Timmy & Clint Both Catch Nice Gar!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

We got on the lake early this morning because the weather forecast was calling for thunderstorms from noon until about 10:00 tonight. It was cloudy early on but the Gar were still active. Timmy started the show with a pretty nice 10 pounder. A little later I caught a couple of nice gar too. Meanwhile Clint was struggling a little. I changed locations because I knew it would be easier for Clint to catch his first today but as soon as we pulled up to the next spot yours truly landed another one and so did Timmy. Still no Gar for Clint. I noticed that his rope lure kept getting dirty but I thought it was because he was letting it drop all the way to the bottom before he began his retrieve but I took a closer look and the fishing rig I gave him to use had a 1/2 bullet sinker on it and it was dragging the bottom too much because of the excess weight in such shallow water.

After Clint changed his weight out and we changed spots again, Clint landed his first Longnose of the day. It was a very nice 10 pounder so the monkey was off Clint's back. It's a good thing too because we were giving him the devil!

I decided to change spots again and go to my best fishing hole of the year for big Gar. That was when Timmy landed the biggest Longnose Gar of the day. A very fat 49 inch Gar that weighed in at 14 lbs - 10 ounces.

I shot the first video on my digital camera of a Gar getting caught and published it here in this post. It turned out OK but I hope to improve a little on the next try.

Brand New Honey Hole!!!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

I got on West Point Lake early today. My plans were to do a little fly fishing for what ever would bite but mainly to sharpen my fly fishing skills since I'm sort of a rookie. I went down river where I use to do some bass fishing with buzz baits. I'm not much into bass fishing anymore but since this use to be a good bass top water spot for me I though the fly bite would be equally as good.

As I was casting about I started noticing that old familiar top water activity that only the great Longnose Gar could make so I went for the bait caster that already had a rope lure attached to it and started making a few cast. Then suddenly I realized, once the sun started coming through the clouds that I was on a shallow flat that was packed full of Longnose Gar! I mean big ones too!!!

It didn't take long to realize that it was cherry picking time! Gar were everywhere and the water was still enough to begin looking for that big one. The first Longnose I caught was 15lbs-2ozs and 50 inches long, so started looking for a bigger one. The next Gar I caught was 17lbs-10ozs and 51 inches, so I began looking for a bigger one. Then I caught one that went 18lbs-6ozs and measured 51 inches long. No doubt that I was in Longnose Gar Heaven!!! I said to myself, if I can catch this many big Gar in one spot I just may be able to find that Georgia state record Longnose Gar I've been fishing four years for. So now I was began being very pick. Besides, I was by myself and I was having to set my camera on timer and run to the other end of the boat for the picture and I'll tell you, I was starting to get tired! As I was trolling along around the bend I came across a large group of Gar all in one spot and underneath then there was a shadow that looked like a big one so I made a cast. That was when I landed the biggest Gar of the day that weighed 19lbs-4ozs and measured 55 inches long.

I'm going to be seeing big Gar in my sleep tonight after today! I'm tired. I thing I'll have some supper a drop dead on the sofa!

Later on in the day I met Jonathan Smith, a fellow sales manager at Mike Patton Auto Family at the landing. By then the Gar Fishing had sort of settled down a bit buy Jonathan was able to land this "Broke Back Mountain" version of a Gar! Leave it to Jonathan to catch this freak of a Gar for his first!

I Caught A Black Gar Today!!!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

My wife Debbie was able to squeeze out a day off with me today to Gar Fish on West Point Lake. I've been on vacation all week long and Debbie had to work but her boss allowed her this one day with me. I'm glad too because Sunday was the day when I, as Debbie says, stole her Gar from her so I had a lot of making up to do!

It was not the greatest of day’s weather wise because the wind was very tough. There was an east wind all day long. If you know anything about fishing in Georgia, a cool east wind can really screw up a day of fishing. The wind was gusting to as high as 25mph and sustained wind of at least 15mph and I fought the trolling motor as my batteries were dying a quicker than normal death. Casting into the wind was a real problem because we were using 1/8 to 1/4 ounce bullet weights with our rope lures and I must have backlashed at least forty times!

Debbie was doing very well as she caught all of the biggest Gar while all I could land were small ones. I was doing very well at making up from Sunday's fishing trip.

We spent most of the day moving from place to place trying to find a comfortable spot out of the wind where the Gar were biting but after switching places four different times we came back to our original fishing hole, the same place where I supposedly stole Debbie's Gar.

As I came around the point I told Debbie, "I've got one!" The as the Gar swirled I noticed that it was a very dark colored Gar And I said, "Debbie, this Gar looks almost black." As I finally fought it up to the water surface I yelled, "Debbie, It is a solid black Gar! Get my gloves quick!" I was afraid it would get away but I was able to drag it close and I reached out and snagged it out of the water! Man was this thing beautiful! I've fished for Longnose Gar for four years now and though I saw a black Gar two years ago, I know I saw one earlier this year in a different spot a couple of miles up river, and now finally caught a Black Longnose Gar! It was silver under it's throat, a little more spotty silver just below it's throat, but the hole back half of the Gar was solid black like a piece of shinny coal. Something else I though was strange is that the pigmentation from the Gar actually came off on my gloves like it was painted with black shoe polish or something. This was very strange indeed.

Debbie said that I'm the luckiest Gar fisherman she's ever known. Not that she knows very many. There's only about five of us in our circle of Gar Fishermen and I'm the only one who driven to catch that Georgia state record. I have had a very good season so far though, that's for sure, but I can't believe I actually caught a black Gar today. I probably never will again.

Here's a picture of Debbie's big gar too. I'm very lucky to be married to a woman who loves to gar fish too!

Monster Gar Or Doghouse Gar!!!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

I began my week of vacation by taking my wife Debbie Longnose Gar Fishing after church today and man what an exciting day it was!

When I got to my Main Honey Hole Of The Year, the water was fairly calm and clear and there were Gar everywhere of every shape and size! There were short skinny Gar, long skinny Gar, Short fat Gar, and my all time favorite, favorite long Fat Longnose Gar mixed in here and there!

After getting our feet wet with a few nice Longnose, the hunt was on for the trophy of the day. As we trolled along they would appear in front of the boat and beside the boat, they were all over the place! Man was my blood boiling as I searched for that big boy of the day!

Debbie is a pretty good fisherman but just doesn't have the casting skills I have from fishing as much as I do, so I tried to let her have the big ones first but she kept throwing behind them and on top of them one time after another. Then a monster appeared to the left of my boat and I said, "Debbie, there's a huge Gar right there!" After giving her three shots at making a good cast for it, the Gar started to get a way so I tossed my rope right out in front of it, a perfect cast if I must say so myself, and the big Gar nailed it right off the bat and the fight was on! This Big Boy made one after another-huge line stripping runs with one headshake coming out of the water at the end of one of them. When I finally got it close to the boat it was much bigger than I had first thought, and the first thing Debbie that came from Debbie's mouth was, "You caught my gar! You didn't give me a chance to catch it!" And I said, "But Debbie, I gave you three shots at it and it was getting away!" She said, "I still could have caught it though!" I thought, Oh crap! I'm in the doghouse again! And over a Gar. A very big gar though. Well, I guess there's no better way to get in the doghouse than by catching a monster like this I thought!

I must say though that Debbie caught more Gar than I did. She even caught one that was 48" and about 14lbs. She also caught one with a deformed beak. It looked like maybe it got damaged when it was much younger and grew back kind of funny looking, sort of like a pair of scissors or something. I guess I earned my stay in the doghouse. Again, when I as she puts it, stole her Gar!

The rest of the week I'll be fishing mostly alone. But Debbie is taking one day off with me. I sure hope she catches a big one next trip because I don't thing I can survive another tongue lashing like that one again. I couldn't even get her to hand some of my tools to me so that I could get it released and she almost wouldn't take a picture for me! Man I hope she catches a big one!

Big Time Brownie Points!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

I took my General Manager from Mike Patton Auto Family Gar Fishing with me yesterday evening. We got off about an hour early, just as your allowed to do just as long as you take the boss Longnose Gar Fishing with you.

It was about 7:00 when we reached my main honey hole, you know, the one your supposed to take your boss Gar Fishing at if you want him to catch a big gar and will gain favor with him for at least a short time. Or at least until I goof up again which will certainly happen sooner or later. Anyway, The Gar gods were with me because the first and biggest fish was caught after only about ten minutes of fishing by Mike, and the fight was on!

Every time Mike would get this big boy to the boat, off it would go on another long pole bending line stripping run. After several runs and a few acrobatic leaps right next to the boat, which took about ten minutes total time, Mike landed his first big Longnose gar! It was a nice one too! 15lbs-7oz and 52 inches long!

If I was at all in the dog house, I'm now out of it! At least for a while. Until I goof up again anyway, right! Maybe I should go ahead and plan a few more fishing trips with Mike just in case.

New 2007 Record Longnose Gar. 19lbs-7ozs And 58" Long!!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

I just got home from Longnose Gar Fishing with my buddy from Mike Patton Auto Family, Chris Smith. It started out a little slow with a lot of fish surfacing but not that many taking the rope. I did manage a couple of nice Gar though. One was 48" and 15lbs-6oz and another one little smaller. Mean while Chris was struggling with getting a good bite although he did hang a very nice one but it managed to free itself from the lure after a brief encounter of hope that Chris would land his first Longnose.

We left that area and drove to a spot I thought for sure Chris would have a great change of landing his first Gar but to no avail. I caught one more pretty nice Gar about the same size as the 15lb er I landed earlier.

We then left that spot and drove to "Old Faithful", the spot where I caught my biggest Gar to date. The wind had gotten up pretty good by then and I didn't feel like we would have any luck, but I was wrong. I guess the wind was blowing bait fish against the island pennisula and was able to land my biggest Longnose Gar of the season, 19lbs-7oz and 58" long! I was thrilled to make such a nice catch but also feeling pretty bad for Chris who still hadn't land a single Gar all day.

After attaching another rope to my line I was able get us back into position when finally Chris yells, "I've got one"! This one was snagged nicely by the rope and the fight was on! Chris's first Gar was a very impressive 48-49", 15lbs or so Longnose Gar. I'm guessing because I was so excited for him that I forgot to weigh and measure it, but I've got the pictures! Over all it was a very successful fishing trip and I'm so very glad I was able to have a great day Gar Fishing and fellowship with my friend Chris.

Passing Up Big Gar For Bigger Gar-What A Great Day!!

Selling Cars and Catching Gars!
Ask For Donnie Hinkle "West Point Lake Gar Grabber"

What a great day of Longnose Gar Fishing it was today! It was one of those days when you can select the Gar you want to catch while passing up those that many people would love to be catching, even I would love to be catching on certain days. I had two fish that went right a 50 inches long but I'm not sure of the weight. My scales were on the blink because there's no way that biggest fish went only 8lbs-8oz! Back to Walmart I guess.

This the the prime time for Longnose Gar Fishing when the Gar are about to go on the bed and they are swimming in tandem all over the shallows. I was practically plowing through them being selective of the ones I wanted to make a cast at. Both of my hands are cramping and tired from clutching those big beaks and trying to hold on to them as they whip like crazy right when you least expect it.

I also saw a black Gar in the same area that I saw one last year. Of course my rope was in the water and I couldn't retrieve it in time to make a cast. I never saw it again and the rascal was only about 12ft in front of my boat when it surfaced. That one would have went on the wall!