How to catch garfish  A Complete Aussie Guide by Reedy’s Rigs.

🎯 Target Species

Garfish (a.k.a. gars, sea needles, or beakies) are slender, fast-swimming surface feeders with soft mouths. They’re perfect for light tackle fun and are top table fare when cooked fresh and crisp.

📍 Where to Find Them

• Inshore Areas: Garfish love calm, shallow waters with weed beds or broken ground.

• Common Hotspots:

  • Jetties and piers

  • Estuaries

  • Bays (like Port Phillip or Westernport)

• Best Times:

  • Early morning and late arvo

  • Incoming tides are prime

  • Calm, sunny days with a bit of burley slick

🎣 How to Rig Up for Garfish

To catch garfish effectively, you’ll want to use a micro pencil float rig, built for ultra-light presentations. Garfish have small, soft mouths, so finesse is key — small hooks, light line, and perfect float balance make all the difference.

Start by threading a float stopper onto your 10–12lb mainline, followed by a pencil float. This slim, ultra-sensitive float will help detect even the slightest bite. For extra visibility during low light or night sessions, a glow stick insert can be mounted inside the float.

Below the float, add a few tiny split shots to counterbalance it so that just the tip of the float sits above water. Then tie on two ultra-fine hooks (smaller than size 12) in tandem below the split shots — this gives you more chances when the gar are feeding mid-column or closer to the surface.

✅ Tip: Always test your float setup in a bucket or the shallows to ensure it sits perfectly.

📌 See the diagram below for a step-by-step visual setup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Bait for Catching Garfish

When targeting garfish, bait size and presentation make all the difference. The best baits are live maggots, small prawn pieces, and silverfish (whitebait). These soft-mouthed fish feed near the surface, so you’ll want to use small, fine-gauge hooks and keep the bait natural and subtle.

• Maggots: Hook just one or two at a time through the blunt end so they wriggle freely and attract attention.

• Prawns: Peel and cut into tiny pieces. Thread a small chunk onto the hook so the point is exposed.

• Silverfish/Whitebait: Use whole or cut sections. Hook through the head or backbone to keep it secure without tearing.

✅ Pro Tip: Less is more — avoid overloading the hook. Keep baits streamlined to maintain a natural sink and float balance.

🔗 Perfect Hook & Line Size for Garfish

When it comes to catching garfish, finesse is everything. These fish have small, delicate mouths, so using the right gear makes all the difference.

• ✅ Hook Size: The perfect hook size for garfish is size 12 or smaller (even down to size 14 in clear water).
  These ultra-fine hooks ensure better hook-up rates without spooking the fish or damaging their mouths.

• ✅ Line Size: Use 10–12lb clear mono or fluorocarbon line.
  It’s thin enough to go unnoticed in clear, shallow water, but still strong enough to handle a solid hook-up or multiple fish in a hot bite.

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🌙 Use Small Glow Sticks at Night

Garfish often feed well at dusk and into the night — but seeing their subtle bites in low light can be tough.
That’s where a tiny glow stick inside your float becomes a game-changer. It lets you spot the faintest nibble or movement, especially when they mouth the bait gently before committing. You’ll never miss a bite again.

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🎣 How to Hook a Garfish

Garfish often peck at bait before taking it properly. Here’s how to maximise hook-ups:

1. Use ultra-light gear and a sensitive pencil float.

2. Let the gar nibble — then when the float dips or moves sideways, gently lift the rod to set the hook.

3. Don’t strike hard — their mouths are soft and a heavy strike can rip the hook out.

4. Keep tension on the line as you reel in slowly — they can flick off if you go too hard.

🧄 How to Make Your Own Burley for Garfish

Garfish are visual feeders, but a steady stream of fine burley will get them fired up and hanging around your float all session long. The key is light, slow-release burley that draws them in without filling them up.

 Simple DIY Garfish Burley Recipe:

• Old bread or breadcrumbs (base filler)

• Crushed prawn shells or pilchard frames (for scent)

• Tuna oil or aniseed oil (attractant)

• A splash of saltwater to bind

• Optional: chook pellets, bran, or maggots if you want to level up

Mix until it forms a crumbly, slightly wet texture — not a solid mash. You want it to break up slowly in the water, creating a constant trail.

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🌀 How to Use Burley for Garfish

1. Drift Burley Cage or Onion Bag
   Drop a small cage or mesh bag over the side near your float. Let the current do the work, creating a trail that keeps gars feeding in your area.

2. Hand Flicking
   Every few minutes, flick a small pinch of loose burley around your float — just enough to keep them interested, not overfed.

3. Float with Burley Tube
   Some pencil floats have built-in mini burley tubes — pack a bit of mashed bread and prawn juice inside to trickle scent while you fish.

4. Keep It Fine
   No big chunks! Garfish aren’t gummy sharks — you want a fine cloud of scent and crumbs, not big bait bombs.

🎣 What Rod and Reel to Use for Garfish

You don’t need anything fancy to catch garfish — in fact, any small rod and reel combo will do the job just fine.

Look for:

• A light spin rod around 6 to 7 feet long

• Matched with a 1000–2500 size reel

• Spooled with 4–10lb mono or braid (mono is easier for beginners)

These smaller outfits make the fight fun, let you cast light rigs, and are super easy to handle off jetties, piers, or even in a tinny.

✅ Bonus Tip: Go light — garfish are gentle biters and don’t need heavy gear.

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