# What's your favorite hook for Gar fishing?



## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

I caught my first Gar (Longnose) last Monday using a size 1 J-hook on a live sunfish. However, after reading many articles online most of them say that fishermen prefer a Treble hook since their mouths are very hard. Does anybody use anything other than a treble hook? It will be catch and release so if I could use a Circle Hook that would be even better, but I cannot see how a Circle hook would work on Longnose the same way as a regular fish. Maybe there are Alligator Gar as well, I am not sure. I want to take a friend fishing for gar and any help on hooks would be appreciated. Thank you


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## Bill Fisher (Apr 12, 2006)

longnose gar? - shredded nylon rope

no hooks needed


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## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

Would this work on alligator gar as well? It's at Jesse Jones, I always see them surfacing for air but I am not sure if they are all longnose or a few alligator gar in there as well. Thank you


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## Bill Fisher (Apr 12, 2006)

i'd use 3/4 nylon rope for alligator gar...... and even tho the twisted nylon is easier to unfray, the braided nylon with all it's little twist and kinks tangles in teeth much better imo


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## Bill Fisher (Apr 12, 2006)

here...... just ran across this http://www.ehow.com/how_5458595_make-fish-lures-out-nylon.html

lot o'stuff popped up when i searched 'nylon rope for gar'


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## bobbyoshay (Nov 29, 2008)

Bill Fisher said:


> longnose gar? - shredded nylon rope
> 
> no hooks needed


x2


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## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

Thank you very much


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## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

Small (in comparison to the size of the fish) treble hook. You have to let them swallow it though. So if you aren't planning on harvesting them then that method might not be a good choice.


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Bill Fisher said:


> longnose gar? - shredded nylon rope
> 
> no hooks needed


That is Good advice.....When I was a young felloow fishing in Western Louisiana and East Texas, we used that. However, back in the late 80's, a man in Trinity county taught me a better way.

We used nylon #48 trot Line cord. Tie a knot and unravel 1 to 1 1/2 ft. Tie the unraveled ent to a tree limb in river systems or to a gallon heavy duty plastic 1 gallon jug in a lake. Their teeth, both Longnosed (Needlenosed) or Shortnosed (Alligator) Gar get tangled in their teeth and they can NOT get loose.


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## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

Lone Eagle said:


> That is Good advice.....When I was a young felloow fishing in Western Louisiana and East Texas, we used that. However, back in the late 80's, a man in Trinity county taught me a better way.
> 
> We used nylon #48 trot Line cord. Tie a knot and unravel 1 to 1 1/2 ft. Tie the unraveled ent to a tree limb in river systems or to a gallon heavy duty plastic 1 gallon jug in a lake. Their teeth, both Longnosed (Needlenosed) or Shortnosed (Alligator) Gar get tangled in their teeth and they can NOT get loose.


So how are you guys putting on the bait? Tying it to the rope? or is the rope the lure? and what kinda bait are you using if its not live bait?


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## bobbyoshay (Nov 29, 2008)

sight cast them......i have always used a topwater lure with the rope/twine tied to the lure! throw the lure past close to them and pop.....they will hit the rope/twine and the fight is on


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## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

bobbyoshay said:


> sight cast them......i have always used a topwater lure with the rope/twine tied to the lure! throw the lure past close to them and pop.....they will hit the rope/twine and the fight is on


Haha dang, not very smart fish, thanks!


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

I personally like to use the cheap cotton rope with the nylon center. It has a yellow tend to it. I use about twenty inch long pieces and double it over and tie a collar at the fold. Tie your main line to the fold and if it's too light to cast add an egg sinker to the main line, it will not go further than the nylon lure. Wet it before casting. Throw it out and retrieve as you would a top water lure, slowly with a small twitch once in a while, if using wieght try to keep it towards the surface. You'll know when you get a bite, don't jerk because there is no hook to set and you might pull the tangled mess out of their snout. I had a friend who smeared the nylon into shad to scent the lure, he said he had better bites that way. Keep a knife handy to cut some of the lure to remove. Good fishing to you.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Sounds interesting, but what would you harvest one for? They aren't good to eat. How about just get them out of the river system. There are so very many.


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

JMGuerrero said:


> So how are you guys putting on the bait? Tying it to the rope? or is the rope the lure? and what kinda bait are you using if its not live bait?


We asre NOT using bait. The gar bite into the white nylon line and they can not get it out of their teeth.


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## goodwood (Mar 30, 2009)

what do yall do after yall get the fish to the boat?


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

tbone2374 said:


> Sounds interesting, but what would you harvest one for? They aren't good to eat. How about just get them out of the river system. There are so very many.


Alligator gar are great eating. There are some good threads in the archives on how to clean them. Gatorgar and Shadslinger both have posted on the subject if I remember right.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

I've just always heard they weren't good to eat!


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

The gar eggs are toxic but the flesh is white and very firm. 
Years ago, the commercial fishermen would gill net them for sale to commercial canners.
Mrs. Paul's frozen fish people would run a truck up to buy gar and Buffalo from the Hughes down below the LL dam and from a fellow in Riverside. They had big walk in coolers. 
The meat was steamed, blown off the bone, mixed with filler and formed into fish sticks. It must be good. A million cafeteria fed school kids could not be wrong.
During low river flow before the dam was closed I would take my then 12 YO son and fish for Alligator gar in the big pools about a mile down river. Some time I would sell 400 to 500 pounds to Hudhes from just one trip. About $0.25 a pound hide, hair, eye balls and all.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I ate some just the other day and I have some to bring to the fish fry for those who are curious. There is no whiter meat in freshwater and just like any fish trim the red off. The hard part is knowing how to clean one, Gator Gar can give you the 411 on that better than anyone. 
I cleaned one Lee caught a few days ago(5' long) with just a fillet knife and it takes a lot of work,(cutting rings around them in the seams between scales until you can slide them out of the shell) a hatchet/machette or something like that works better to get things started.
We used a 30lb Cajun red line leader(really tough line) on a reel with 20lb and just a simple 3/0 J hook. No weight, and slung it out where a lot of big ones were rolling on white bass and shad. We left the drag backed off so it could pull line out until it stopped, they take it away from other gar to eat it. When they stop wait just a bit then tighten the drag and reel down on them, usually they will get hooked in the side of the throat and the leader will go between their teeth in the corner of their mouth and not get bit off. This is if you want to keep one to eat, which Lee had been wanting to catch one and eat it. 
It was an impressive battle at boat side we both got drenched from it splashing and trashing. I think they would do fine if you just cut the leader close to their mouth and let them work the small hook through. 
I have heard that catching them with nylon rope lures runs the risk of them breaking off(anytime they roll up on mono their scales will cut it) then they die a slow stravation because they can't open the mouths from the nylon mess. Porbablly not a problem if you used some braided line on the reel.


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## chapman53559 (Jun 19, 2009)

Trust me they are great. I have one in the freezer now. It took me a while to try it but I had enough beers at a fish fry once and tried it. It was the really good.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

I have had a few drifting jugs suddenly disappear when the gar are around. If a big one grabs a jug line you can normally kiss it goodbye. One liter of floatation will not slow down a 200lb gar.


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