WE USED TO WHEN I WAS YOUNG AT STORMS CREEK, IN IRONTON BY THE OLD BOAT DOCK. A GUY USED TO SELL US PLUGS THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY WAS MADE FROM MOP ENDS, NO HOOKS. THEY WOULD GET THEIR TEETH TANGLED , AND YOU JUST REELED THEM IN. YOU COULD LEAN NEARLY RIGHT OVER TOP OF THEM, AND DROP IT. ALMOST LIKE SNAGGIN. I'VE TRIED IT AS AN ADULT, BUT THEY SEEM SKIDDISH NOW, AND YOU HARDLY EVER SEE THEM. WE NEVER CAUGHT ANYTHING REEL BIG. BUT WE USED TO SEE SOME DECENT PADDLEFISH TOO, BUT NEVER CAUGHT ONE. I'D LOVES TO GET AHOLD OF ONE OF THEM gator gars.
I've caught a lot of them, usually on ballhead jigs and grubs but, I wasn't fishing for them when I caught them. When they come into the area you usually need to just pick up and go somewhere else, they run the other fish off or they quit hitting or something.
i've only caught one, on a hook, and of all things we were panfishing. i was using a yellow or orange rooster tail. we used to buy them at harvey's gunshop. for 25 cents. he had every color , and combination. now they are what 3.99
when my son's were young they loved to fish, but if they caught a Gar, they would run around trying to get someone to take it off the hook!! They called the "TOOTHY CRITTERS".