Garfish

[johngunguy]

I am in the Slidell area and looking for a place that has a large population of garfish to fish for. Don't mind driving a ways for a good spot, bank fishing is what I do. Don't have a boat.

Got my mind set on some garfish balls.

Thanks

 

[DAVE_M]

There are a bunch in the Tchefuncta river. I don't know about bank fishing though.

 

[thatguy]

Freshwater + boathouse = lots of those little bastards. Find those 2 in combo and you will be golden.

 

[tbone]

Lake Pontchartrain and Maurepas have alligator gar. If you can drive up to the bank at night without being rousted, I would try there. String a big mullet on your wire leader, tie it on, sling it out on the bottom and wait. Set your clicker or you will lose your rod. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[cnodie1]

Freshwater + boathouse = lots of those little bastards. Find those 2 in combo and you will be golden.

Hell they hang out under our dock with salty/brackish water too. Their like the honey badger

What is a good recipe for gar balls anyway?

 

[PrairieCajun]

check if Alligator Bayou still has a public launch. It is right at the EBR/ASC line and the bar itself has just had some liability set backs with a violent attack over a late night fight. but if you can get back behind the bar/event center in your own boat, you won't ever need for more gar. You can pick them up out of low water back there. hundreds of them all sizes if the water is still good.

 

[johngunguy]

Thanks for the suggestions. tbone, that is the rig I am using. A fellow that fishes the bayou here in Slidell showed my buddy his rig and caught a few. They haven't been biting the last week or so here.

 

[dragginaknee]

I've seen people catch them at the end of lake road in madisonville! They have a boat launch that you can fish off of. Buddy of mine caught one about 6-7 ft long out there about 4 years ago

 

[tbone]

The gar bite is off and on. We used to fish them years ago on the Calcasieu ship channel. Some nights we would catch 4 or 5 and some nights nothing. We had a boat, though.

 

[LACamper]

The eden isles canals have some big ones.

 

[Emperor]

When I was a kid, the entire neihgborhood garfished at night. Sometimes 20 of us at the concrete breakwater at the Point by West End Park. Some nights we caught over 25. Biggest ones were well over 5 feet, pushing 200 lbs. What a blast! I would estimate that I alone have probably caught at least 100 on what we referred to as "Gar Poles" over my teenage years of garfishing.

Penn 209 with 40-50lbs test on a boat stick rod that was short enough to cast. Leader was Sevinstrand usually 100-150lb. test with (2 or 3) 3oz egg sinkers and a nice size carlisle. I still have my original set up. Can cast it about 60 yards. Really is an art form.

Nonetheless, I am sure the conditions are still ripe for them in Lake Ponchartrain. If you can cast your rig at least 30 yards you can clear most rock jetties. All along Lakeshore Drive in N.O. should do. But if I were in Slidell, I would in fact try Eden Ilses and the canals leading to it. Also, Bayou Sauvage where it meets the Chef or Rigolets. The canal behind Ft. McComb. Should be full of nice size gar.

Here is your tip of the day. If you go during the day, use a cork (a "real" cork crab float) float your bait about 2-3 feet below(garfish love to bask and gulp oxygen), and go in a marina or less flowing water; if at night go on the bottom.

I would love to go do that again one day and show my kids how cool all of that was.

 

[johngunguy]

Sounds great. Some good suggestions. My buddy and I will try these out. We haven't tried at night yet but with the heat during the day we have talked about it.

thanks

 

[honestlou]

Its been 30 years since I've personally been there, but there were large
alligator gar in the canals on the Lake Maurepas side of Manchac-- had a boat, but I think there were places
you could get to. It's worth a scouting trip to eat at Middendorf's and have a look-see.

Under a cork during the day.

 

[Manimal]

They bite best in late afternoon, just before the sun goes down, from my experience.

If you catch any over 80lbs...please let them go! There's an endless supply of 3-50lb Gar, but the really big ones are getting rare and we don't have many "River Monsters" anymore.

 

[blackboltss]

The eden isles canals have some big ones.

Good to know... I am moving about 1/2 mile down from eden isles in August.

John you are welcome to come down once I get settled... maybe you could show me a thing or two about fishing

 

[Bearco]

The Madisonville Gar Rodeo is next weekend (29th-31st) based out of lake rd in madisonville. Usually the largest ones come from over in the Maurepas area.

 

[johngunguy]

Going out tonight to give them a try after dark if we don't get rained out. Will report on how we do.

 

[jcoaster]

There will be no rain out! Will Fish.

 

[dragginaknee]

The Madisonville Gar Rodeo is next weekend (29th-31st) based out of lake rd in madisonville. Usually the largest ones come from over in the Maurepas area.

We going?

 

[johngunguy]

Well we did go and stayed about three hours. Only got one little one but it won't go to waste. Let momma bring him in, wished he she could have gotten a bigger one that would have put up a fight. It was really nice out at the park tonight, the rain cooled things off and the mosquitoes weren't too bad.