Gars-Never Caught One Till Now

[Ghost]

Hung out at St Joseph, Michigan w/ the family for Fathers Day. Our neighbor has a boat docked at one of the marinas there & invited us to join them. It's part of Lake Michigan. Coming from Southern Cal & hanging out at Newport Beach, Huntington Beach & Laguna for most of my life, it was just weird seeing a great big body of water but w/ no salt water or salty air. It took me a long time to get used to this....actually I still am not used to it. But just like So Cal, many hot babes in string bikini's, glad to see that some of the So Cal influence has made it to the Mid West!!!!

I was quite surprised to see gars just lounging around the marina area, some small ones & some big ones.

I used a couple lures to get their attention, the gars that is. I first used a Rapala X-Rap & got the attention of 4 gars gunning for my lure. They all converged on my lure as I twitched it & I thought I had one hooked so I set the hook. I snagged one of the small one on top of the head w/ both trebles, it wasn't getting away! It put up a little fight & had to haul it up 10' up towards me. My first ever gar, a very odd looking fish, like a prehistoric looking fish/alligator w/ it's long snout & thin body:



After taking a couple pics w/ it, I set it free. That was so cool!

I switched up w/ a Brad's Thin Fish, like an old Storm Thin Fin. I casted past this big gar & it lunged at the lure, saw it open its mouth & take in the lure. I set the hook & got it hooked in the front of its bill. It put up a pretty good fight, not a long fight though. Once it tired out, I hauled it up 10' to shore. Called the wife over to check it out & she also tripped out at how odd looking this fish was. I am guessing that it's about 30+ inches & under 10 lbs. I didn't have a tape measure or scale so I gave it my best guesstimate, I think I'm pretty close. It was pretty heavy hauling it up 10' from the water. It thrased wildly when it got hooked & took off for a bit, it was quite exciting to catch a fish that I've only seen pics of:



Got my pics & let it go.

It ended up being a great Father's Day. The family got me a great fishing Father's Day card that I'll keep forever & a pack of Swisher Sweets cigars. Now how did they know I like to smoke those cheap, good tasting cigars???? My daughters told me that this is the only time they'll allow me to smoke...is that love or what????

[one_leg]

Way to slay the gar, Ghost!

Thanks for sharing your tale with us.

One_Leg

[Gmoney]

wild looking fish
very cool....thanks