Where did summer go? Sitting down today just kinda sorta wiped right out, this sunny season has been a blur. It’s hard to believe my girls are starting school again next week for it seemed like just yesterday I watched on as the youngest graduated into Junior High.
Spring into summer fishing has flown by too, and having been away up north the past couple months for work, it’s only really now there is this one short window to begin catching up on reports. Lagging furthest behind is the annual gar write-up. The pics had been uploaded to PhotoBucket for weeks with an intent to type away sometime soon but, some days soon kept bleeding into one another and now the barren trees in a few of the below pictures just won’t quite fit with the changing reds beginning to brush upon our maples. Initially, I had wondered if there might be one or two later than usual fishing opps for these toothy dinosaurs, but travels and time wouldn’t permit anything more after June. What could have been? This summer it has also been sung through the local gar gospel that a new Ontario Record has been caught close to home here in the valley. I’ll be looking quite forward to reading about that. Since one of my earliest days in the Lund chasing these beasts, I have always seen past records and even my own PB’s as merely stepping stones to bigger fish I have knew to be swimming out there. Now I am left wondering just how big this new record will be?
Life is not slowing down anytime soon. Been missing much while away, often without reliable internet and even phone. Some big choices this past year have lead to a life sorta changed, and in a coming report there might be time to elaborate more on that. For now, best get this going, for two more reports are waiting in the wings, one of them absolutely mammoth. Enjoy the read and pics.
First outing this year the gar were found absolutely jam-pack-stacked in one area. The river level lower than I had ever seen for that early in a season, alongside the gar were largemouth, pike, carp, bullhead and panfish, pretty well everything already staging at prespawn. Swimming lethargically through these same frigid waters, schools the gar spread out and around as the boat crept slowly over the shallows.
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Spotting bigger fish was the goal. Many, many gar found were mid and up to high 40-inch range, though not among these main schools were the really big 50+ females which lurked outside and deeper. The hunt began.
Breaking in a Terrova with a new-to-me pedal and remote, this first day was spent fumbling around too much. Overshooting good casting positions, over-steering, over-thinking, over and over opportunities were lost. Ten feet left off the bow an enormous gar appeared out of nowhere and I got it to snap on the lure before almost running it over. Couple headshakes, it gave my offering right back. But, this fish seemingly oblivious to the moment, staying on it with casts it snapped and took the lure again. Crazy mad fight, it jumped several times from the water, rolling on the line and reel-peeling away before again managing to free itself from the clutch. It sucked. The fish was PB range or better, hooked first day too, but from the time of first spotting it the boat never really had what felt like the optimal position for the best cast.
Plenty of gar still around the day continued. For kicks I was planning on later piecing together a short report that would highlight my new gar fishing sponsor, Duff Beer. Well, by days end six gar over 50-inches came aboard and another two came off not including the giant. Could have been a nine over fifty day all before an early departure at 3:00pm, and that would have been better than pretty well anything ever heard of around here……. Stupid Terrova But thanks to Duff Beer it still all went down smooth and easy, with a good buzz finish too.
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Sometime after that first day the dams must have been released on the Ottawa River. Water temps which had almost approached low to mid 70’s plummeted into the 50’s, reaching up to low 60’s at best in the afternoons. The areas where fish could be found prespawn were totally vacant upon return, the level must have come up two or more feet, and plenty spots were real blown out. It was like someone hit the reset button on the gar game and a whole new season began.
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They surely are a uniquely pretty fish. Pictures like this remind me each time I look at them that despite their overall hardiness to being caught, they do have some weak spots always worth protecting.
Gar will thrash in the boat but more often than not they remain docile. Treat them gently and it’s found they often respond that way as well. When laying on the deck, this warm water specie with its durable armored skin protection and an ability to breathe a little out of water, gar can sustain a slightly greater length of time in handling. This said, it’s most susceptible parts to damage are the eyes, tail and fins, so consider with care. For those eyes, if for any reason they’re expected a delayed return or they are acting ornery, try placing a light wet cloth over their head. It’s odd, but more often than not this also helps to solve any gar temper tantrums. The tails and fins of gar are softer than other fish. Under a blazing sun, on a hot carpeted deck, a fish lying too long can actually have it’s rubbery fins fast dry and stick to the surfaced floor. It will happen once in a season that when you raise a fish up for a photo or lift to return it to the water, it will leave a small piece of itself behind. Best laid right on their belly seems to avoid this, a wet cloth under the fins could even help, but otherwise, just being aware and careful when lifting saves missing limbs. Lastly is the use of nets. This year over any other I caught more bigger gar missing big pieces of their tail and a number with entirely missing fins. Recent publications advocate for the use of a big net, but I don’t. After the 2012 season I stopped; although still will only if unable to grab the fish safely. Said before, my recommendation is a thick pair of gloves or two doubled into one, a strong arm, a quick hand and a set of balls. At the gunnel be ready, reach fast and grasp the snout tight. Hold on firm. The fish may thrash two or three kicks but always knows quick that escape isn’t happening. When ready, lift onto the deck. Tools always handy and measuring tape out, now you’re already holding and controlling the gar as it lays. Remover hook, measure and prepare to photograph. Had this fish been netted, you could still very well be dealing with the snout and teeth stuck through the mesh, or fins and lures tangled up. When gar thrash in a net like any fish does, they will often roll, slice and injure. This doesn’t happen hand-landing gar.
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My buddy Paul and I had been into the crappies when about a week later he finally came out for gar. Having never fished these beasts the hope was I’d find them grouped up some place… It wasn’t going to happen like that. During the morning almost nothing was spotted and so we ended up running all over only to settle in on an area of decent numbers by afternoon. Paul lit into a first but it was his second and biggest fish that had him really fired up.
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A day later Brenda joined me. The morning started cool but by afternoon it was a scorching. She and I moved plenty, both to find fish and cool down. The river glass and the gar rising to the sun, we had a great time to ourselves. Bren wasn’t sure she was really all that into gar after two outings the previous seasons. They’re a hard fish to cast to, harder to hook and devils to keep on the line. She had only managed a few for herself those other tries as she’s not one to EVER take handouts Hells bent and determined she plucked a real easy fish on about her third or fourth cast into the morn. After that she slayed. Myself… not so much. When Bren’s around she usually out-fishes me, probably because I get distracted.
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These are longnose gar that are caught, yet, every now and then a really spotty looking fish gets hooked. Well, most all actually have rounded spots on their heads and snouts but oftentimes those spots are faded. Although not a big fish, I thought this gar was a looker above most others, and he was spotted a mile away too and long-bombed in. Handsome fella
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Shooting various different photos of gar makes any day a little more interesting. There have been times I stop fishing awhile and do only that. Pictures like these have built up quite an archive, and this past spring I thought it pretty cool to see two of my photos grace the pages of an Outdoor Canada article about gar.
The weather turned to crap for a week and I was chomping at the bit to get back on the gar horse. Mike wanted to come along too. This dood is a natural and seriously always on fish, but not usually gar… though he should be Since the first time he came out ti’ll this time, he’s caught great gar. Wind made it a tough outing overall yet of course Mike nailed a beauty neither of us could fully keep up with nor even really see at times while on our chase. This gar took dozens of casts before finally snapping.
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Simon and I met a decade ago when he had me aboard his boat to fish Christmas lakers on the Niagara Bar. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch and fished a number of other times including sturgeon together on the Fraser River in B.C. For the third season now, Simon’s arrived at my doorstep after driving 8-hours to spend a day fishing gar. This year, he actually came for two days, but a gnarly cold front and big winds put the ki-bosh on any extra toothy fun. So instead, he got treated to some local crappie fishing.
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That cold front was wicked chilly. Immediately after the crappie with Simon, I took a second and last solo day of gar fishing for the season, and it was a good thing I went alone. The shallows were emptied right out. During prime season I had never witnessed this kind of desolation, no one would want to experience this shiznit. There were a few fish, maybe at most a dozen, but nothing I bothered to cast to. For the first time since 2010 and in well over 50 outings, I took my first skunk.
In highschool with my friends Fraser and Steve, we would drive up to a shore spot during the late summer, catch a bucketload of leopard frogs in the short grass at the parking area, and proceed to chuck the kicking bait and bobbers out by the weeds for bass. It worked well. Between us we could expect anywhere from 20 to 60 largies in an evening, most fish 2 to 3 1/2 pounds. With those guys over the years we’d all do much more fishing, until eventually life slowed them down some. Not in a long while had we fished together but when it happened for gar this summer, these two surely beat the heck out of my gear and the fish. A day of gong and certainly overdue fun, bigguns did get caught. Lifelong friends it was awesome seeing these two.
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This guy Skok is wired. Living the good life as a hunting and fishing booking agent, guide and writer, Adrian is always busy on the go somewhere. His trophy book of fish and game at his young age would have many anglers and hunters drooling. Pinning him down for a days fishing is like chasing a rabbit. Offer up a carrot like a gar though; some exotic new specie, and he’s feeding in no time. Our day was spent talking much about guiding, the NWT, hunting, fishing and plenty gar. He was fascinated and excited by the fish and experience, no question about that. And why wouldn’t he be when the first gar he cast to smashed the lure, ripped him a new one, then weighed in super heavy. Yeah, Adrian is living a good life…. and check out on the shoulders busting out on his fish
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… and more gar pics. Some while talking to me.
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Managed eleven outings during the four weeks available for gar this spring and four different trips with the girls were most enjoyed. As I had said, Leah loves gar fishing now and one day just her and I escaped together. It wasn’t planned, but the evening before she spiked a fever along with a few bouts of vomiting. Medicated, a good night sleep, she woke tired and kinda ify sick. The sun’s vitamin D, lotsa water, Tylenol every 4-hours and some gar I figured would fix her, and it did. Bags under the eyes, she came around and fished like a champ during a day off from school. Could almost have wondered if she’d been faking sick just to play hooky, except little girls don’t puke with fevers just for gar..? Do they? Fishing must have been the cure.
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My babies together it took some coaxing but Summer was willing to come along with Leah and I. My oldest is a girly girl now, and things like gar, slime, dirt, the outdoors, don’t really interest her as much as friends, shopping, movies and Starbucks. Hopefully she comes around. Anyhow, it was in part a fish day, chill day, eat out day, swim day, and it appeared for Summer it was also a catch up on some sleep day too. Teenagers Her smile is meant to be photographed though, so I was happy she made me happy reeling one in.
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There was one more in all of us to close out the season. The girls hadn’t fished back-to-back or anything, even though the report might make ya think it. There was a contest with the Ottawa Sun to win a boat. The entry was simply a family fishing picture. My thinking, take the family out for a day of fun fishing gar and make something happen. Well, we did just that. Bren got on the board early with a long and lean gar, before the sun spent the next two hours behind the clouds. Fish shut down, we waited the slow noon hours out with lunch and laziness until finally the sky offered some windows of light. Back at it awhile, upon sighting a big silhouette in deeper water, I crept the boat up to the gar, presenting Bren good position for some casts. Several attempts and she made one count, her MMA training gives this woman vicious reflexes for hooksets, she KO’d it. And wanting it in the boat badly, still green I went for it fast and brought it on the deck. What an awesome way to finish the gar season. What a great day to remember.
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Gar have a place in the annual fishing cycle. A favorite fish of mine to chase, the short season is one to look forward to each year. At home here, there’s an excellent population of these fish willing to smash and grab lures, and be that so, I’ll happily reel in them big, toothy, grinning, wily, beauty gar with attitude, any day of the week.
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Until next year…
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Bunk
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