# I caught a big fish today



## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

This big ole gar hit a jig, was one heck of a battle on 6-lb test line!


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

How long was that thing Jack?
Nice pic man...


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Did you C&R or did it go for dinner? I bet Melon is going to be jealous !


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

stinkin gars, nice fish though!

bill


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

The OGF does not condone posting such fish on its site.... Thank You.... CATKING ......................


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

I just had to post as I noticed this makes my *2,000th post*. The do look a little like a pike or a muskie.....


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

those things are tough as nails. I tried to use one as cut bait once but couldn't get through it with a knife. tried 2 or 3 dif. knives. Could break through the skin. Finally I got out my pruning shears (carry them cuz the sapplings are always in the way) and had to hack through it that way. they ain't goo for bait either.

bill


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Some say they make good table fare ( eating for you catters  ) anyways, who or should I say why bother ???? DA KING !!!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Jack, that fish is amazing. That is the biggest long nose I have ever seen! Way to go!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

LOL I just noticed the net next to you, like that did any good for landing that monster!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

The fish was probably over 50inches, and yes it is the biggest I have seen also..Mellon head was with me, and he made many futile attemps at netting the fish..I think he was trying to break me off..LOL..Finally the fish tired enough so I could get him almost on the bank before Bryan got the fish in the net.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

> I think he was trying to break me off..LOL..


1st clue was---> he is holding it by the hoop!!!


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## TIGHTLINER (Apr 7, 2004)




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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

hahahaa...
better then getting :S and with a :B to boot is even better


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## jfout (Apr 26, 2004)

Wow thats a huge gar.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

Did you get an accurate length and weight? There are no listings for gar in the OGF record book, yet.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Tim, I am measuring it right now...... (marked it on a stringer)

AND the official length is...........53 1/2 inches!!!!!!!

Again great catch buddy.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

dang, the state record longenosed gar was only 49 inches.


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## Spidey2721 (Apr 6, 2005)

Ok enough knocking gar. I like them. Wish I could fish for them around here. Very nice fish.

Later,
jay


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Jack, 

Send it to the State, I also have a good pic of it.

Now the story from my view: I know most of us, espically catters hate Gar. I will even admit it around 11 PM yesterday I was reading to unload my .22 into them, we were getting so mnay runs (although as BillyG has stated they have skin thta we couldnt cut w/ our knifes, so a .22 might not be enough!) but anyway, this Giant Gar was impressive in the water. I thought Jack had him in severla time, but when it saw the net, it just took off into the deeper water, I didnt think it was going to be landed. I was out in water around my knees trying to do whatever I could not to loose this fish for Jack. The fight that this thing produced was great to watch. I got thinking if you could get constanct hookups, these would be real fun to target: They are predators of the water, hit hard, fight well (at least this one did), so why do we give them a bad name? Like I started out, I was fed up w/ them stealign my bait later that night, but shoot maybe thats what makes them so aggravating, they are hard to catch on hook & line w/ out a nylon leader.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

dwe did not weigh it bryan, and I am sure it did not weigh 25-lbs, that is what the state record 49incher weighed.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I'd say what 15 or so, maybe a little more?


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## Spidey2721 (Apr 6, 2005)

H2O Mellon said:


> "The fight that this thing produced was great to watch. I got thinking if you could get constanct hookups, these would be real fun to target: They are predators of the water, hit hard, fight well (at least this one did), so why do we give them a bad name? Like I started out, I was fed up w/ them stealign my bait later that night, but shoot maybe thats what makes them so aggravating, they are hard to catch on hook & line w/ out a nylon leader".



Yup. I love the fish. They just dont swim in these waters up here. (I am not far enough up to try lake erie for em.)


later,
jay


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## FSHNERIE (Mar 5, 2005)

Nice Gar, Are those any good to eat??


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## Perch (Apr 5, 2004)

If you wanna target Gar...............Ive seen an easy method. Take a Large bucktail Jig, white with Red neck, and hook a 5"-8" section of white or chartruese NYLON rope to the hook ( hook it several times, then bend the hook point over on the rope and secure with black tape or rod cement , anything like that.

Next, fray the last several inches of the rope till its all puffed up and about 3" diameter...................throw this where you see gars Beaks breaking water..............the teeth get tangled in the nylon, and all you do is shake them off at boatside, fluff your nylon and re-cast ! no hooking needed.....
Ive seen some guys tearing up Gar on the Ohio doing this !!

Someone else posted this on here a ways back............MrFish maybe?

Try it !!


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Yes, thats what I as talkign about, this way (single hook ,line, no nylon) is much harder to cath gar on, as you will rarely be able to bring them in. Just watching Jack got me excitied, I would have loved to been the one that caught it!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Bryan, landing this fish took all my vast knowlegde and angling skills..A person with less fish catching abilitys would have been broken off quick..You know someone like yourself!  


SMACK!


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Yep I have seen the rope thing also. I saw it on a show once and they were keeping them all and eating them. I have never tried it but I think it would be hard to get it untangled from their teeth.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Was that the Scioto river?


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Biggest gar I ever seen in Ohio, whats the record for Ohio? When I lived in Louisiana people would catch gar and make gar balls out of them. Never tried one myself. Saw some monster ones there.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Nice catch Flathunter! I have never been fortunate to land a gar. I don't get to fish many waters with them. That would be a real treat to land one that size, and to do it on 6# line is even a bigger achievement. That is a great picture of him too by the way.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

gar balls?? must have been the males.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I would of honestly gotten that fish mounted, looks really cool.


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Can't beleive I am saying this but Nice fish!Dang I hate gar,touched my first one last year-gave me the willies  Yea I know I am a wimp


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Twistertail, that was in paint creek.appx 15 miles downstream from the spillway.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Looks like a fine spot down there. I have never fished Paint before but want to try it out. I was just down that way last weekend and went over the creek, I think on 50 just west of Chillicothe?


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## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

I bet it was a nice fight to get him in, Congrat's :B I have never caught a Gar before, I bet they put up a good fight. Nice Catch


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Jack, you honestly telling me you guys managed to get that thing in a net? ROFL!


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Into the net.... Barely, hook popped out when I picked the net up.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Man I have done that several times, got the fish in the net and then go to take hook out only to find it come out already!


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Flathunter, hey, this is Salmonid, I replied to your post on GASSBAG website and didnt realize you were part of this group. Yes, a really nice LN for these parts but I have seen bigger in the lower Scioto. Gar this sized are what we call "Firehose" gar and those are when they are better then about 5 lbs and are great sport and what all garmen love to catch.
Yes, as far as getting consistant hookups, the rope flies/lures are the best but someone mentioned nylon rope and its not that simple, many have experimented with every major brand of ropes and most use a cotton braid with the core removed ( 1/4" or 3/8") I happen to prefer the TSC Brand and just buy it a couple of feet at a time. It is time consuming to unbraid them and brush them out but most like myself, use a heavy dog brush ( more like a comb) and I can tell you that they can be quite snooty when they want to be and many times they are curious, will follow the fly but not take it, other times you need to adjust your retrieve and other times they hammer it while others they just short nip at the fly. 
Im curious if you got a jump out of this fish?? they are awesome when they do jump and make many strong runs and never give up at the net and always have a little more to keep you honest.

Truly the stuff a gamefish is made up of.

Now someone else mentioned having a leader but most gar folks never use one, I typically use straight 8 lb mono as my leader when I flyfish for them and have only ever broke one off and it was at the knot ( My fault), just need to remember that they are just like saugers and walleyes and have "conical" teeth ( cone shaped) so they are sharp but if the line gets between them, not a problem but I have heard and experienced there very sharp gill plates like a perch and when you hold them, you need to be careful they dont give you a head shake and cut your hand thats holding then( no different then pike or muskie)
Most guys bring a single leather glove to have on around there mouth and then you can hold them by there beak if needed for the picture before you release them.

I grew up fishing in those parts of Ohio on OBC and SBC and the lower Scioto and those are all loaded with em. I have got a few this year so far but love to hammer them in July and August when the water is so hat, even the carp wont hit, thats when there the most active so I save them for that time.

Anyways Im all excited and rambling now but if anyone is interested in learning how to catch these on a rope lure, please give me a shout or is willing to meet me at one of our secret Gar lairs, id be more then happy to help educate some folks on this truly over critisized fish and can make you a believer like flathunter and Mellon are. 
Way to go guys!!

Salmonid


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## River Dweller20 (May 24, 2005)

Nice gar!...If you can call gar nice. It isn't nice when they bite your minnows in half. But congratulations, a gar that size isn't an everyday catch.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I stil;l want to get w/ you this year like we've talked about Salmoid.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Hey Mellon, I havent forgot about you either, just been busy guiding and then last weekend I spent all weekend at Sycamore Hospital for a blood clot on my right leg, so now this week Im on the mend and wont be fishing until the weekend. Oh for those at the LMR Float trip and saw me limping around where I thought I had twisted my knee, that was the clot so Im now on all sorts of drugs ( no, not the pleasant types) Coumadin,Lovenox shots twice a day and Diovan to lower my pressure so I dont blow the clot loose, man it sucks to get old.....and I never considered 38 to be old until now. I figure in a few years Ill have some nice diapers to go with my compression stockings  

Salmonid


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