Hit the GMR for cats the first time this year. I fished some slack flooded water in Hamilton and didn’t have any luck landing the cats I was hoping to. I fished with cut and live bluegill and I had several runs that really got my heart pounding, but when I would go to set the hook……nothin’. I believe it was my 9th run in an hour and a half when I finally hooked into a monster gar that went nuts, put up a great fight, and made short work of my line. It was a fishless night that was both fun and frustrating. I wouldn't mind CATCHING a bunch of gar and no cats.....I just don't like feeding gar.
I read on the GASSBAG (this is not a joke) website that they recommend I think fusion for line. You just need a more abrasion resistant line. The scales on the Gar are what will end up cutting your line not the teeth. I skill need to try and target these fish as I hear they are a lot of fun to catch.
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PB Common Carp: 39lb 12oz (Tennessee River)
PB Mirror Carp: 27lb 10oz (Mason, OH)
PB White Amur (Grass Carp): 34lb 8oz (Ohio River Aurora, IN)
I saw a video once of guys down south fishing for gar using rope. They would take nylon rope and fry it out and tye it around a pice of lead and use that for bait, no hook or anything else but the frayed out rope. Work it like a jig and when a gar hits just let him get his teeth tangled in the rope and then reel him in. These guys were keeping all the gar to eat so they just cut the line and droped the fish in a cooler and tied on another piece of rope. They were catching some huge ones and didnt loose any of them.
I could show you a couple of spots not too far from Hamilton that have been working well for me when the water is up and kicking. I have been using cut gills due to my lack of shad and have had the best week so far this year for big channels.
I've seen those rope flies for gar before; I can’t believe they actually work. I would think a hard bait with lots of treble hooks would work better, but it seems like the guys on the gar pages really like the rope fly.
I actually think I might go back and try with a fusion leader for a few hours tonight. That’s really interesting about the scales cutting the line. I have heard that the Seminole Indians used alligator gar scales for arrowheads. After seeing what they did to my line the other day I believe it. I might trade in my Thunderheads for some gar scales this October.
Katman, I'd love to take you up on that some time soon. I really was planning on hitting the river hard this spring and early summer for flatheads, but between the river looking like coffee and my schedule it’s been disappointing. I would love to get some help figuring out how and where to fish in the high water. Let me figure out what’s going on this week and I'll send you a pm.
everyone I know not to use that fusion junk for anything other than garbage bag filler. Once it gets knicked, it loses all its strength.
I agree with you. I had the same problems when I used it ONCE. Now all my heavier lines are either spiderwire stealth or powerpro. The fusion was to much like wire for my liking but that is probably they use it for Gar.
As for a leader make sure to use at least 4 feet or your main line will still get cut.
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PB Common Carp: 39lb 12oz (Tennessee River)
PB Mirror Carp: 27lb 10oz (Mason, OH)
PB White Amur (Grass Carp): 34lb 8oz (Ohio River Aurora, IN)
Fusion is great line, but not for cats & carp. Great for jigging "eyes' and I use it for surf casting stripers. Like stated, not good if it's going to drag over anything except water.
I'm still running 30# mono for cats, but want to switch to 80-100# powerpro someday.
30lb excel is good stuff. good strength, reasonable stretch, and enough abrasion resistance to get you by. Iven when you do scuff it up, it still retains a good amount of strength.
shuvlhed1, I just spooled up with 30lb Excel. I was going to use a fusion leader because I thought it would be more abrasion resistant. After reading this I guess I will just use the Excel on both ends of the swivle. I'm guessing thats what you would recommend?
Gmr 6/2
Gmr 6/2
good stuff
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