# Bowfins & Gar



## The Zodiac (Apr 10, 2010)

These elusive, prehistoric, & in some cases for some people, nightmares of fish have always had me interested. Not just the facts that they can achieve a rather large size, have sharp teeth that can rival the more sought after species of Pike & Musky fame, look like fish cross breeds with a snake & crocodile respectively; but also the historical facts that make these two species of fish living fossils.

I personally have never caught or even seen one of these fish, which is the purpose of this thread. I want to. 

I have done the research on the " how to catch " aspects, but as you all know, we must first find the fish.

The only place I have heard in northeast, Ohio that contained Bowfin & had a picture evidence was the Mentor Lagoons in Lake County. And sadly with the Gar, I have heard much less in regards to what bodies of water contained them.

And again, I don't want any secret hot spots, just the knowledge of some waters that do contain such fish. I find it much more satisfying as a fisherman to locate the " hot spots " on a body of water myself, than to leech off of other's work, not to mention if you find them yourself, they will almost always be a lot less pressured than the " known " hot spots.

*cheers*


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## mpd5094 (Jun 20, 2005)

I personally have never caught one, but I've seen a ton of them at Portage. Especially when the water is really clear. I've heard they are attracted to the sound of trolling motors and that's why we see so many at Portage. My buddy actually caught one last year there. If I remember correctly, he caught it on a spinnerbait. Nasty sucker too!! I don't know anything about catching them, as far as what bait to use.


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## barf (May 10, 2009)

i've seen what I believe to be gar at portage lakes right by the launch @state park....these things are about 3 or 4 ft long and very skinny like a pike or something


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## owner89883 (May 18, 2008)

I have heard that there are bowfin in Springfield Lake. I fish there quite often and have never caught or seen one... then again I'm not trying to either.!$


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## fish*FEAR*me (Mar 8, 2006)

ive seen bowfin caught in the tusc. and erie canal in canal fulton... i think i have a pic on my phone.. ill see what i can do as far as posting. ive also seen gar in the ashtabula harbor while smallmouth fishing


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## Fishnhunt (Oct 13, 2008)

There are bowfin in Mogadore lake but like everyone else I have never caught one just have knowledge that they are there.


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## 330Steveo (Apr 11, 2010)

i caught one at springfield at 3 in the morning on a catfish rig with one of those green garlic scented crawlers, i didnt even know i had a fish on, there was no bite whatsoever it was kind of like it just pick it up and sat there.

i agree tho, nasty suckers. their nostrils come out of their face like antennas


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## The Zodiac (Apr 10, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. Now at least I have some places to look.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I catch one bowfin every 2 years or so in a certain pool of the cuyahoga river that has wood in it. Usually on a small minnow. 

Saw a gar last year in the bay at Old State Park in the Portage Lakes. 4 footer. I was motoring out to Turkeyfoot and it swam right in front of the boat.


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## thedon255 (May 4, 2008)

I know it's not in your neck of the woods, but it's tougher to avoid gar in the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers than it is to find them. Fishing at Devols Dam, I've seen a school of probably a hundred gar feeding at once, their long jaws snapping out of the water. I always end up catching perhaps half a dozen over the course of a year, usually on crankbaits when they bite them just right and they get hooked or tangled in the treble hooks. There's possibly not a harder fighting fish in the river. They're pure muscle. I've had a 2 foot gar launch itself more than 3 feet out of the water. Thankfully, I haven't hooked into the giants I hear of (36 inches and up) because they'd probably run, strip out all of my line, and then break me off. If you search for gar on this site, you should find some tips for catching them. I've heard of using a tattered piece of white rope, no hook or anything, because it'll get tangled in their teeth.


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## PolymerStew (Feb 17, 2009)

Caught a bowfin on Mogadore back on March 20th of this year. I got it on a shiner. I saw several more in the same area, so I suspect they were getting ready to spawn. This one was an average sized male, 24" and 4.5 lbs.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Lots of Bowfin in Killbuck south of Wooster


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## Narf Koscelmik (Sep 21, 2007)

I was going to mention just what you said, "thedon": There mouths are so long and thin that I would venture to say the landing percentage is less than steelhead.


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## HeadwatersEd (Mar 14, 2006)

Caught quite a few bowfin in the mouth of the Grand River, including a couple monsters. Pick them up occasionally while bass fishing. As far as gar go, look for weedy, protected areas of Erie. I see more and more every year.


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## For my Son (Apr 23, 2007)

Now is the time to fish for them in the Mentor Lagoons. I have caught quite a few of them, all of shiners in the the lagoons in spring. I have never caught one once the water starts to warm though? I dont know if they come in to spawn? First time I caught one I had to send a not to the ODNR because I was baffled by it. They are a blast to catch, very similiar to cat-fish in my opinion.


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## KATKING (Jun 10, 2006)

Bowfin go to the beach city dam with live creek chubs or gils and you'll catch em....


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

For my Son said:


> Now is the time to fish for them in the Mentor Lagoons. I have caught quite a few of them, all of shiners in the the lagoons in spring. I have never caught one once the water starts to warm though?


we used to catch them in the summer there. we'd walk the trails and fish among the reeds. many of those holes we fished are now filled in though as the lagoons become shallower. those fish are an absolute blast. we would use anything from worms to chicken gizzards. 

as for gar, theyre around in the rives, I catch them in the grand during the summer.


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## Ward603 (Sep 6, 2008)

I used to catch gar in the ashtabula river when my dad had the boat at brockways. They would come to the surface catching sun I guess. I threw a small rooster tail and caught them. Very cool fish.


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## Erterbass (Jul 4, 2005)

PolymerStew said:


> Caught a bowfin on Mogadore back on March 20th of this year. I got it on a shiner. I saw several more in the same area, so I suspect they were getting ready to spawn. This one was an average sized male, 24" and 4.5 lbs.


Polymer, you are a brave soul - You wouldn't catch me holding a bowfin like you did in those pics! 

Those things are NASTY - the one time I hooked one while fishing for bass at Mogadore I thought I had the Tasmanian Devil on the line. And when I got him close to the boat I swore he changed from trying to get away to trying to get ME - whoa!

I've also seen gar at Mogadore - both species are more common that most people think...

Bob


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## Punisher_Bane (Apr 8, 2010)

if yer in the weeded section back by ranfield road on mogadore in a kayak during spawning season... prepare to be bullrushed by a bowfin or two..... fiercly territorial fish when eggs are involved... in the south theyve been known to jump out of the water at fisherman in boats... down south i believe they are called grindle(sp?) or something like that.... theres some horror stories out there if ya do a search for grindle


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

I second the area below Devola dam on the muskigum river for gar. We pulled lots of them on every trip we went except after constant heavy rains that caused the river to be high, fast, and muddy. 6-8 inch creek chubs rigged on 3' 14lb Fireline leaders with two #6 trebles tied 3-4 inches apart. Bring spares tied up already. If the hooks don't come out easy just cut the leader apart and put on a new one. I became hooked to a thrashing gar once and it wasn't much fun They are very strong and very slimy. Anchor a hundred yards or so below the dam in the middle of the river. Do not get close to the aerated water below the dam, your boat can get sucked in. Do not get too close to the lock area in high water until you've been there at low water. Your prop won't appreciate an encounter with the wing dam that protects the lock. There is a grassy island in the river at lower water levels, anchoring even with the island or just below is best. Put a #4 splitshot a couple feet up from the hooks, two splitshot if the river is high. Let out 30-50 feet of line behind the boat---enough to have the chub under the surface. Leave the reel disengaged and clicker on w/ a baitcaster. Tie a rubberband just above the reel with a spinning rod, leave the bail open and put a loop of the line under the rubberband to hold the chub in the current. Put the rods in holders and wait for the gar to find you. Once they do, it will be near constant action. Let them run on the initial hit. When you feel some quick pauses or bumps, set the hook and begin the fight. Have fun and post some pics when you go.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

here's one.


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## The Zodiac (Apr 10, 2010)

tomb said:


> I second the area below Devola dam on the muskigum river for gar. We pulled lots of them on every trip we went except after constant heavy rains that caused the river to be high, fast, and muddy. 6-8 inch creek chubs rigged on 3' 14lb Fireline leaders with two #6 trebles tied 3-4 inches apart. Bring spares tied up already. If the hooks don't come out easy just cut the leader apart and put on a new one. I became hooked to a thrashing gar once and it wasn't much fun They are very strong and very slimy. Anchor a hundred yards or so below the dam in the middle of the river. Do not get close to the aerated water below the dam, your boat can get sucked in. Do not get too close to the lock area in high water until you've been there at low water. Your prop won't appreciate an encounter with the wing dam that protects the lock. There is a grassy island in the river at lower water levels, anchoring even with the island or just below is best. Put a #4 splitshot a couple feet up from the hooks, two splitshot if the river is high. Let out 30-50 feet of line behind the boat---enough to have the chub under the surface. Leave the reel disengaged and clicker on w/ a baitcaster. Tie a rubberband just above the reel with a spinning rod, leave the bail open and put a loop of the line under the rubberband to hold the chub in the current. Put the rods in holders and wait for the gar to find you. Once they do, it will be near constant action. Let them run on the initial hit. When you feel some quick pauses or bumps, set the hook and begin the fight. Have fun and post some pics when you go.



Thanks for the info, sounds like Gar heaven down there. Nice fish you had there bro. I will post pics if I get any.


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## paintED (Mar 8, 2007)

i've posted this picture on here before. I returned this not so handsome fella to his natural habitat in Mogadore Res as soon as I heard the shutter noise it went directly to my left and over the gunnel.they are neat to see swim . I watched one from high up on a bank one evening . the sun was shining at just the right angle into the lake and i could see like it was an aquarium.blue gill darting around everywhere. then they all got still and faced one direction and a big ole bowfin came cruising through.that fin on the back working like some sort of propulsion system,looked like an eel. They also have a really pretty greenish blue or teal dot on the tail. neat fish ,but not really super pretty. I caught this bruiser while crappie fishing east of the boat house a couple seasons ago. I thought I had a big cat or one of the ghost muskies you hear of but never see. sure was a fun fight on crappie tackle. they are definately in there.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

Lock 4 park in Canal Fulton and Devola Dam on the Muskingum River. 
I have caught Bowfin at lock 4 almost every time I have gone there. Usually on white roostertails or white twistertails. As for the Gar, Devola Dam or just about anywhere on the Muskingum for that matter is loaded with them this time of year on through the summer. When the water temp gets into the upper 50's lower 60's the gar start to spawn and ones they are done they eat like crazy. I caught 20 in a days time down there fishing for Sauger, they will hammer a twistertail. I have caught them hooked in the mouth and I've snagged them while casting and retrieving for sauger and hybrid striped bass. They swipe at the bait and end up getting themselves snagged. Last year my stepdad caught one at Rockeby lock that was almost 40" long and weighed about 15 lbs. Caught on a large minnow under a bobber.


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## barf (May 10, 2009)

seen em come outa springfield too (ugly sob's).............


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## Sop17 (Mar 10, 2010)

My dad caught a huge one at Bass Lakes (A pay to fish place for those who dont know) it was probably 7 or 8 lbs...but thats only the second one they've ever seen come out of their ponds so I dont know if its worth trying. Ive also shot them while bowfishing in the tusc. Ive gotten 2 in recent years and my dad gigged one. I shot them up stream from the center rd bridge near Manchester. I'd find a deep hole and try some chicken liver or maybe a slow moving crank or spinnerbait


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## Dmuntean (Aug 12, 2006)

About a 4 ft. Gar I hooked in the side last year at Portage Lakes. I was fishing a crankbait, and hooked him in the side on accident. He jumped out of the water twice and almost into the boat, and was banging the side of the boat like a psycho. Scared me to death because I couldn't figure out what it was. I believe one of the best baits for them is a "mop" bait, this has no hooks. It is just like a rope that gets entangled in their teeth. You can buy them on the internet. Nasty things, we released it at the side of the boat.


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## todd61 (Nov 22, 2009)

Lots of gar in the Maumee and I caught a bowfin in the Portage once. Had to look it up on the internet to figure out what it was.


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## cpr_mike1 (Feb 25, 2009)

Here is a bowfin in my fish tank. They are awesome fish. Earlier in the thread it was said that the guy did not know that he had anything on the line because it just sat there when it ate his worm. Everything he said is very apparent to me when I watch this guy eat. He literally either sits there in one spot and kind of just chews his food or he just slowly grabs it.


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## The Zodiac (Apr 10, 2010)

I talked to the ODNR Fish Management guy Phil Hartman out of Columbus & he told me that there are very few places that have any Gar, with Portage being the only one he mentioned. He said the only ones he has ever seen some was when he was electrofishing the Conneaut years ago.

I am shocked that he didn't at least mention Erie & Ohio river. Clearly they are in there, as well as many other places, which members from this site fish.


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