Garfish

[Elton]

Bloody hell Elton, I thought I was bad not finishing the decorating for 7 years!

 

Tom Pinborough caught a garfish whilst spinning for bass on my boat last year.

 

LOL In that case, I'd better get mine sorted.

 

Besides, you need someone to hassle you when you think you're having a peaceful day at sea

[FishingGuernsey]

Theres plenty in Guernsey as congercatcher said. They tend to be a bit of a pain when floating for Mackerel or Pollack. I've even had them off the bottom with a worm bait before.

 

Light shallow float, 2 to 3 feet is usually best, small sandeel section or a bit of mackerel or their own skin on a small hook.

 

They can be enticed with shirvy (groundbait) and you often end up with them in the shirvy trail when after mullet, can be a pain.

 

A decent Gar fights very well and gives a good aerobatic display normally. Best to go really light with a spinning or lighter rod, a bass rod is too heavy really. If these fish went to 10lb, even 5lb, no-one would fish for anything else...

[nickw]

There are meant to be a fair few caught off Walton pier in the summer months using mackerel strip on light float tactics just below the surface, as described by the others.

Something I keep meaning to do and never yet got round to but it does sound fun.

 

nick

[SpeciMan]

but the only problem I've encountered with this, is that quite a few are foul hooked, but if the usual care is applied when unhooking them, you can avoid damaging them.

 

I've heard that if you handle a mackeral or a garfish they will die if put back. If you're practicing catch and release try to shake the hook off without touching them.

[Dan]

I still havent forgiven the bloke who broke the Garfish record with a fish of over 3ibs in the early 90's. He did it the same weekend as I caught my 16lb bass, and he swept up all the prizes from the mags etc, all I got was an Angling Times top ten badge!

 

Seriously tho Elton how can you not catch a garfish? just get that boat in the water and free line a mackerel strip or use a small spinner, usually inshore around rocky marks. They're the nearest we get to marlin!

 

Dan

Edited December 30, 2005 by Dan

[habilis]

One September I took myself off to Cornwall, just for a bit of solitude. Finding Porthcurno, I determined to fish from the rock below the Minack Theatre and after a pleasant lunch in the pub, clambered along the rocks with a light lure rod, fixed-spool reel, 10lb line, 60cm sandeels and a pasty.

 

The sea, a Caribbean blue, was 30 foot below, the sun was shining and I cast about with a lure, albeit with no success. Eventually I decided to have a break and, rigging a float, cast out with sandeel , allowing the bait to simply drift. No sooner had I taken the first bite of my pasty when a garfish took it’s first bite of the sandeel: pasty discarded, rod raised, and a glorious display of acrobatics followed. The rest of the afternoon was spent casting sandeels, jerk retrieving and watching the garfish chase in that gin-clear water. On light, sensitive tackle they are a joy to hook though I despair at my attempts at releasing them – the jaw is very bony and, even with nipping off the barb of my 1/0 hooks, proved a trial. Perhaps those circular hooks are the answer.

 

The venerable Maurice Wiggins states that Garfish swim above the mackerel shoal and to avoid them whilst angling for the latter one should fish deeper.

 

I was content with the Garfish and that day ranks only second to my Florida foray

[MJB]

I still havent forgiven the bloke who broke the Garfish record with a fish of over 3ibs in the early 90's. He did it the same weekend as I caught my 16lb bass, and he swept up all the prizes from the mags etc, all I got was an Angling Times top ten badge!

 

Dan

 

If I had known Dan I would have **** on his parade with my two Garfish of 3lb 8oz caught in the mid to late 90s. Couldn't be bothered with the hassle of claiming the record at the time.

 

 

Elton,

 

Spring tides at the end of September. Even better if high water co-incides with dusk. Everyone has said what's what re: catching them, but in my experience once you have located the depth they are at go slightly deeper to pick up the bigger ones.

[stavey]

If your realy lucky? you may catch some of the unusual species of fish that swim with the gars like this chap did in portland harbour (derbio type of jack species) i have seen these species here in sussex to could not catch them though maybe this coming summer

[n4lly]

Got my first gar this year....dont they bubble up

 

[Elton]

Nice one, Nally - where was that from?