Things Are A Bit Differant At Mcclellan's

[John Berry]

I took a client from Michigan to the Norfork. As they did yesterday, they turned the water off mid morning. We drifted down to McClellan's and fished there. It was greatly changed from the flood. The main channel has moved from the right side of the lower island to the left, the tree hole is graveled in and I saw a three foot gar in the Ace in the Hole Water. I must say that was a bit unnerving. The fishing was good. The hot fly was an olive scud.

[jdmidwest]

Gars have been invading my smallmouth streams over the last 10-15 years. All have been connected to the Mississippi River. The Castor, Whitewater, Little Whitewater, and the Saline all have gar in them now in the upper reaches. I used to consider them a nuisance, now I have learned how to catch them on the flyrod. I have a ball catching them now and have not noticed a change in the native fish except a few less sunfish. I tend to target them on hot summer days when the bass are shut down.

[Thom]

When I lived in Illinois we fished below the dam at caryle (Kaskaskia river) for crappie, white bass etc. On slow days in the hot summer you could put a piece of nylon rope on the end of a crappie hook and shag it out. The gar would hit it and snag their teeth on it. As you said a ball to land them and they get big. No problem to get someone to take them there for eating.

[Don]

I never caught a gar on a fly rod. I talked to a few others who have. They say that the fight is not as tough as one would expect based on the length of the fish because they are not very flexible. Regardless, I thnk I would like to bring some nylon rope minnow flies with me when I float the James this summer.

Don May

[DoveTail]

I have fished some streams that were infested with gars. About 25% of the white bass and crappie I would catch had bloody scars on their backs. I am sure those big gars eat a ton of fish.

So how do you hook / snag or keep a gar on with a ball? What kind? I have heard of the nylon before but not balls.

[Thom]

I think the politically correct name for that bait is Rocky Mountian Oysters. Check with your local butcher. I have never heard of catching gar with them though.

[Mark]

jdmidwest - where are you from?

[fly2fish]

I think the politically correct name for that bait is Rocky Mountian Oysters. Check with your local butcher. I have never heard of catching gar with them though.

Didn't it say they had a ball catching them, and not catching them on balls? I don't think anyone would waste a good meal of deep fried RMO's to catch something of a lesser delicacy.

HC

[jdmidwest]

You all are nuts, I rather eat a gar then nuts....

I am from Cape Girardeau for now.