Garr fishing.

[Big_Kev]

I was at Tangalooma yesturday and tried to catch some Garr that were swimming around the boat. I have eaten fresh Garr before and was keen for a feed or save some for bait.
I through some bread for berly and baited the smallest hook I had with bread.
I only had one take the bait and it got off.
The rest were very shy towards the baited rig.
Is there any Garr experts here that can give advice.

[dazza]

hi kev,
i am far from an expert. we used to catch heaps of them in the canals.
get a bit of a berly trail going to attract them, bread for bait on small hook. we use a pencil float, wait for a "down" and you should be in business. have tried without a float and don't seen to catch any fish. my guess it they are very shy
failing that, burley a heap up and use your cast net
cheers
dazza

[Render]

Here's how I catch 'em (rofl at ME giving fishing advice! )

I find tuna oil in the berley attracts them, cause it forms a surface slick. So bung some of that in.

You didn't say how you were rigged. The pencil float is the classic way, but if you have light enough gear, I find simply tying a small hook right onto the line is better. Mould some bread round the hook, leaving the point bare, dip it in the wet stuff (or tuna oil if u will) to give it a bit of casting weight, then chuck out. You gotta be on the ball, strike-wise, cause the bait only lasts a tap or two, but I find the more natural action of the free floating bait gets them hammering it better.

It helps to flick out small pellets of bread the same size as your hook bait to get them lulled into grabbing it as it floats by. Not too much, as the usual burley rules of "tempt, not feed" still apply.

One other technique I have had luck with is a yakka jig. Get the tinest hooked one you can source and just pinch a small shot on the end for casting weight. Cast out and work it back through the school like a soft plastic. Key is to use the tinest weight you can so it stays in the surface layer. Oddly enough, they do go for that!

'Course, if you're a QLDer, just bung a frikkin cast net out! Meh!

Cheers,

R

[roz]

Hi Kev,
I used to catch dozens of sea gar at the bottom of the run out tide near the mouth of the Tweed, infact the best was 72 in one hour but before some people start jumping up and down, they were my mackeral bait and the odd meal, nothing was ever wasted.
My method was to lightly berly (essential), a No. 11 long shanked hook tied to the lightest line you have 1-2kg is ideal, I always try and fish for them from the surface to about 1 metre deep, so if there is little or no current you may need a float, on the other hand you may need a very tiny bit of lead.
I found the best bait by far was prawn meat, you only need the smallest amount, I remember a couple of prawns was enough to catch dozens of them.
You won't believe how much fun they can be, they are sometimes called the poor man's marlin. You can also spot them near the surface if you have a decent pair of sunnies.
Best of luck Roz

[Big_Kev]

Thanks for the excellent feedback.Dazz.
Ren you are fast becoming an Aussie fishing encyclopedia, HA HA HA, Plonk roll roll roll. (laughs head off). (thanks Ren good feedback)
Roz thanks, I guess some very light line may be better then the 15kg which was the lightest I had on the boat at time, it may make the Garr a little less finicky.
Cheers Kev.

[DICER]

as above, light line, small hook, pencil float, but use "gents" (aka maggots), as they last longer than bread crumbs.

BTW "gents" are nicer when they are in saw dust or like. It's not pretty to dig them out of something (like roadkill).

Otherwise use a bait jig.

Have fun.

DICER

[Remo]

Reelhard,

prawns would be the best, tiny pieces as roz has suggested on very light line and the float of course.

[Wezza]

Hi Reel Hard,
I was catching Garr on soft plastics at peel a few weeks back. I was very surprised.