what do you use to catch gar and carp? for kids entertainment

never have fished for these, but i see alot of them in the lake. gar and carp. they get pretty big and would probably give my son (8yrs old) a good fight. however, i have no idea what people use to catch them. also, gar have teeth if i remember correct, i only fish for bass so any info on this would be great. he dont really care what type of fish it is, as much as how big or how long he has to fight with it. thanks in advance to all.

The biggest carp I caught (44#) was on a nightcrawler. and as for gar they will eat just about anything but minnows seem to be what they love. The most fun I can ever remember is catching that huge carp and finding that school of gar. The kids will love it.

thanks for the info. ill pick up some live bait then. i noticed alot of them back in coves. if he hooks into some big fish that should wear him out.

[QUOTE=brlfishing;411951]thanks for the info. ill pick up some live bait then. i noticed alot of them back in coves. if he hooks into some big fish that should wear him out.[/QUOTE]

Carp also like corn ,wheatie balls and dough ball.
gar are caught on a special lure made out of frayed nylon rope. It is fixed with a light weight attached to the top of it and then you can cast it and they get their teeth caught in it.
I read this on the internet a few years ago , there was a guy in TN called gar man jack that actully sold these rope jigs. I don't know if he still has a website or not.
You might research the net, there are some big gar around and thet would be fun to catch.
Gar man jack actually ate the loins out of the gar (no thanks).
Good Luck,
Gary Kramer

Yes - gar have teeth...and lots of them!! If you and/or your son land one, be careful in getting the hook(s) out of its mouth as you wouldn't want to go home missing some fingers!! I mainly bass fish as well and have caught gar on a variety of bass lures...lipless cranks, spinner baits, even had one hit on a top water plug.

good advise on the carp, as they will hit a lot of different bait.
the gar are a little different. striperjoe had an interesting post about the rope jig. I think thats a great idea, as I've hooked a few and because of those teeth your odds are not good on landing them.

we'd fish for gar when I lived in louisiana. We take a small treble hook on an 8in steel leader. Put a cork or bobber on it to where the bait was just under water about 8 in. We'd use grass shrimp or cut bait. Minnows will work just cut them up. Put as much meat on the hook as u can. When the bobber disappears dont set the hook. Allow the gar to swim and chew on the bait. Tighten up your line but leave him slack or he will spit it out if he feels the tension. Its a timing thing he has to get the bait to the back of his mouth where its softer so the hook will set. They are a blast to catch and a good fight. For carp I chum the water with rice let them **** on the rice and then toss them a nite crawler

coombro gave good advice on the gar, I just a crappie hook or small treble and nose hook a live minnow. Use a piano wire leader or just the wire leaders that you get at Walmart and a bobber with about 10 inches of line out. When you see them sulking around or coming up to get air cast close and reel it right up to their nose. Once they take the bait let line out, they'll run for a while and then stop. Let them stop for a while and then set the hook. You'll need pliers and a set of gloves to unhook them. I usually use a piano wire leader so I can just clip the wire and retie a hook but I usually keep them too.

For carp soak some field corn for about a week and then throw it out where you want to fish. Come back the next day and fish over it with cheap canned corn with a #6 baitholder hook and a slip sinker. If you see them mudding around on the lake try casting half a night crawler in front of them and hold on.

I never fished for them, with rod and reel. but I know this guy, that goes to this dam in the head waters of laurel lake in july, every year and has a blast catching the big carp, on wheatyballs. made from hamburger meat and cereal.and the gar will rob your limb lines, when catfishing. if they are baited with bluegill. I used to fish for both gar and carp in the spring, when they are showing. using my bow equipped with a reel and line and a barbed arrow. I though that was fun, when I was younger. but I've grown older and don't like killing anything any more.:)

[QUOTE=striperjoe;411961]Carp also like corn ,wheatie balls and dough ball.
gar are caught on a special lure made out of frayed nylon rope. It is fixed with a light weight attached to the top of it and then you can cast it and they get their teeth caught in it.
I read this on the internet a few years ago , there was a guy in TN called gar man jack that actully sold these rope jigs. I don't know if he still has a website or not.
You might research the net, there are some big gar around and thet would be fun to catch.
Gar man jack actually ate the loins out of the gar (no thanks).
Good Luck,
Gary Kramer[/QUOTE]

That nylon rope really works, and it is so easy to make your own. Just cut off a section of nylon rope, fold it back on itself, leave a loop at the bend and wrap wire tightly just below it. Fray the nylon out, and WHALA! I usually make mine around 4" long with white nylon. Just remember to not set the hook as there is NO HOOK, LOL! You'll feel them pick it up, then just let them chew on it for awhile, then gradually put the pressure on them. Shad scent spray helps also. The only headache is getting the nylon strands untangled from their teeth. Have fun!

Oh yeah, we had a day on RRL where we weren't catching any bass, and we went back to this large bay area and there were gar EVERYWHERE! I didn't have any of those nylon lures on me, so we threw large jerkbaits and had a ball catching monster gar nearly every cast! Fun stuff!

-Rich

Heres something I learned a few years ago creek fishing. As I was fishing later in the year, just trying to wet a line, slow water, few bites, I started moving down the bank. There was carp cruising and would see one every miniute or two. Figured what the heck, tried a crawfish, he picked it up and spit it out. Threw my line down the bank, a little to far in one of them friggin weeds that have them purple berrys on them, you know the ones that leave a stain on you like a tattoo. Shook my rod a little to get it out and a few of them berrys fell in the water. It was like WWIII. The carp were fighting over them. I knew carp were veggies, but it was like a kid in a candy store. I put one on the hook and found out that they dont stay on pretty well. Finally got one to stay on and he picked it right up. A 4 or 5# carp in skinny water on light line gets pretty exciting. Since then Ive refined my setup a little. I use a salmon egg hook with no weight, 4 or 6# test. Sometimes I use a small round bobber with a 3 ft. lead under it for weight. Basically its sight fishing for carp. This year Im gonna try to marinate some dried field corn in the berrys. The corn will stay on the hook better, and hope it will smell and taste like a berry. When its hot and the bite on the lake slows, Ive been in the creek every time I see the berrys ripe on the side of the road.

I've caught gar on a Zara Spook before - usually when they're shallow and you can see them. Just make a far cast past them, then slowly bring it to a stop right over it's head - they'll hit it.

I would recommend getting your kid on a catfish bite right now - they should be eating anything that swims right now getting ready for their spawn. Usually minnows on a bobber, fished about 3' deep, around riprap, will load the boat. Usually starts in early May and continues on the for the entire month. I've had my best days on Mother's Day weekend.