TX Bowfishing

[ratlmn]

Robin or Kieth, when is the best time to head for Texas to chase the big buffalo and gar. What lakes would you all suggest, and what do you all look for to find a gar " roll hole"

[Keith@AimLow]

We have been going down in late summer the past few years, however from what Robin tells me, the best time to be on the lakes are when they are flooded in the spring. I have not had the chance to experience this yet. The rolling gar are easy to find if they are up. You can cruise around looking for the gar breaking the surface. Once you find them you can stay with them until they decide to quit rolling. This could be a very short time or a very long time. You can take a look at our bowfishing journal archives, bowfishing journal, to see when and where we did out Texas fishing. I am sure Robin can and will give you more inside as he has way more experience down there than I do.

[Robin@AimLow]

"Best" time is hard to define. I guess I look for best conditions. From a purely big fish standpoint, early spring is best for gar and buffs, but the weather is fickle and windy making it very tough to hit it right. Consistent weather is what makes me go late summer each year now. Wind is your biggest obstacle down there on those big bodies of water.

Any time any of those lakes or rivers flood, you are going to find gar in the flooded brush.

I would recommend looking at the TX P&W website at the bowfishing water body records for a good indicator of what rivers and lakes have good fish. I have focused on Rayburn and Toledo Bend along with some time spent at the Trinity River, but not necessarily because I think they are the best. There are lots of lakes with big buffs, and plenty of big gator gar and longnose gar lakes and rivers also.

Submerged timber in deep water along a channel is a good starting point for roll holes. Even better if the channel makes a sharp bend, or if two major channels intersect. Gar will be rolling once summer has set in for good.

Hope that helps some.