hey all! one of my bucket list fish has been gar, and from what I've heard Lewisville has some decent populations of them. where are some good places to check out for gar, and the occasional catfish? what gear will I need? any help is appreciated!

If it's Gar you're after I would skip out on lakes and head to the rivers! Your tactics will vary depending on the species you want to target. Alligator Gar get absolutely massive and will require some beefier tackle and larger baits. For Longnose, Shortnose, and Spotted Gar I like to use a double hook rig (I'll post up one in a moment) with either a small chunk of cutbait or a small whole Shad (2 inches or so). You let them run with it for 15 seconds to a minute and then set the hook! Generally you can feel them chomping down on the bait, after they do that once or twice I'll set into the fish. Spillways are some of my favorite locations to target Gar but backwater sloughs and other shallow, weedy sections of river are prime habitat for them.

Going to be going to the elm fork trinity today or tomorrow in the kayak. Got my surf reel and a short rod. Going to try. Found a deeper hole with an eddy right next to a shallow area. I figure this might be good and I only have to paddle 10 minutes.

I will let y'all know if I catch anything. I normally fish for bass but don't do very good so I figured why not try for a big fish.

I will take my cast net but the river is so snaggy. I do not want to tear it up trying to catch shad. Bluegill work? I saw cut carp is great but I do not feel like trying to catch one. Maybe I will catch one some day, cut the meat up and freeze it.

Yes, Bluegill would work a charm. I've caught quite a few on cut Sunfish or Cut Drum but Shad is easily the best.

Here's the double hook rig:

I suppose I should add how I use it LOL
I typically run that under an adjustable float rig, 1 to 3 feet under the surface. I like to put both hooks into my bait, one at the head and the other at the tail, but I've heard of others leaving the bottom hook bare. That rig's tied with 1/0 Eagle Claw Live Bait hooks and 80lb braid, not for the strength but for the durability as it's going to get absolutely shredded by their teeth. After several fish you may even lose a hook and have to retie.

There are some massive spotted gar in the stretch below the 380 bridge. Unfortunately you can't launch there any longer. My first kayak experience was on that stretch and I stopped in a pool of deep water to fish. Just so happened the spotted gar were spawning in the same area. Needless to say, they did not like me there and after a few rolls bumping my kayak I decided to move out. If you launch at 428, try going as far down stream as you can to find the deeper holes closest to Lake Lewisville. If you can make it to what we call "the bend" then you will be on the best spot in the whole stream.

I have always been told there are monster gar in Trinity River.. Rivers seem to be where they thrive.