Gar Spotting With miker or Where Should I Pee?

Post by **cprince** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:24 pm

So far, the only soul brave enough to step forward and take the plunge and man up to go on The Great Northern Odyssey with me
http://www.fish-hawk.net/hawktalk/viewtopic.php?t=40374 is miker. So, just to make sure he is not an overt axe murderer (not that there is anything wrong with that...) and that the stories that I am a tongue trooper from the Office de la Langue Francaise are false, we decided to have a day on the water to get acquainted.

He has an ON permit and I have a QC, so the natural choice was The Ottawa.

We met at the T-Ho's in Aylmer next to the Canadian Tire at 04:20... From there it was on to...

NORWAY BAY!!

We launched at about 05:20;

And we were off!

There was some Pike... (He opened the flap just for the picture!! He was released and got away on his own power)

And some Bass...

But I think that the highlight for both of us was our first ever glimpse of a GAR!! It was WAY COOL!! Neither one of us have ever seen one in the wild. We suspect that there were others snapping at us all day long... but this one was confirmed!

Mike threw a spinner in about 9 to 12 inches of water in some pads (Crazy if you ask me!!) and go a hit and it let go. When he reeled it in, the Gar was still just sitting there. Mike yells at me to follow up with the buzz... but I held my fire... I said no.. you get her!

He fires just part the Gar and drags the Northam in front of its face... WHAM! It hit and it looked like he was on. Mike reeled him in almost in netting reach when it let go!!! But what a fish!! We didn't discuss this... but my guess was that it was about 40 to 45 inches. Looking at it straight on, it didn't look that big. But when he showed his side to us, I was shocked!

We stuck to the QC side most of the day... hit the ON side for only about an hour or so... not a whole lot of structure in that stretch on the ON side.

We did this whole stretch today from 05:30 to about 15:00.

Had a blast Mike! Thanks for the great day out on the water!!!

Can't wait until the last week of August... QUEBEC REDS BABY!

Craig

Post by **lapointeric** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:01 pm

Cool report! Good to see Fhawkers hookin' up for a FULL day on the water.

I wouldn't have an idea what to do if I saw a gar. I was watching WFN today, and they were catching them with all sorts of flies. I'd probably throw a spinner bait at it.

Also, very cool GPS image. Call me an Ottawa River noob but I had no idea that it was that shallow in the part of the river.

E

Post by **bruce** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:20 am

looks like a great day!can you tell me where you launch down there? and where do you find those maps?

Post by **miker** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:37 am

was a great day of fishing!

that gar was awesome, I think I guessed it was closer to about 120", but yea, 40->45" is probably closer. something I defintely want to try again.

if you look closely on the map provided by cprince, you may see the rocks that ate part of my skeg!

looking forward to the trip north!

Post by **cprince** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:05 am

bruce wrote:looks like a great day!can you tell me where you launch down there? and where do you find those maps?

Those maps are from Blue Charts Americas.

Craig

Post by **Andy_L** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:08 am

gorgeous pics...that first one should be a postcard

Post by **Dore** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:34 am

Great report man

Post by **fiiish** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:56 am

Nice report. Some great pics.

Post by RJ » Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:07 am

The biggest gar my eyes have ever laid eyes on was in that area.....

I hear ya on the Prop dinging.....I dont even get mine fixed...

RJ

Post by **tallpaul** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:16 pm

Wow... nice report, and I don't know how/why I am only seeing that Odyssey post now!!

A FULL day on the water is Craig's way!!

Cheers,
tallpaul