adamski Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Hey Raiders, I've seen a lot of gar milling around one of the areas I fish regularly and thought it might be fun to try and target a different species for a change. I've watched a couple of youtube vids, but there doesn't seem to be a general consensus on the best way to catch them. I heard tiny bits of squid under a pencil float are good, as well as bread, little bits of tape on a small hook, bundles of thread and tiny silver spoons. Does anyone have a technique that catches consistently? Cheers, Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydneyfisher12 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Hi mate find the smallest hook in the tackle shop you can find I mean the smallest I use a fly trying hook I think it's size 27 or something like that tie that on have about 30cm and the up to the float depending if there on the surface or further down adjust the float but if there on the surface about 30cm no weight and then one of those cheap red and white clip on float the smallest you can find they won't take it under you'll either feel them or see them on. Also move the float slowly for a meter and then pause it this can get them excited. For bait tiny bits of pilchard are great and bread is good. Cheers sydneyfisher12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamski Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 Cheers for the advice dude, do you berley much for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydneyfisher12 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 If you can see them you don't need much burly but it can help you to get them into your area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysinmexico Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 G'day mate, gar fish are easy to attract and easier to catch. To burley them up buy bran from the supermarket, this is better than bread as it gets them going but wont attract birds which could potentially spook them. Gar fish generally love calmer water and you will generally find them in areas which also hold squid, once you get your burley trail going they will actively follow it up current. Once they are feeding i prefer using a suicide fly hook, cant think of the exact size but it is about half the size of my little finger nail, this is suspended about 30-40 cm below a float, i generally use a slice of wine cork for this and an elastic band tied to the line above and below to hold it in place so that i can adjust as necessary. The best bait i have found is just tiny pieces of prawn but i believe bread and squid will also work. Good luck hope this helps as there is nothing tastier than a feed of beakies. Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 G'day mate, gar fish are easy to attract and easier to catch. To burley them up buy bran from the supermarket, this is better than bread as it gets them going but wont attract birds which could potentially spook them. Gar fish generally love calmer water and you will generally find them in areas which also hold squid, once you get your burley trail going they will actively follow it up current. Once they are feeding i prefer using a suicide fly hook, cant think of the exact size but it is about half the size of my little finger nail, this is suspended about 30-40 cm below a float, i generally use a slice of wine cork for this and an elastic band tied to the line above and below to hold it in place so that i can adjust as necessary. The best bait i have found is just tiny pieces of prawn but i believe bread and squid will also work. Good luck hope this helps as there is nothing tastier than a feed of beakies. Cheers Andy Hi Adam, This is all good advice, particularly the bran burley. Clifton Gardens ( I think you fish there sometimes ) is a great spot for gars particularly at night. Cheers Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macman Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Bran etc and a bit of tuna oil for berley. Maggots are the absolute best bait, but small pieces of prawn are pretty good as well. Stick floats are the best, but don't make them stand up, fish them flat on the water, and only add lead to the leader if you need it. When you get a bite, the float will pivot slightly or change direction and thats enough of an indicator to strike. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamski Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 Thanks for the tips guys, tried for them at Double Bay today and managed about 15 or so. Kept some of the larger ones to try on the plate. That bran berley seems to work a treat- it was bringing in masses of fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W4z Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 How goods that. Good onya mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 He shoots. He scores. The crowd goes wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamski Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 Haha! Cheers guys, gotta say they are slippery little critters- probably had twice as many on the hook, only for them to shake themselves off just as I was lifting them in. Favourite part of the morning was when one launched itself about a metre in the air to avoid getting hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no one Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Nice! Well done bro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Marlin miniatures. Well done. How good is Fishraider?. Ask for advice, and convert that into fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamski Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 How good is Fishraider?. Ask for advice, and convert that into fish. Absolutely brilliant is how it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Well done! I reckon you'll enjoy those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessell1955 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 How well do they eat? Do they have many bones in them or can get boneless fillets ? Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysinmexico Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Fantastic effort mate, a fine and tasty result. In regards to the bones, yes they have lots but you can eat them and heres how : Once you have scaled and gutted the fish i place it on its back then spread out the gut flaps then use a rolling pin or other cyclindrical object to "roll" the fish sort of flat or butterfly it, given a bit of practice you can also remove the backbone as well. Then a quick coating of flour and then cook in a little oil until the flaps are crunchy, you can then eat the bones relatively hassle free ! Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsalty Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I love catching garfish, I spent a year on Lord Howe Island where they are lots of them, all I ever used to use was dough ie mix up some flour and water and take a lump down with you. Nice easy bait not smelly, just enough to cover the gape of a small long shank under an adjustable float,. I found sight is the key as they feed on the surface and u can see when the white of the dough disappears in their mouth so u can hook em, they go great in the frying pan or the BBQ , once cooked the backbone can be peeled out quite easily, very enjoyable to catch and underrated to eat! bit fiddly to clean though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Marlin miniatures. Well done. How good is Fishraider?. Ask for advice, and convert that into fish. Your not wrong Ryder. I've never chased gars myself but after reading this thread, at least I know how to do it. Well done Adam, that is a fantastic result from start to finish! Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batfishing Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Brings back childhood memories. Growing up in South Australia, as a kid we would line up on the jetty's My parents owned a shop, and they diversed into a little bit of fishing gear and bait. We sold maggots....'GENTS' live in bags of sawdust, which also worked as a berley. Don't know hoe you would go today, selling live maggots in a grocery store! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Lol. At 8 years old I remember you could by football socks swimming gogles and 1/2 pint of maggots in the same store as. It was all classed as sports ( not sure it's a groceries though Ian .) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamski Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Cheers for the advice about de-boning them. I've had gars two nights in a row now- first night dusted in flour and pan-fried as suggested, very nice, though I think maybe I should have fried them a little longer to get them nice and crispy. Tonight I poached them and put them in a potato salad with a load of herbs, onion and asparagus for the staff lunch tomorrow. We'll see what the verdict is, but I reckon on first tastes these fish are a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Looks like an absolute stunner mate. A fisher and a chef! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finin Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Adam, u can also try just using the berley mixes as above, a net and torch. Try before sunrise or after sunset. Burley the gars up shine a torch and scoop them up. Works well when we are up the coast never tried it down here though. The calmer the water the better. Those plates look awesome. 900am in the morning and now I want fish for breckie, no thanks to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holls Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Childhood memories! Every season we targeted gars along the coast of Victoria, piers and rocks. We collected 'sandhoppers' from under the beached seaweed. On a small long-shanked hook behind a pencil float. Cast out, slow retrieve, no fail! Roll them out flat with a bottle as andysinmexico says, draw out the backbone, the few fine bones that remain no prob when cooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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