# Help on Longnose Gar fishing!



## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Hello I'm new to the forum I was wondering if anyone could give me a some insight on how to fish for longnose gar I have had some luck with sight fishing for them with rope lures and have only caught one 19in gar at the lower LMR after that 1 catch they were done, I have been fishing at this same spot 5 more times and have not seen them being active or have caught any I'm not sure if its cause of all the weather changes and lower temps I know August is one of the best times of year to catch them, but I keep getting skunked lol. Do gar move from one hole of water to another? Is it possible to catch them on minnows when there non active at the surface? Also does anyone know if there is a population gar around the springfield ohio area? had some family that moved there and seen that there is a lot if streams and creeks that looked decent. Thank you for any help


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Your on the right track, keep looking until you find an area with active fish, The closer you get to the Ohio river the more gar you're likely to find. 
I normally only sight fish for them but they will certainly take minnows or cut bait.
Keep your offering on the smaller side and let them hang on to it as long as possible , I prefer a fine wire hook with a long shank (eagle claw makes a cricket hook and is one of my favorites) often with the light wire hook I'm able to hook them in the beak. Unless they swallow the bait your likely to miss a high percentage of bites( but that's the fun part)
Gar are One of my favorite summer targets but I rarely target them in other seasons.
Have fun n Good luck and good fishing !


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Thank you for the tips garhtr. I plan on giving it another go this weekend depending on the weather. I haven't really tried fishing for gar with cutbai I may give that a try! would the tailwater at ceasers creek be worth trying out for gar? Heard that there is some gar in there, but have never fished it.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I see an occasional gar there but not a spot I would concentrate on- Imo.
If you're near the lmr any area near the confluence of East frk or even some spots on Ef should still be holding fish and the lower end of the Gmr may be even better and nearly any Ohio r creek mouth should contain fish.
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Alright thought about trying the dam in Hamilton on the GMR, I have caught several channels and drum out of there and heard of gar being caught but never have had any luck Use to catch a lot of smallies near middeltown but never seen gar that far north. thanks again for the tips


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## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

Cut bait + nylon rope = Gar. I do this when the catfish aren't hitting but I'm getting strong, fast hits from gar. I'll put cut shad on hook, usually a good amount, and tie a small piece of nylon rope just above the hook so the rope dangles around the bait. You'll increase your hook up ratios quite a bit. If you have a good pair of tin snips and a knife you can can easily resharpen, they are pretty good to eat. Just eat the back straps (all white meat), nothing else. Especially not the eggs which are poisonous. They are easily dispatched with a strong wack to the head with a rock or a club. Anywhere along the lower LMR is good. Let us know how it goes.


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## HiketothoseBass (Jul 28, 2018)

I used to see a lot of big gar on the big Darby Southwest of Columbus which wouldn’t be too far from Springfield, about 45 minutes to battelle darby metropark according to google maps. Always used to hang in the big stretches of slow water.


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

HiketothoseBass said:


> I used to see a lot of big gar on the big Darby Southwest of Columbus which wouldn’t be too far from Springfield, about 45 minutes to battelle darby metropark according to google maps. Always used to hang in the big stretches of slow water.


I see a lot of gar in the Darby as well. It's funny how one mans trash is another mans treasure. Most people try to avoid gar, but a few people go to great lengths to target them. They sure can be a pain when you're cat fishing with cut bait.


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## BMagill (May 5, 2004)

garhtr said:


> Gar are One of my favorite summer targets


Funny, I always read your handle as "Gar Hater".


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## HiketothoseBass (Jul 28, 2018)

I somehow entangled this guy while fishing a jerk bait for smallmouth a year ago in the big walnut. Trying not to catch them sounds like a decent strategy for getting them.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

BMagill said:


> Funny, I always read your handle as "Gar Hater".


 That's what every one says but It was meant as garhunter. 
The big fish are a challenge and pretty much fun.








Good luck and good fishing !


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

G-Patt said:


> (all white meat), nothing else. They are easily dispatched with a strong wack to the head with a rock


 Eat hybrids and smallmouth, save a gar 
I've considered trying one, the meat is white and flaky, but they are tough skinned, toooo much trouble to clean for me 
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Tin snips work well on longnose


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Thanks again guys far all your help! i plan on hitting up the LMR either sunday or monday what would be good timing? morning, afternnoon or evening? the rope with cut bait is a cool idea never would have thought of that. If i can get a gar large to eat i would consider eating it alot people say there good eating and have a fair amount of meat, If i can catch one small enough I'm going put him in the aquaruim use to have some small gars years ago, there cool to watch when they feed.


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## PT-63 (Oct 10, 2011)

I've "fly fished " for them using the rope fly(4" soft fuzzy of dockline) thrilling, and when they tailwalk, oooh eey!! Of coarse standing knee deep in the middle of a river , tryin to un hook/ tangle a 24- 30" in Gar is kinda dicey.An old 5 or 6" stick bait works well too,I use the old beat up ones with broken bills .Just drift & twitch when ya find a gar hole.
I 've eaten them too.The Cajuns nail um thru the head to a board, use a gut blade or Linoleum knife to slit the skin all down the spine, peel it back.Scoop the "back tenderloin" out with sharpened melon ball scoops. Or Ice cream scoop if ya get a big "Gator". Bread um and deep fry um . looks like a Hush puppie, tastes like an oily Mrs Paul fish stick.
I know if you have Gar in a hole on the river everything else gets scarce.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I tend to disagree. You see gar in two scenarios. One, they are spawning. The actual spawning fish will not eat, however they will be surrounded by both post and pre-spawn Fish that are more than willing to eat. 

The other scenario is when bait is around. Gar are arguably the #1 indicator of a healthy presence of forage any time you find them outside mid-spring. When bait is around, there are plenty of gamefish to be had. We catch big hybrids in the Ohio suspended below super thick levels of gar. They are eating the same food. I’ve had my best days in ruffles where I saw gar chasing bait to begin with. 

The secret to consistently catching gar is using a small hook. Of course treble hooks work best, but dealing with a 40”+ gar whipping it’s head around, you want a single hook. I have my preferences, you should experiment with small octopus and circle hooks (dime size) and learn how to fish “off the bottom”. 

Report back what you find!!


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Well I went down to the LMR monday morning around 1045 am water level was a little up and kind of cloudy i did see a couple gar gulping air i threw a few cast out with the rope lure had no luck i didnt have any live or cut bait with me due to being limited on time, I plan on going back this evening, Im hoping with the hot humid weather that the gar will be near the surface and that the water level is down so i can site fish for them.


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## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

Zachariah Johnson said:


> Well I went down to the LMR monday morning around 1045 am water level was a little up and kind of cloudy i did see a couple gar gulping air i threw a few cast out with the rope lure had no luck i didnt have any live or cut bait with me due to being limited on time, I plan on going back this evening, Im hoping with the hot humid weather that the gar will be near the surface and that the water level is down so i can site fish for them.


Good luck tonight. One small additional tip, you don't need to overdue it on the rope. Just a little bit of rope dangling around the bait would work well. Be sure to use nothing but nylon rope. The other types of rope don't work as well. The nylon really does the trick. Good luck!


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

I got down to the LMR around 600pm last night fished for about an hour and ended up with 3 gar! I caught them on just a regular rope bait, the gar were somewhat active near the surface I pretty much just sight fished for them when they came up for air its such a blast sight fishing for these guys and watching them take the bait!


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Nice job ! What size were your fish ? ?
I guess this extended hot weather is a blessing, might have to make a evening trip myself. 
Good luck and good fishing!


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

+1 on the Ohio. We have had a few outings down there where we ended up fishing for them. We have had some success with small jig heads and minnows but the best choice was a small sonar (Vibee). We have caught them there up to about 4' long and they fight like a horse... Acrobatics and sizzling runs. Big fun..


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

They were around 2 and half ft long, Would love to get one around 4ft, yes the weather has been a blessing im hoping to get another shot at here soon


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I probably catch most of my better fish in late June, July and maybe early August, this time of the year is tougher for me.
They're all fun but once they get close to 40" or so things really change, they start to add some real girth and the fight is way better with power runs , head slashes and often a good air show.
Have fun and Good luck and good fishing !


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## Zachariah Johnson (Aug 27, 2018)

Done alot of research on the best times of year to fish for them, and June,July and August were the prime times to go, Weather has been so jacked up with all the rain and cooler temps, It was very nice to catch a break finally after going several times with no luck, I'm glad the hour and 30 min drive paid off lol


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