Gar

[CarpKing921]

Does anyone wanna share any info. I've never caught one but would like too. I've been reading up on techniques now I need locations. Any info would be sweet.

Thanks

[DTro]

The MN river is loaded with them. They are sitting in the creeks and creek mouths right now, later in the summer they will be all over the shallow sand flats at night.

I think I've caught 3 already this year

[CarpKing921]

Thanks for the info. I've never fished the Minnesota before so 2 firsts in one trip should be fun. Can you recomend a launch close to the cities or is Back Dog the closest one.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

The MN river is loaded with them. They are sitting in the creeks and creek mouths right now, later in the summer they will be all over the shallow sand flats at night.

I think I've caught 3 already this year

You are definitely correct. I haven't caught any this year yet but last year late summer we caught tons of them on shallow sandbars.

[HuskerBen]

Getting a hook into their bony jaw can be tricky. If you're targeting them specifically, try a rope lure. They are pretty effective on longnose gar, despite the noticeable lack of a hook.

[CarpKing921]

Are these fish Longnose or Shortnose.

[benbosh]

last year was the first time ive every seen an alive one and i caught one. had many hooked but like HuskerBen said, good luck getting a hook into their mouth. I used small mepps and a soft plastic jerk bait (anything that looks like a minnow). heres a pic from last year i took while bow fishing for carp where a drainage ditch from a shallow lake runs into a small-medium sized river in about 2-3ft of water (counted about 15-20 at one point when i was there):

[The J-Man!]

Sweet picture benbosh!

[badfish]

Nice pic. I'll be targeting gar this year too and hopefully hook into a shortnose and a longnose. Does anyone have anymore locations other than the minnesota?

[itchmesir]

^^^ i hear down south of LaCresent that the sand flats on the minnesota side of the mississippi holds a lot of Gar.. a buddy was telling me about how he went out last year and was sight fishing them on fly rods last year down around that area..

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Are these fish Longnose or Shortnose.

Shortnose Gar in the Minnesota River. Only get a couple pounds.

[benbosh]

thanks. all of the fish i seen were only a few pounds but this was also a river about 15 yards across so what can you expect?

[mainbutter]

If you try using rope lures, bring along plenty of them and something sharp.

Sometimes a gar will just get too wrapped up in the rope lure and you'll have to cut him free or risk killing the fish.

[HuskerBen]

Good call, Mainbutter. It stands to reason that something intended to tangle up in a fish's teeth is going to need to be cut free.