GAR

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bossky
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2016/05/15 18:50:20 (permalink)

GAR

My target fish on the fly rod this year is the long nose gar. Wondering if anyone has any input on bodies of water with high numbers. I see a few in the rivers while fishing and give them a few odd casts but have yet to target them. Any info is appreciated.
#1

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    FishinGuy
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/15 21:04:29 (permalink)
    I see smallish ones near shore on the Allegheny all the time while night fishing. Biggest I've seen caught personally was at an ACOE dam outlet. 28"
    #2
    Divemaster
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/15 22:56:48 (permalink)
    From what I've heard, fishing shorelines with slow or no current along any of the three rivers at night in the summer is your best bet. Presque Isle Bay is also supposed to be a great Gar fishery, which is where I'll be targeting them most this summer. Use rope flies or lures when targeting them, trying to get a hook in their slender, bony mouth is almost impossible. I'm trying to get one on any tackle this year too, although getting one on a fly rod would be amazing!
    #3
    Snag_826
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/16 00:33:33 (permalink)
    fish behind the old skatepark at the millvale riverfront park late summer. You wont be able to keep them off your line. Good luck hooking them. Its fun watching them chase bait at night. I get a ton of them attracted to the baitfish that come in from my boat light. Caught a MONSTER gar years ago. If i can find the picture i will post it...

    "Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women!"
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    bossky
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/16 17:50:12 (permalink)
    Yeah I see a few here and there in the allegheny and the yough but have never seen more than one in a day.
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    phishhead81
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/17 17:56:39 (permalink)
    the conemaugh dam and river and i would bet the lake also is loaded with gar 95% of the time i have gone night fishing at the conemaugh i have seen gar.a lot of small ones but i have seen a few river monsters size gar too. once while i was fishing off the wall at the dam i had a really nice one on my line but i lost the fish.and the handful of other times they took my lure but with the skinny snout and the way the fishes mouth is so narrow everytime they shook a little bit and spit my hook right out never had a gar on my line for then 30 seconds good luck getting one they are really cool fish 
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    phishhead81
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/17 18:02:36 (permalink)
    back in the 1800s people considered gar something of a monster their was a ton of gar in the rivers but since the fish had such a horrible reputation they were killed on sight. places with extreme high numbers of gar. the local towns people would get in boats and float the rivers killing as many gar as they could the fish is really cool and we are lucky to still be able to fish for gar period i hope you catch one
     
    #7
    Big Steve
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/17 22:38:32 (permalink)
    The Pittsburgh pool is loaded with them. As others have said look for slack water with baitfish and they are there. Dead decaying fish/animals draw them in as well. They tend to school in numbers so they take the bait and swim away from the other fish before attempting to eat it. Once you get a take, let the fish run until it stops, wait 10-20 seconds then set the hook/rope. Rope flys are the way to go with a fly rod. Dead shiners on a small treble 12" under a night bobbie are a sure fire way to catch several.
    #8
    bossky
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/18 15:50:50 (permalink)
    Thanks for all the tips guys! i plan on tying a rope fly variation but keeping a hook on it just incase one of his toothy coulsins want to take a bite at it also.
     
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    crawlerman2
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/19 14:48:20 (permalink)
    There are a lot of them below the bridge on 79 in the summer.  south side
     

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    phishhead81
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    Re: GAR 2016/05/21 22:20:52 (permalink)
    crawlerman 2 awesome catch great fish
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