Debbie and I hit the lake today to get the 2009 Longnose Gar season underway and as usual; it took a little time to get our groove on. After checking our spots down the lake from Georgia Access we decided to go where we normally start catching Gar early season and we headed up river. At our first spot I was able to snag my first of the season, a nice 13lb-7oz Longnose that measured 47 inches. They weren't stack very deep though so we move about 5 miles up river to our best hole but it didn't take long to realize that sight fishing there wasn't going to happen. This place was heavily stained and although I hung one Gar, I let it slip off on purpose because it was only about 10lbs. I really don't like blind casting for Gar, especially on a windy day because if I'm going to go through the trouble to release one and winding up against the bank or way away from my spot I want it to be worth while. If you can't see them you don't feel very good about catching that hog either. So, we moved back towards the lake to a spot we skipped on the way up and it turned out to be the best location of the day. After presenting my lure to great big ole gal that just turned her nose up at me, I was starting to wonder if I was just going to spin my wheels all day, then a saw her; about 15 feet out in front of the boat coming dead at me. I made a cast to the side and behind the gar, sped the lure up and let it drop a little right in front of her and she went after it. It looked like the line got wrapped around her and I let my reel free-spool as the gar darted out into the deep. I told Debbie "I don't think this Gar bit the lure, I think the line is just wrapped around her". I was working very easy because I have caught a few before this way when the line would wrap around the Gar and the lure would get caught in the Gars scales and I'd wind up bring them in sideways, slowly. As the Gar got closer though I could see she was wrapped up tight all right, around that old toothy beak! After about four good long and strong runs she finally gave up and I landed a 16lb-3oz 51-inch Gar to top off the day.
