[rusty craine]

There isn't a hook. when the gar hits the combed out nylon cord, you bow to him. Let him have time to chew on it. The cord gets tangled in all the teeth and holds him fast.

Gar fly fishing in Texas wind makes an 11' switch rod very handy. You may have to take a switch rod casting lesson or two, not a cast we use too much.

It is more or less based on the roll cast. With a big gar fly you need to use a static anchor.

 

[13033]

Good one, rusty.

Passed it along on another forum, to my Texas freinds...

 

[pondscum2]

have heard of this method, never tried it. got gar a'plenty in the Holston River near here, but too many big smallmouth, striped bass, hybrids & such to make time for the gar. maybe when it gets hot & everything else shuts down... :cheers:

 

[rusty craine]

I use a 9 weight rod with a 9/10 weight reel. You need a good drag system. I use a 9/10 Delta I bought from Matt Potter's Kingfisher fly shop.

 

[Phil]

Not being a fisherman my self .... are Gar just a sport fish or are they good to eat as well ... interesting stuff

 

[rusty craine]

I have eaten them prepared by some one else. The meat was very good. For me it is catch and release.

 

[kestimator]

Good job Rusty!!!
I bet gar on a fly rig is one heck of a fun battle!!

 

[Matt_Potter]

Rusty - Sweet - I need some pics

Matt

 

[rusty craine]

I fish from a kayak. I got a waterproof digital coming. I get you some soon

 

[Matt_Potter]

I fish from a kayak. I got a waterproof digital coming. I get you some soon

Love Kayak fishing done it a bunch for stripers but, don't you have the potential for a 100+ pound fish down there? I'd be real careful in a yak with fish that big.

Matt

 

[rusty craine]

Most of the time I use the kayak to get between deep holes. There have been a few times I had to follow bigger gar.

Gar is a bit like spot & stalk. You have a good idea what gar you are after. I have fished the same five miles for twenty years. I stay in the 20 to 30# tops. even at 20 pounds they give me all I can handle. If a 20# gar bas enough water he can ware me out.

 

[rusty craine]

Here is a fellow pharmacist. We were fishing the Trinity River the other side of Waco, TX, in pretty big water. Used a John boat.

This is the size I like. Gives my all I can handle . Get him to the boat and tag him.

 

[rusty craine]

I have been taking some fly casting lessons. fly cast is a lot like archery in the having your rod a little too low or too high can ruin a cast. There is a little more form in switch casting. I have always used middle of the line fly equipment as it can get pretty expensive on the high end.

The rod I have been using in the lessons is Sage Method Switch rod. When I went back to my old one even I could tell the difference. So today I order one from Matt. It is near the top of the range, a very nice two hander rod.

http://www.kingfisherflyshop.com/online-flyshop/fly-rods-reels/sage-method-switch-rod-47517.html

 

[kestimator]

Your buddy's gar is a fabulous specimen!!! As I like to joke...I'm such a poor fisherman that I have to shoot my fish....favored rig...is a Fred Bear A-Mag with 50# limbs. I also applaud the respect that you seem to exhibit toward these great fish Rusty!! I despise the term "trash fish" These cool creatures deserve so much more!!!

 

[rusty craine]

It made me laugh when he starts talking about torsional stability.

He sets a static anchor for his cast. Necessary in Texas wind

 

[pondscum2]

Necessary in Texas wind

Tennessee wind too, LOL! got tired of unhooking myself while smallmouth & hybrid fishing the other day. a striper fly on a saltwater 1/0 hook HURTS when it hits you in the side of the head... great pix of your gar, aint tried eating one yet. their roe is poisonous, is it not?

 

[1shot]

Great sport!!!
If your having trouble casting in the wind, get your rod-hand down around your chest area or lower, you not only get the cast moving closer to the water, but it's almost impossible to drop your back cast and it realy allows the rod to work... Taught to me by flats guides in Belize where the wind is always blowing hard and from the wrong dirrection...(looks quite ugly though hehee)...

 

[rusty craine]

That was fast, got my Sage Method today. Took it out to the highline right of way. 60 roll cast just by lifting the bottom hand. Effortless, very light, balances perfectly with 9/10 delta redington reel.

 

[rusty craine]

The thing you will need the most help on is a line for you Switch rod. There is a confusing number of lines, shooting heads, lines with internal shooting heads, floating, sinking, sinking by the numbers.....???

http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-...part-one-understanding-lines-and-line-tapers/

 

[rusty craine]

Little more info

http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-...e-for-your-switch-rod-part-2-choosing-a-line/