Gar fishing from a boat

The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

A couple of questions:

# How far from the boat should the float be?

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?

If it's any value to anyone, we've been doing the following: Float
about 10m behind the boat, with #12 hooks set at about 1-2m below
the float. Berley is standard quick release pellets from a tackle
shop, with the berley pot about 1/4 full to start with, and refilled
when it gets near empty (about an hour).

Hook depth? Suck it and see.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021, fax: +61 8 8269-3280
-----

Andrew Gabb wrote:

The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

A couple of questions:

# How far from the boat should the float be?

Depends.. I've caught 'em next to the prop, and out as far as I can
cast...
normally? say 20-30 feet? Works for me..

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?

Chook pellets. I use an old chlorine bottle with a dozen or so
holes in it, tied to the back of the boat at water level.. wave action
soon creates a decent trail...

If it's calm, I also use cheese twisties. Crush a couple up in your
hand, chuck 'em out the back and watch 'em. If they start twisting (cuse
the pun) there's your gars.. set your hook shallow, say 12 inches and
see what happens. No gars caught after a few mins, then more twisties,
and fish a bit deeper.(24 -30 inches)

Twisties also work when there's a lot of movement on the water, but it's
harder to see whats happening. I've got video of 'em boiling the water
behing the boat on a calm day. I guess they like twisties

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?

See above.. but i never fish any deeper than the length of the rod, as
it makes things awkward in a small boat if you've got a big gar
wriggling 'round in mid air, and then your mate does the same thing...

If it's any value to anyone, we've been doing the following: Float
about 10m behind the boat, with #12 hooks set at about 1-2m below

Use stainless hooks. A bit dearer, but you dont wanna be tying on hooks
when the gars are on
Keep your pencil float just above neutral bouyancy. If the gars feel too
much resistance on the float, they will pick at the bait rather than
swallow it.

the float. Berley is standard quick release pellets from a tackle
shop, with the berley pot about 1/4 full to start with, and refilled
when it gets near empty (about an hour).

What bait are you using? I use peeled prawn (McLaughlins). The stuff
marketed as "Bonza" bait is anything but Bonza. I wouldnt feed it to a
cat. (Well, ok I might, plastic bag 'en all..)

The above is my opinion only. It works for me.

Regards

Lindsay
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Lindsay wrote:
Andrew Gabb wrote:
The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

Thanks for the thoughts - all grist for the mill.

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?
If it's calm, I also use cheese twisties. Crush a couple up in your
hand, chuck 'em out the back and watch 'em. If they start twisting (cuse
[snip]

Sounds like fun. What about using a berley bomb, ie a ball of
softened (paste) berley thrown out near the floats? I've seen this
work occasionally for salmon trout and tommies, but I haven't tried
it with gar.

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?
See above.. but i never fish any deeper than the length of the rod, as
it makes things awkward in a small boat if you've got a big gar
wriggling 'round in mid air, and then your mate does the same thing...

Been there ... but if they're at 2 metres, we pay the price. And the
current affects this too.

Use stainless hooks. A bit dearer, but you dont wanna be tying on hooks
when the gars are on

Not seen much difference between hooks. The ones I'm currently using
are bronze longshanks, which are easier to bait and also to extract
from the gar's mouth, but I sometimes use shorter stainless (bought
snelled) when I run out and don't have the time to do some rapid
snelling. Occasionally a biggish salmon or whatever latches on, and
then we have some real fun, too often (but not always) resulting in
a loss of gear. Not as common as I'd like it to be.

Keep your pencil float just above neutral bouyancy. If the gars feel too
much resistance on the float, they will pick at the bait rather than
swallow it.

Does this mean it'll be more difficult in higher currents? Not much
I can do about that apart from using a running float. Actually,
strike rate is not really the issue - if we're losing bait we're
normally catching some fish.

What bait are you using? I use peeled prawn (McLaughlins). The stuff
marketed as "Bonza" bait is anything but Bonza. I wouldnt feed it to a
cat. (Well, ok I might, plastic bag 'en all..)

Gents. Usually 3-4 per hook. A bit slow, but I haven't found
anything else that works better, fairly cheap and last for weeks in
the fridge. Haven't tried prawns, but ...

The above is my opinion only. It works for me.

Exactly. Where are you fishing? We're mostly Adelaide metro, +-50km.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021, fax: +61 8 8269-3280
-----

personally for Gar I use some old pilchards in the berley bucket with a dash
of tuna oil and if no pilchards some plain old bread works well too. The
occassional stir of the pot gets things going. Forget the berley bomb unless
you want to feed the gar and not catch em!

Have seen some people just use tuna oil as well and gets a nice slick going
which the gardies love. A slow drip like from a hospital IV works well here.

Have always found some slight ripple on the surface from wind to be most
beneficial and to keep your bait moving (otherwise they just suck the bait)
and its surprising how many hookups you get from giving the float a tug
every now and then (usually with polaroids can see the gar around your
hooks/float anyway)

Hooks size 10 long shanks, chemically sharpened and gents for bait. One or
Two hooks works fine although 2 hooks tangle more often than one.

good luck!

"Andrew Gabb" wrote in message
...
Lindsay wrote:
Andrew Gabb wrote:
The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

Thanks for the thoughts - all grist for the mill.

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?
If it's calm, I also use cheese twisties. Crush a couple up in your
hand, chuck 'em out the back and watch 'em. If they start twisting (cuse
[snip]

Sounds like fun. What about using a berley bomb, ie a ball of
softened (paste) berley thrown out near the floats? I've seen this
work occasionally for salmon trout and tommies, but I haven't tried
it with gar.

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?
See above.. but i never fish any deeper than the length of the rod, as
it makes things awkward in a small boat if you've got a big gar
wriggling 'round in mid air, and then your mate does the same thing...

Been there ... but if they're at 2 metres, we pay the price. And the
current affects this too.

Use stainless hooks. A bit dearer, but you dont wanna be tying on hooks
when the gars are on

Not seen much difference between hooks. The ones I'm currently using
are bronze longshanks, which are easier to bait and also to extract
from the gar's mouth, but I sometimes use shorter stainless (bought
snelled) when I run out and don't have the time to do some rapid
snelling. Occasionally a biggish salmon or whatever latches on, and
then we have some real fun, too often (but not always) resulting in
a loss of gear. Not as common as I'd like it to be.

Keep your pencil float just above neutral bouyancy. If the gars feel too
much resistance on the float, they will pick at the bait rather than
swallow it.

Does this mean it'll be more difficult in higher currents? Not much
I can do about that apart from using a running float. Actually,
strike rate is not really the issue - if we're losing bait we're
normally catching some fish.

What bait are you using? I use peeled prawn (McLaughlins). The stuff
marketed as "Bonza" bait is anything but Bonza. I wouldnt feed it to a
cat. (Well, ok I might, plastic bag 'en all..)

Gents. Usually 3-4 per hook. A bit slow, but I haven't found
anything else that works better, fairly cheap and last for weeks in
the fridge. Haven't tried prawns, but ...

The above is my opinion only. It works for me.

Exactly. Where are you fishing? We're mostly Adelaide metro, +-50km.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021, fax: +61 8 8269-3280
-----

Have tried this and it worked well.

Hollow out a loaf of stale unsliced bread from one end.... put the innerds
in a blender with a can of snappy tom Pilchards in Prawn Jelly and any left
over bait from the day before.... make a mixture and re-fill the hollow
loaf.

Cap it with the end of the loaf toy cut off, place it in an empty orange net
bag you get with oranges and hang it by a string off the jetty or boat...
lasts a good few hours... slowly dispersing.

but I like the twistie idea better.... I wonder if Cheezels are a go-er?....
they are on special at the moment for 99cents a box at safeway.

Chris.


"Scotty" wrote in message
news
personally for Gar I use some old pilchards in the berley bucket with a
dash
of tuna oil and if no pilchards some plain old bread works well too. The
occassional stir of the pot gets things going. Forget the berley bomb
unless
you want to feed the gar and not catch em!

Have seen some people just use tuna oil as well and gets a nice slick
going
which the gardies love. A slow drip like from a hospital IV works well
here.

Have always found some slight ripple on the surface from wind to be most
beneficial and to keep your bait moving (otherwise they just suck the
bait)
and its surprising how many hookups you get from giving the float a tug
every now and then (usually with polaroids can see the gar around your
hooks/float anyway)

Hooks size 10 long shanks, chemically sharpened and gents for bait. One or
Two hooks works fine although 2 hooks tangle more often than one.

good luck!

"Andrew Gabb" wrote in message
...
Lindsay wrote:
Andrew Gabb wrote:
The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

Thanks for the thoughts - all grist for the mill.

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?
If it's calm, I also use cheese twisties. Crush a couple up in your
hand, chuck 'em out the back and watch 'em. If they start twisting
(cuse
[snip]

Sounds like fun. What about using a berley bomb, ie a ball of
softened (paste) berley thrown out near the floats? I've seen this
work occasionally for salmon trout and tommies, but I haven't tried
it with gar.

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?
See above.. but i never fish any deeper than the length of the rod, as
it makes things awkward in a small boat if you've got a big gar
wriggling 'round in mid air, and then your mate does the same thing...

Been there ... but if they're at 2 metres, we pay the price. And the
current affects this too.

Use stainless hooks. A bit dearer, but you dont wanna be tying on
hooks
when the gars are on

Not seen much difference between hooks. The ones I'm currently using
are bronze longshanks, which are easier to bait and also to extract
from the gar's mouth, but I sometimes use shorter stainless (bought
snelled) when I run out and don't have the time to do some rapid
snelling. Occasionally a biggish salmon or whatever latches on, and
then we have some real fun, too often (but not always) resulting in
a loss of gear. Not as common as I'd like it to be.

Keep your pencil float just above neutral bouyancy. If the gars feel
too
much resistance on the float, they will pick at the bait rather than
swallow it.

Does this mean it'll be more difficult in higher currents? Not much
I can do about that apart from using a running float. Actually,
strike rate is not really the issue - if we're losing bait we're
normally catching some fish.

What bait are you using? I use peeled prawn (McLaughlins). The stuff
marketed as "Bonza" bait is anything but Bonza. I wouldnt feed it to a
cat. (Well, ok I might, plastic bag 'en all..)

Gents. Usually 3-4 per hook. A bit slow, but I haven't found
anything else that works better, fairly cheap and last for weeks in
the fridge. Haven't tried prawns, but ...

The above is my opinion only. It works for me.

Exactly. Where are you fishing? We're mostly Adelaide metro, +-50km.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021, fax: +61 8 8269-3280
-----

Andrew Gabb wrote:

Lindsay wrote:
Andrew Gabb wrote:
The following applies to fishing for garfish from a boat during
daylight, using a pencil float and a shot-weighted bottom. We've
been doing OK, but I'd like to do better.

Thanks for the thoughts - all grist for the mill.

# What sort of berley works best, and how much to use?
If it's calm, I also use cheese twisties. Crush a couple up in your
hand, chuck 'em out the back and watch 'em. If they start twisting (cuse
[snip]

Sounds like fun. What about using a berley bomb, ie a ball of
softened (paste) berley thrown out near the floats? I've seen this
work occasionally for salmon trout and tommies, but I haven't tried
it with gar.

It will sink too quick i reckon...gars are surface feeders.

# Are there any rules of thumb for hook depth?
See above.. but i never fish any deeper than the length of the rod, as
it makes things awkward in a small boat if you've got a big gar
wriggling 'round in mid air, and then your mate does the same thing...

Been there ... but if they're at 2 metres, we pay the price. And the
current affects this too.

hehe no current in the top end of Port Phillip bay...

Use stainless hooks. A bit dearer, but you dont wanna be tying on hooks
when the gars are on

Not seen much difference between hooks. The ones I'm currently using
are bronze longshanks, which are easier to bait and also to extract
from the gar's mouth,

Yeah.. I used to use 'em as well.. the Mustad #12 long shank.
After you've bent 'em and straightened a few times, they snap.
Stainless hooks dont bend very often.

but I sometimes use shorter stainless (bought
snelled) when I run out and don't have the time to do some rapid
snelling. Occasionally a biggish salmon or whatever latches on, and
then we have some real fun, too often (but not always) resulting in
a loss of gear. Not as common as I'd like it to be.

Sounds like top fun. We used to get the odd 'couta (45cm) grab it
but I havent seen 'couta in Port Phillip for a while...

Keep your pencil float just above neutral bouyancy. If the gars feel too
much resistance on the float, they will pick at the bait rather than
swallow it.

Does this mean it'll be more difficult in higher currents? Not much
I can do about that apart from using a running float.

True, once again there's no current here, but if the current your in
is running away from you (your anchored at bow and fishing from
stern) then it shouldnt make a heap of difference. My pencil
floats have the tip dipped in pink Flouro paint which makes 'em
real easy to see in any conditions

Actually,
strike rate is not really the issue - if we're losing bait we're
normally catching some fish.

You might catch more

What bait are you using? I use peeled prawn (McLaughlins). The stuff
marketed as "Bonza" bait is anything but Bonza. I wouldnt feed it to a
cat. (Well, ok I might, plastic bag 'en all..)

Gents. Usually 3-4 per hook. A bit slow, but I haven't found
anything else that works better, fairly cheap and last for weeks in
the fridge. Haven't tried prawns, but ...

The above is my opinion only. It works for me.

Exactly. Where are you fishing? We're mostly Adelaide metro, +-50km.

Port Phillip Bay, the top part 'round Mordialloc/Carrum

The best effort on the gars I had was using the above methods (inc
Twisties)
Me and a mate caught 68 gars in 45 minutes, using one two hook rig each.
Was reasonably rough, but the gars were going spastic. I couldnt drink
my stubbie properly! We could have got 100's more, but it was geting
too rough, and a couple of packs of gars in the freezer each was a good
outing. I love 'em, rolled in egg and breadcrumbs.. yum!

There's bugger all in Port Phillip at the mo tho..

Regards

Lindsay

--
Scrap the 00 to post direct.

'Speed limit near schools lowered to 40 grams per student' - CNNNN