# Avoiding gar



## Dtrojcak (Jun 17, 2012)

I'm still fairly new to river fishing, only been doing it for about 4-6 months now, but I've been able to consistently catch 8-10# channel cats from a particular stretch of river from the bank since about December.
For the last 2-3 weeks though, it seems to be impossible to catch any catfish because the gar strip the hooks clean before the cats have a chance to find the bait.
I've tried mudcat, perch, and beef liver with the same result.
The only thing that the gar didn't steal was the tube type stinkbait, but the catfish didn't bite on it either.

I've tried a few different spots up and down the river, but the gar seem to be everywhere.
Any ideas on what to use to avoid gar?
Or better yet, a way to actually catch the gar? I caught one when it got tangle in my limb line and although a little difficult to clean, it was good to eat. Not as good as catfish, but not bad either.
I've heard people use frayed rope, but haven't actually tried that yet.


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## Sabine1 (Jan 21, 2014)

I battle the same exact thing. The only thing I've found that works it to bait up after dark.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

You can check this thread out:
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=922138


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## brant7574 (Dec 19, 2006)

Frayed rope will catch them every time. Use white nylon rope.


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## Dtrojcak (Jun 17, 2012)

Sabine1 said:


> I battle the same exact thing. The only thing I've found that works it to bait up after dark.


I've heard the after dark thing before.
I'll probably try that in the summer once the boy is out of school.
Right now, I can only go during the day, usually on Mondays, but I gotta be back by 4pm to pick him up after school.
During the summer, we plan on spending a few nights out there.



brant7574 said:


> Frayed rope will catch them every time. Use white nylon rope.


Do you just tie the frayed rope onto the hook with the bait and wait?

Are the smaller ones, less than 3-4' territorial?
Meaning, if I catch a few in a particular stretch of river, will it be free of gar for a while?
Or are they always moving up/down river?


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## brant7574 (Dec 19, 2006)

For the ol' rope trick you don't need any hooks, just frayed rope. The rope will get tangled in their teeth when they bite it. The rope will usually float for a pretty good while. We use the rope like a lure. Spot the gar and reel the rope near them and get ready for a ride.

Take about 6" to 1 foot of 3/4" nylon rope and tie it off with wire leader material with a swivel on the other end hook your fishing line into the swivel and chunk and reel. You can soak the rope in fish juice of you want. When they bite don't set the hook just reel.










While we are bottom fishing often times we are chunking rope for gar. It kind of keeps their mind off of your bait.

Make a dozen or so in advance. Once they are bit they are ruined.


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## Guntown (Sep 18, 2012)

If all you're after is channel cats then try soap


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## SSST (Jun 9, 2011)

Only chance you'll have at keeping gars away this time of year is to bait after dark, baiting in the daylight is pointless, the bait will be gone in 30 minutes. Also, try putting your lines in current, that's where the big cats will be right now anyways. Gars don't like current, we try putting all our lines in any kind of current, plus we bait in the dark. The bad thing is the river is so low there is no movement and the gars are bad, good luck!


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## SoTxPighunter (Jul 5, 2012)

Second on the rope trick, have done it quite a bit. I use 40 lb braid mainline 150lb barrel swivel and a trace of 200 lb wire with a number four treble six x strong on the end then unravel my trotline or cotton rope eight inches long and tie off the rope end at the barrel swivel. I use a large sea float up top and for bait I use large shad heads or carp or buffalo stripsthat have been pounded to help release the oils. Hope this helps. As far as cat baits that they won't mess with use dip or punch bait


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## texas two guns (Jan 23, 2006)

The funny thing is, the TPWD think we have just about put gar on the endangered list.


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## Dtrojcak (Jun 17, 2012)

I haven't found any alligator gar on our stretch of river, but we're covered up in needle nose gar.


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