So I've been watching the weather waiting for the water temp to rise and for a stretch of stable, sunny days. Today, everything fell into place and I took the day off work to go on my third gar hunt.
I started the day at 6am. The traffic was excellent and I made it to Belleville by 8am. Thanks to a YouTube video and Google Maps, I found a good access point and a fishy spot. Before putting on the waders and rigging up the fly rod, I took a walk up and down the river looking for some gar holding areas. Well, it only took a 100 yard walk down river to find a good group of them. I also saw some carp and what I guessed were redhorse suckers based on the red fins they had on them.
I got dressed up and rigged up my 10-wt rod with a rope lure. A careful walk and wade down the river and I was casting to some surfacing gar. About a hour later, I had a handful of follows but no takers. Hm...Not looking good at all.
I had the occasional passerby came to watch and chat a bit. While I was talking to an older gentleman, another younger guy came by and ask if he can look at my rope lure. He found them pretty interesting so I showed him my fly box too.
Our conversation quickly lead to introductions. I found out he was Glen Hales. That name certainly rang a bell as I remember watching a Bob Izumi show with Glen and Bob fishing for gars on the fly.
I told him I've never caught a gar before...but this is my third attempt. He said "Well, I'm just doing some scouting today before I take out a client tomorrow. Why don't you come upstream with me and we go catch some gar?"
With an offer like that, who's going to say no?
I walked back to the parking lot where Glen was suiting up and rigging up his 8-wt. He showed me a box of his gar flies. There are some big flies there...but one of them are also muskie flies. He said I don't need the rope lure...but my other gar fly with a trailer treble hook is perfect. So trusting the fly guru, I took off the rope lure.
Glen said we'll fish right by the dam. Hm...the current looked a bit strong and the river bottom is filled with algae-covered rocks. However, trusting my gar guru, I followed him fearlessly (but cautiously) as we crossed the river to the other side of the bank.
Glen IS the guru. Across the river was a deep current seam where about 10 gar were holding. Glen told me to cast to the slow eddy and stripped the fly back. On the first cast, I had a gar followed. Glen made his first cast and hooked up 8O Did I say he is a guru? The gar jumped and jumped and finally threw the hook. I don't think Glen minded at all.
I made a few more casts and finally had a hit. I strip set hard and the fish came up jumping. Another jump later, the fish threw the hook. So close!
We made a few more casts but the fish seemed uninterested...so we went across a little more and found a shallow riffle where about 30 gars were spawning. Glen said "Cast to the head of the group and swing your fly through."
I made a couple of casts and had a fish snapped at my fly. I set the hook but the fly came out of the gar's mouth. However, I managed to hooked another gar in the side...and off it went.
Fighting a gar broadsided is tough...not to mention it went into the main current and soon I was into my backing...and lots of backing. Glen said it's time to run downstream.
After about a 50 yard dash, the fish settled in a deeper, slower area. The fish was pretty much beat and it was just pumping and reeling the fish in. I felt like I cheated since this one was snagged...but fearing I may not fair hook another gar, I took some pics with it.
Some underwater shots I took for Glen to show him what my Canon A620 and the factory underwater housing can do. The water was tea colour with lots of sediments...so these pictures aren't the best at all.
We went back upstream to the riffle and Glen landed his first of the day. A few more misses later I finally get the hook good on a gar. The fish jumped and twisted...but as you can see...there was no way this fish could get off...hooked through and through. The tip of their upper snout is the best place to hook them. The second best place is on their lower snout or the corner of the mouth.
Species #121! Longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
I'll put on my fly snob hat for a moment and say that there's nothing better than a fair hooked gar.
We fished here some more and both Glen and I jumped a few more fish. After a while, I think we've adequately spooked the fish in the area. So Glen suggest we wade downstream to look for some big fish.
We found a nice deep and slow area just upstream of a bridge. There were gars surfacing and Glen hooked up on the first cast...and the third cast...and the fourth cast...and...you get the idea. Glen was using an intermediate fly line so he was able to get the fly deep in front of their faces. I was fishing a floating line and my fly didn't get deep enough. I did have a couple of gars follow and I got another one to hit and missed.
A little while later, Glen said he had to go. So I thanked him profusely before he left and promised him I'll put a plug in for him. If you guys want to fish southeastern Ontario for muskies, gars, bass and pike on the fly rod, Glen is the person to call.
After Glen left, I dug out a sink tip that I had for my 6-wt fly line. It really isn't ideal...but at least it'll get the fly a little deeper. It ended up a great idea since I was getting more hits...but nothing was sticking!
Another hour passed by and I think the fish all knew better...so I made my way upstream again.
I found a small group of gar in a shallow, slow flat. A couple of casts later and I hooked up a fish...but two jumps and it was off. Argh!
So I made it back to the shallow riffle where we fished earlier in the morning. When I got there, there were two younger guys fishing for gars too. One of them was hooked up but it was clear there were just snagging them. They asked me if I can land the fish for them...sure...no prob. I grabbed the fish and it spazzed out and got out of my grip. I tried it three more times and each time the fish wiggled out. Finally, I had it in a good grip and was bringing it to shore...when all of a sudden, the fish kicked and one of its teeth cut my finger. Bugger!
A little bit of bleeding...but not much harm done. Finally, I got the gar up on shore for the two guys. As they were unhooking their fish, I made a few casts in the riffle and hooked up!
The guys asked how I got the fish. "It hit my fly and I hooked it with the treble hook in the mouth." They looked at me with bewilderment but I showed them the fly and where the gar was hooked. I guess they had enough and they packed up to go home
You know...if I was in their shoe, I would do the same too. I had Glen to thank to show me the way.
About 15 min later, I landed another gar...my biggest of the day actually at about 3 feet long...but it wiggled out of my grip before I can get a picture.
Feeling a little bummed, I wanted to landed another one before I leave...and I took the last one at 2:45pm. I saw this one swat the fly with a quick sideways swing of the bill and the fish was hooked in the corner of the mouth. Not a big fish...but it felt good to end on a good note.
I was actually contemplating whether to try for my first redhorse sucker...but being hungey, thirsty and tired, I decided to call it a day at 3pm.
As usual, McD's is my fishing meal
After a good heart attack dose, I took a 30min nap at the parking before making my way home.
The other day, I was fishing the Toronto lakeshore and had a chat with lady. She said "Good people attracts good people."
I'm not sure if I'm a good guy or not...but I've been shown a lot of aloha from a lot of good people. Glen definitely falls under this category. He was not only patient, but he's just a great person to chat with. Thanks a lot Glen for making my day!
