What is the best method/rig to catch a needle nose gar, been catfishing these past few nights and they will run with my bait and I let them chew on it for a bit but when i set the hook I get nothing, so what is the best setup, like hook size and type of hook etc.

People use rope with out a hook and do ok. Treble hook would prob be best even though I have no problem catching them with an 8/0 circle hook while catfishing.

+1

Like chase said you can go with a treble hook but circle hooks work good too. Just depends on how hungry they are. If they are hungry use a circle hook it is easier for them to swallow. If they are just jacking with the bait use a treble hook and hammer it home

I've been trying both this year. I was a treble hooker but lately i've been letting the gar decide and using both to see what works that night. It changes every trip. Sometimes more hook ups on the treble and vise versa. Give em both

I used to fish for bass in this river behind my house. While fishing, I would always have needle nose follow and hit my bass baits (spinnerbaits, topwaters, soft plastics). Everytime one would strike my bait I would set the hook and come up with nothing. After about a year of this happening I began to switch my focus from catching bass to catching needle nose. After an internet search I decided to try using the rope method. I took some nylon rope and unwound until it was frayed. Then I threaded a plastic cable tie through a swivel and tightened the cable tie around the middle of the frayed rope. Finally, I sprayed some yum scent on it. After about five minutes of casting and steadily retrieving it, a 3 footer hit it. The rope got wound up so much in its teeth that it took me 10 minutes to cut and untangle the lure from its mouth. There was no way that puppy could of shook the bait free in the water

I didn't try a circle hook but will next time, yeah i was using a treble hook and I would give them about 10-15 seconds to run with it then i would lay the smack down and i would have to duck because i had a 1/2 oz weight and treble hook hauling a$$ right at my head, I been using perch for bait and they are decent size I think I should just let them eat on it more so the hook gets further down to their mouth

Thats the key with needle nose gar, allow them to take it along time.

They have a boney long nose and they take tiny bites to work a minnow back into their throats, the softest part of the mouth.

Allow them to take it 20-30 yards if needed.

I usually use a 3/8" cotton rope about 8-10 inches long that I fray up about 3 to 4 inches pretty good. Soak it in chicken liver blood and then attach it to your line. Works great on the trinity river.

BassAg,
Here is a slant you won't here from anyone.
I was born and raised on Bachman Lake in Dallas and this method worked great for us.

We would take some .015 diameter piano wire, model airplane control line, about 3ft long and a triple hook. Make a small loop with the triple hook eye on the loop. Run the other end of the wire through the loop the hook is on and then put a loop on that end to secure the line too. Pull the now wire hangman noose to about a 6 inch diamenter noose and put a small kink in the wire to make an index point for locking the hangman noose open. Use whatever bait you like on the hook with a clip on bobber for the depth you like. The hook and bait should be hainging down in the noose. Set the hook hard and hang on.

the 1st post has a good article

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...fly#Post4960736

+1

Set a trotline and try to keep them off/away from it. You should have a truck load of them in the morning.

instead of rope try using panty hose.

My best method is to tie a 15 dollar yellow magic topwater lure to 12lb test line and twitch it real slow. The other method is a 20 dollar rico on 12lb test. the more expensive the lure, the more they like them!