Trash fish control

**Corker** · 05-06-2009, 01:37 PM

The issue of gars keeps popping up. These "teeth with a tail" predators no doubt scoop up staggering numbers of panfish. Other than "ugliest fish" contests, citation weigh-ins, and mounting (reserved only for the biggest of the big), I've never heard of any use for gars. Consequently, they're rarely landed & even more rarely kept. Since they travel in schools including 3 and 4-footers, small gars are shielded from other predators. Effectively, gars are subject to no natural predator and are fished very very lightly.

In my efforts to foster healthy environments for crappies, I am no longer gar-tolerant. When I hook one, I try to land it. All gars landed are subsequently removed from the body of water and placed where they will feed the buzzard population.

Yesterday, several gars hit my minnows and were hooked briefly before breaking off or straightening the hook. If (like yesterday) the speck fishing is off & I wanted to hook and land gars, 8# line and soft wire # 2 Aberdeen hooks need to be replaced--but what would work best? I'm thinking treble hooks of some type, anyone had experience with this? Will gars go after crank baits? Other suggestions?

**papermouth scaler** · 05-06-2009, 01:56 PM

Okay, I'm gonna ask the question.....has anyone on c.c ever tried GAR.

Heres my thoughts, they have teeth (many I might ad :D) therefore they eat meat, they are a predator.
I have always figured they look to prehistoric to eat....but i'm starting to feel daring, and may try the next one I land.... OK WHO'S WITH ME!!! :D :D

**TapOut64** · 05-06-2009, 01:56 PM

Come get them at Western Branch. Every speck you see is a gar.

I would foul hook these things there are so many of them.

**Corker** · 05-06-2009, 02:01 PM

Tap- I told you what to do. It's simple--half a stick of dynamite & a brick--scoop them up with a (big) net. :D

**Crappisaurusrex** · 05-06-2009, 02:11 PM

Corker, use a whole bream fished on the bottom. with a 7/O hook with steel leader and an egg sinker. When they pick it up and start running let it go and go and go. Then set the hook with all you got(we usually stand up for this). even then we only caugth 25% on the fish that bit. I have seen them at the Pony pasture pick up bream off the bottom and hold them in their mouth sideways, then after swimming a ways flip it 90 degrees and swallow it head first.

**wasabi** · 05-06-2009, 02:12 PM

I think a gar would make a pretty cool stuffed fish. I'd like one on my office wall. I think I've given up on a large crappie.

**ceb** · 05-06-2009, 02:12 PM

Here's a few posts that might help you out in your endeavor...

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/louis...u-08-05-a.html

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/170196-post2.html

And you can eat them, just check out the cooking forum for the gar thread...have fun with 'em

**Crappisaurusrex** · 05-06-2009, 02:14 PM

i may be able to make you a good deal on one.:D

Originally Posted by wasabi

I think a gar would make a pretty cool stuffed fish. I'd like one on my office wall. I think I've given up on a large crappie.

**wasabi** · 05-06-2009, 02:14 PM

Corker,

You need to adapt. Diascund is a dead lake as far as crappie are concerned. Time to work on your master gar angler award.

**Corker** · 05-06-2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by wasabi

Time to work on your master gar angler award.

Ooooooooooooh..................you've let the cat out of the bag!

Now everyone will want to target New Kent billfish.

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