Gar-gantua! Gar-normous! Gar-Zilla! Gar-r-r-reat googly moogly!

[Steve-O]

Just got back from a short (two day) trip down in Texas. Straight to the pictures, some captions, comments and a thought or three. Enjoy!

I DID!!!!

Guess I'll start with Gar-Zilla. Go BIG or go home!



First day, first big fish after losing a couple of juniors. An even 7 feet long and est. weight close to  200 pounds.

Keeping the business end clamped tight.



Why it behooves one to keep the business end clamped REAL TIGHT!



Relaxing with my new best friend. It's a female however the relationship is purely piscatorial.



Cooling us both off in the Trinity River near Palestine,TX.



A Junior. Same business end only smaller and quicker.



Another Biggee.    This one taped out at 6' 2"....same as me. Weight guessed  at a 100 + pounds.



Got Gar?





Same fish I'm just getting tired arms.



...and a goodbye kiss. SMACK!!!  mmmmm! tastes like .....uh....fish slime!



Fun trip. Bubba Bedre Of Garzillabowfishing.com guided me on this very successful Rod and Reel, Catch and Release, Alligator Gar Trip up and down a secluded section of the Trinity River.

This was the number one item on my "bucket list". Got 'er Done! Checked it off the list!

Steve-O

[redsetta]

That's epic, Steve-O - great googly moogly indeed!
Truly awesome.
Thanks for sharing!
All the best, Justin
PS What set-up were you using?

[Alto Mare]

Owesome Steve! looks like you're having a heck of a vacation. I'm enjoying all of your reports, thanks for sharing and keep em' comin.

[Steve-O]

thanks Justin and Sal! I wonder if anyone on here remember the line 'great googly moogly'? It was Grady's trademark  expletive whenever something happened on the Sanford and Son TV show back in the 70's.

I used 3 different setups on this trip. All mine. The guide provided everything except lunch. He had quality tackle (needed for these brutes) but I called ahead when booking the trip and requested to use my stuff.

Same rigs as I took to Alaska in June. The Baby Blue, spiral wrapped, two piece, shortie rod ( 4'10") with Avet SX single speed clone and 80# dyneema braid. Worked great and got a work out. One junior gar of 4.5 feet went under the boat and doubled the rod over to almost touch the tiptop to the water for a split second. The drag was set on STRIKE but preset a tiny bit too tight. Big drag disc in that reel. I'm really liking the short, light weight, powerhouse that it is. It was a 30-50 # class rod blank I built.

The bamboo ocean rod went with a 501 Jigmaster reel with new discs and AT SS gear sleeve installed. The bummer was this rig never landed a fish although I had numerous takes on it. Just no solid hookups or fights. Fighting and landing a huge gar is tough enough but the take is incredibly unnerving. 5-15 minutes after the bait is picked up and running down river is just the beginning of the wait to set the hook. then you have to wait until the fish returns from its 100 yards or so s-l-o-w journey downstream to back up river past you to set the hook. Otherwise it's NO FISH. The small blue rod was spooled to the arbor knot more than once before I could even take in some slack line to attempt a hookset.

The other rig was a Jarvis Walker tuff tip 50# class that I cut in two and installed a ferrule on with my Avet two speed clone and 80 pound braid as backing with a100 yard top shot of 100 pound Power Pro.
Terminal tackle was a 5/0 treble hook crimped into a 24 inch wire leader and swivel both rated at 100#. The float was a slidding cork of 10 or so inches. Bait was up to 2 pounds of carp sliced vertically. Felt like casting  a meat loaf


Some photos of the rigs are posted on here under fishing rods or other posts by me.


I'll post some more pics under fish pics.
Steve

[redsetta]

Thanks Steve, that adds a whole other layer to the story.
That Baby Blue has seen some serious action in its short life!
And yes, the Sanford and Son quote was recognised (even from way down here in NZ!)... 

[Steve-O]

Good onya, mate! you, being in NZ would probably recognize the hook I'm wearing. The hei matau/manaia is a  Maori styled combination of the hook (matau) and the sea creature (manaia). Carved by myself.

[Snagged2]

Very exciting reading about your fishing excursion,,,,, The Gar interest me!!

[Dominick]

Steve-O: Are you nuts lying down in the water with fish with teeth like that? You might be holding the jaws of the monster you caught but what about his buddies?  Dominick

[Steve-O]

Dominick, uhhh.....you're probably spot on there!    The adrenaline was kicking in so hard I could have tossed the fish and landed on my feet on dry land doing a back somersault if one of her friends came calling.

However......I also knew my guide, Bubba, was taking the pictures in deeper water nearby. That would have occupied the second set of teeth.

These guys are aptly named, too, only there's WAY more teeth than any gator has. Double or triple rows of needle sharps on top and plenty on the bottom. Plus, like a snake they can expand the jaw plates top and bottom to accept much bigger meals.

Too much fun!

Steve-O

[alantani]

steve, i want you to know that i say this with the deepest respect.....  you're nuts!   

[redsetta]

Nice work on the hei matau/manaia Steve-O.
They're also known generally as 'ponamu' down here.
It's obviously brought you good luck!
All the best, Justin

[slip tip]

Nice going, Steve! Sounds like you had a really great time and that's what it's all about.

P.S. I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Allan on this one.....

Regards,
David