Fishing for Garfish

[Fab1]

Has anyone fished for Garfish at night and are the daytime methods  still employed when doing so?

I've caught them during daylight a couple of times just using a small l/s hook baited with bread and a tiny split  shot.

I know some people use floats etc but I haven't fished with floats for anything as I try to fish for the usual stuff like flattys,bream,whiting etc using running rigs or paternosters.

I've seen some sleepy Garfish floating on the surface when night fishing that I might try to catch.

Any methods you guys swear by are welcomed.

Cheers.

 

[big Neil]

Rarely target garfish Fabian, but float fishing is a very exciting way of catching fish...would probably aid in casting for them day or night. Let us know how you go with them. Cheers, BN

[Trailcraft43]

Yakka fly with tiny splitshot.cast n retreive

[frankS]

People are going to laugh at what I am about to tell you.

Yes garfish are active at night. find a suitable spot where you think they might be, ( I'm not gonna tell you everything )

Anchor up, get a suitable light  small spotlight etc I use 2 prawning lights, the yellow type that take 2 AA batteries fix these so they are shining in the water at the back of the boat approx. 10 feet from the boat, best to have a slight current so the back of the boat stays in one spot, berley using a floating berley and a small amount of tuna oil.

Now here's the trick, when you see the gars within the light area get a light handline around 4 lb and tie a 14 size long shank to it, nothing else in the way of normal tackle. Now get a tiny strip of an old white tea shirt and tie it to the line just above the knot of the hook and place the hook through the loose end, there should be about 1" of raged loose material protruding from the end of the hook, once the rag is wet it gives enough weight to throw the hook and rag toward the gars and just haul them in. Method is simply throw out drag in.

 

This is 1 of about 1000 simple little tricks I have learnt over the past 55 years fishing.

I'm letting you on in the secret cause you're a good bloke.

 

Frank

Edited November 17, 2016 by frankS
typo

[Raymondo]

As Frank mentioned, a light will help attract them and get them on the tooth. Apparently blue lights are the best. 

[Fab1]

Thanks guys I'll give some of those things a try next time I see them around.

Frank can you pm me the other 999 "simple tricks"because I need as many as I can get?

Its ok mate I'll be content just feeding them my bait.

Thanks again guys.

[Mike89]

I have caught garfish at night using a float at locations where there is an artificial light source. Sometimes they hang around the edges of the shadow.

Definitely possible!