Story and Photos By Mark Leigh

e had all the ingredients for a On the appointed morning, Meyer In the course of about 90 minutes, great day of fish - and Huvila each arrived with two fishing Huvila had three hits on his shad-baited ing—a sunny sum - poles—one baited with shad on a bobber pole. Even though he patiently waited mer morning, two and another baited with a rope lure. The as long as 5 minutes before trying to avid anglers, knowledge of gar on the strategy of the day was to cast out the set the hook, he was unsuccessful in Mazon River and a camera to docu - baited hook and rest its pole on a forked landing a fish. ment success. stick and then work their rope lures. Meyer caught the first fish of the day Bill Meyer, a member of Big Brother When a gar strikes a rope lure its on a shad-baited hook, a 2- to 3-pound Big Sisters residing in Morris, and his numerous, sharp teeth get caught in catfish that lifted our spirits. Although he Little Brother Zach Huvila, 14, are fanat - the rope fibers. The sales pitch for this likes to eat catfish, Meyer didn’t have ic gar anglers. The fish of the day was gar lure should be: “Works better than time to clean the fish, so it was released. the long-nose gar, a peculiar-looking a hook, won’t get snagged on logs, Huvila soon had a strike and run on slender fish with an alligator-like snout can’t hurt children—or catch other his baited hook. Waiting, he hoped the in excess of 6 inches. The refraction of species of fish.” fish would make a run from the shoreline, the water makes most of these fish— When a gar hits a baited hook, the ) . n

often sighted sunning near the water’s technical advice is to not set the hook a m r e h surface—appear to be 3 to 4 feet long. immediately. At first, gar run with the bait s i F - n I

Some really are. in the end of their snout, making it diffi - y s e t r u

cult to set the hook. The recommended o c o t o

time to set the hook is on the gar’s sec - h P . ) k c

ond run, which might be after a couple of a J n a M

minutes, when the bait is in or near the r a G /

gar’s mouth. According to Meyer, a fish - m o c . s e i t

erman would be fortunate if able to land i c o e g a gar on 50 percent of the hits. ( a i g r o e G , e l l i

Bill Meyer and Zach Huvila used v s e n i a

both baited and rope lures while G , t t e n r a

fishing for gar on the Mazon River. B k c a J

Hookless gar lures (right) are avail - y b s e r u L

8 / Outdoor Illinois June 2007 able commercially. ( increasing the chances of properly setting Patience is required when removing the hook. When the line started going a rope lure from a sharp-toothed out, Huvila reared back and slammed the gar. Huvila’s 43-inch fish was his hook home. He had the fight of a big gar when one temporarily gives up working on his line—a 43-inch fish and the sec - second-largest catch. their lines to help a friend land a fish. ond largest he had ever caught. Whether for bluegill at the farm pond, As the designated quitting time Huvila plans on returning to another trout in the city park or gar on the river, approached, Huvila caught a gar on his child when he turns 18. spending a few hours fishing with a child rope lure. Fishing for gar—or any other fish—is is a wise investment of your time. Releasing any gar on a rope lure—let an excellent activity for adult volunteers alone the 39-inch fish Huvila caught— to share with youth. Camaraderie devel - requires patience and dedication. If an ops between people who experience the Equipment Loan angler just cut the line and released the wonder of nature together. Cooperation gar with a tangled up snout, the fish is fostered in fishing—choosing a spot to Program would surely die. Cutting the rope lure fish, carrying gear and food, and decid - on’t have the equipment to take a and pulling the strings out is not easy ing when to quit. Courtesy gets a work- Dyoungster fishing? DNR and part - and requires precaution to avoid sharp out, making sure one angler doesn’t ner agencies make loaner fishing equip - ment available at approximately 175 teeth on a fish that could start thrashing infringe too closely to another’s lines or locations around the state. For a list of at any moment. participating sites, visit www.dnr.state.il. Huvila safely released the gar, end - us/fish/index.htm or www.ifishillinois.org, or call (217) 782-6424. ing a memorable morning on the Mazon River and three encounters with long- nosed gar. Although Huvila is a youngster, he has an awareness of how precious his time with Meyer is. Spending time with an adult friend and role model is a favor

any youth are waiting for some - Mone to come forward to be their Big Brother or Big Sister. Many of them love to fish. How about it anglers? Give the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in your area a call, or visit www.bigbroth ersbigsisters.org to learn more.

Zach Huvila released his long-nosed gar, anticipating another outing and a chance to reel in the toothy predator. June 2007 Outdoor Illinois / 9