish or gafftop and I can see their appeal.

IMG_0960.jpeg (58.57 KiB) Viewed 3918 times

[wittich]

If anyone wants to learn how to catch a giant on one a fly rod, I would recommend a guide named Matt Simpson.
He has caught some monsters. I hooked a huge on with him on a fly, that unfortunately threw the hook.

[dnordin]

Caught one in a pond at an abandoned golf course recently, I was so thrilled! Then the fish got caught in vegetation but thankfully I landed him. I used a 6wt fly rod and yellow grasshopper fly.