Netting Baby Gar - Season?

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Dubeckyj

Candiru
MFK Member
Mar 22, 2011
112
2
48
Canada
Hey all. I want to snag me a baby longnose, and I'm looking for more information.

First of all, I have an Ontario fishing license (where I'll be catching said fish) and the province's regulations on gar are nonexistent. I called my local authority to ask, and they said "you want to do what? Pfft, whatever." Unless I start selling them, then they'll probably have a fit.

So I know to look for quiet water, to look for sticks at the surface, and to find big collections of leaves and slowly scoop them up looking for crafty buggers. I've also read that going at night with a flashlight can make things easier. What I haven't come across, though, is the time of year. I'm looking for something between 2"-8", and is that something I can realistically find towards the end of the year? Or should I wait until it gets warmer? I don't exactly live near the shore, and I don't want to drive all that way, freeze, and come back with nothing but a cold.

Thanks!
 
I'm in NC. I have seen young gar ~6" during early summer (late may early june) around branches in the river(Tar river). The only time I have gotten close to them is with my canoe at night. Its not often that I get to see them and usually they are gone long before I get my net out but still its really cool to see. Good luck. :)
 
I would suggest you re-examine the regulations, particularly in regards to live transport of fish from a body of water.

In regards to your question, early summer is supposed to be the best time of year. This past summer I had went fishing for longnoses a couple times throughout the spring and summer. Saw lots of larger longnoses but didn't come accross any yoy fish.
 
What kind of rules do you guys have regarding gar there? In NC the gar are not protected well at all.
pharmaecopia said:
I would suggest you re-examine the regulations, particularly in regards to live transport of fish from a body of water.

In regards to your question, early summer is supposed to be the best time of year. This past summer I had went fishing for longnoses a couple times throughout the spring and summer. Saw lots of larger longnoses but didn't come accross any yoy fish.
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Spotted gars are protected here because they are a species at risk. If caught they have to be returned to the water. Other than that there are no regulations specifically regarding gars. With an Ontario fishing license you are not allowed to transport a live fish from the body of water in which it was caught. It has to be dead. This applies to almost all fish species. The expection here is minnows/baitfish. Where you can remove these from the body of water and transport the live fish. There is a very specific list of what classifies as a baitfish and unfortunately gars aren't on it.

One can get a license that would allow you to transport live fish. I haven't looked into this with too much, but obtaining one of these licenses is the only way to legally collect fish from the wild.

There are some other things as well but I don't have time to go into detail about that.
 
Thanks, I'll look into that. Where did you go longnose hunting? I was thinking Grand River. I don't expect to see spotted gar, since they're so rare in the wild. I have two legally purchased anyway, so they aren't on my list.
 
Dubeckyj said:
Thanks, I'll look into that. Where did you go longnose hunting? I was thinking Grand River. I don't expect to see spotted gar, since they're so rare in the wild. I have two legally purchased anyway, so they aren't on my list.
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A local marina on Lake Erie near port colborne as well as a couple local bays. Had the most sighting at the marina. One place I was meaning to try was near the nanticoke generating station. I've heard that it's a good place for longnose gars as well as bowfin.
 
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