The water level here was way down as well and the boat landing was not your usual landing. It was very steep and slick. You had to watch your footing or you'd slip right down it. We, however, decided to try it. We carefully backed down, slipping a little as we neared the water, but did manage to launch the boat. The only trouble was getting back up the hill. Our 4x4 truck just didn't have enough traction on the steep, slippery ground to crawl back up, so Chris backed his 4x4 down, hooked up to us and both 4 wheel drive pickup trucks worked their way up the hill together.

The river was not very wide, but there was a steady current to it. It was muddy, visibility was terrible, and it was full of logs, trees and dead wood everywhere. I was relieved when they said to head up river. That way if we had motor trouble or if we hit a tree, we would at least be able to float back down to our trucks. I didn't know what to think. This was a completely different situation than at Falcon where the water was big but very clear. Here the only advantage I could see was the distance to each bank. In most cases the riverbanks were within shooting range.

It was hot and still. We were all dripping in sweat but kept on fishing regardless. I was with a bunch of diehard bow fishermen, that was for sure.

As we motored up, we saw some gar surfacing but wanted more. We went further and further and finally slowed down to an area with a lot of activity. We went up a bit and drifted back down. No one connected. One fish was continually surfacing near the bank just out of range from the boat, so we dropped Jim off, hoping the fish would come up again. Jim was knee deep in mud before he got to his post. It didn't produce, either.

We moved up to the next pool and finally Jeff connected with a fish. The fight was on. The fish ran hard and fast and pulled nearly all the line out of his slotted retriever reel. Marty and the others came over to give us some pointers and watch a bunch of green horns try to wrestle in this 100# monster. Jeff let him tire some before trying to pull him up so we could try to get another arrow into him. Finally he pulled him up. Three of us were ready to put another arrow into him to ensure we didn't lose him. We all shot, and we all missed a boat side shot. Jeff pulled him up again and this time two of us connected and we were sure we had him now.

After about 20 minutes or so, we were able to pull the fish alongside the boat, snare him and two guys pulled him into our boat. We couldn't believe it. We had finally gotten what we had come here for! He was a 6'2 ½" 105# Texas alligator gar.

After taking care of Jeff's gator gar, we continued on as we had before. We found that working together with the other boat seemed to be the most productive. They would drift through an area first and then we would quietly follow. It seemed that right after they would drift through an area, the gar would surface in their wake just out of range for them but within range for us. We used the first boat as a decoy and the second boat could usually plan on some action and it paid off.

This time Jim connected with a large gator gar. I think we were having beginner's luck. The boat full of experienced gator gar fishermen was not doing as well, but they were sure to come over and watch the excitement. This gar ran hard, fast and deep in an area with a lot of timber. Jim was able to play him out a little while until the fish got wrapped up into some timber. He pulled and pulled and it wasn't budging. The fish would take a little more line and then Jim would try to pull again, but the line was tight. It had to have been wrapped up very well. We worked on this fish for quite some time, and when we were about to give up, a fish surfaced in the middle of the timber right near the boat. It was Jim's fish. None of us were ready for the shot. Finally, we were able to get his fish in as well. It was a 6', 95# gator gar. We were thrilled. We were finally having some luck.

The next day, we were up early as usual and headed back for the river. There was not much action at all. Fish were few and far between. It was hot again and we were not as ambitious as the days before. We went to the same holes that produced the days before, but there was not much activity at all. We separated from the other boat for a while and each did our own thing, but neither of us had any luck. It was our last day anyway, so we decided to pack up and head home early with two nice Texas gator gar. It was an experience I won't soon forget.