Gar fishing

[DaveTYSC]

How you doing?

I've just moved to Melbourne (and Victoria) for the first time to live. I have been fishing for Gar for the first time using floats and burley at Phillip Island and around Swan Bay off piers, but have had no luck. I've read some academic journal articles that suggest Gar feed off the weed during the day, and bugs etc. during the night.

I have a few questions about catching Gar.

Is there a Gar season?

Best times?

Best tides?

Are they attracted by a submerged light?

Regards Dave

[Sebb]

Hi Dave,

You can get gars all year round and anytime of the day. They can be very mobile so right time and right place is usually the important factor of being successful.
To me, slack tide and quiet wind is good.
I've been on kayak suoer early morning with bright LED lights, and they were all around me I could scoop them with my net. So yeah, they do get attracted by lights.

[DaveTYSC]

Thanks Sebb

I'll give that a try and let you know how I go. I don't have a yak, but will wait for the right conditions you suggested, and try another pier.

Regards Dave

[Sebb]

Thanks Sebb

I'll give that a try and let you know how I go. I don't have a yak, but will wait for the right conditions you suggested, and try another pier.

Regards Dave

Whereabouts are you?
People been catching off Frankston pier and Mordialloc.
If you fish there, choose east wind. Use bread crumbs, water and tuna oil, as burley. Use the wind and tide to carry the burley.

[DaveTYSC]

Melbourne city.

I'm heading down to a South facing Mornington beach on Tuesday morning. Will use pippies and pilchards, and see if there are any KG's or flathead about.

Northerlies forecast, 10:00am high.

I was down at Mordialloc and Beaumaris for a look today (howling westerlies). Looks good, but from what I have been reading, they can get very busy, and I'm not big on crowded fishing spots.

[Lightningx]

Hi Dave!
Welcome to the forum mate
I have caught plenty of gars and like Seb mentioned have caught them all year round but if I had to pick a season I have always done best in the colder months! Tide done best usually on an in coming tide. Daytime or night doesn’t matter have caught during both.
A good burley is very important, silverfish for bait.
Cheers

[DaveTYSC]

Thanks Lightning

I grew up in the tropics, but also spent a lot of time in NSW. It's good learning to fish here, as there are a lot of new species to catch which I haven't caught before. The wind is also a big factor down here, as I'm finding out.

I have got the burley right. I was using maggots which I heard were good, but you're the second person to mention silverfish, so might try them as well.

This is the report by the South Australian Research Institute I mentioned earlier.

https://pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf ... ulture.pdf

[Sebb]

Maggot works too.
Unfortunately the piers can be very busy here, especially when the weather is nice.

[4liters]

Hi Dave,

You can get gars all year round and anytime of the day. They can be very mobile so right time and right place is usually the important factor of being successful.
To me, slack tide and quiet wind is good.
I've been on kayak suoer early morning with bright LED lights, and they were all around me I could scoop them with my net. So yeah, they do get attracted by lights.

What sort of LED setup did you use out of interest?

[fishnut]

St.leonards pier,they are in that area atm