Hi Steve, I had alligator gar in Louisiana - I think on Clousers but my memory in these things is not the best. I'll find out when I'm back over the weekend.
Paul,
I've tried several varieties of Clousers, mostly in 2014. So it may be worth trying again. I've tried a great many streamers, including the 'rope' fly. I suspect part of my problem is I am casting from shore. A kayak would be ideal, but that's not likely going to happen. I've spent a considerable amount of time watching them for behavioral clues. I've watched a dozen or more YouTube videos, and nothing so far have worked fir me.
The spotted gar in the pond cruise the surface after sun-down, as many as a hundred of them. I've used floating streamers, unweighted sinking streamers, weighted fast sinking, ... I've got an impressive collection in all sorts of colors, too. I lead a surface wake, can sometimes I get the gar to turn towards the fly, but it rarely leads to a strike. I can throw a fly into a group of wakes, and I get them to turn, but again, rare strikes. I've been to the old Intercoastal and the new Intercoastal with locals, and they do bait and a bobber method and have told me that gar don't aggressively attack a live fish. However, I've witnessed several times, spotted gar cruising under a weed patch, and when bream or bass breaks to make a run, I seen 'pike' like speed and attack.
I'm after them, because they're not easy.
I apologize Rick, in holding this conversation with Paul on your thread.
Steve
........John
