Longnose Gar

[robow7 0]

Steve, I feel the key to getting a good "hook set" on a gar when using a rope fly is when I feel him hit, it's generally pretty soft and I never set the "hook" hard or immediately but I give him line and let him move off with it for several seconds, then I SLOWLY lift my rod creating tension on the line and hopefully I'll feel his head shake and then you know you have him on. My catch rate is so much greater than using any fly with a hook.

 

[Steve P 0]

What sorry of rope do you use? Honestly I've let them chew on it as long as they want and they just shake right off. I want to try but I miss so many really nice fish with rope.

 

Steve

[STL_Geoff 0]

I use the gamakatsu octopus hooks for all my gar flies and they will generally stick into the beak of them. then no rope to worry about untangling. Even if they only play for a few minutes and throw the fly, im ok with that.

[Steve P 0]

Most of the hat around here an octopus hook would never hook them. I use a size 10 2x strong wet hook and land a ton of fish.

[mikechell 0]

What sorry of rope do you use? Honestly I've let them chew on it as long as they want and they just shake right off. I want to try but I miss so many really nice fish with rope. Steve

Soft nylon rope. Comb out the strands so you have a 6" streamer of fine nylon hair. One good snap of the jaws usually does it for me. Keep in mind, the nylon won't necessarily "tangle" the jaws, so just like a hook, you need to keep pressure on. Think of "Indiana Jones'" whip ... wrap it around a branch and overlap the wraps and he can swing across the lava pit ... but release the pressure and it comes off the branch.

 

I use the gamakatsu octopus hooks for all my gar flies and they will generally stick into the beak of them. then no rope to worry about untangling. Even if they only play for a few minutes and throw the fly, im ok with that.

Gar will hold on as long as they think they are getting a meal out of it ... then they let go. If they are indeed hooked, they rarely "throw" a hook. It's almost as hard to get a hook out of their jaw as it is to set one to begin with. I've had gar right up to the side of the boat just to watch them open their mouth and release the lure. I've also fought a gar for several seconds only to see it holding onto the line, several feet away from the lure. Gar will often hit the line, since it small glints off the mono resemble tiny critters in the water.