Yeah gar fishing can be fun. The heat of the summer is when they are most active down here. I catch them on the Red River stacked up in huge schools. Needle nosed gar up to 50" or more.
I also use the frayed nylon rope tactic but I used a variant on the technique last summer. I made some nylon rope jigs with a 1/2 oz chartreuse head. I took 60lb mono line and cut a 3" piece and tied it to the jig head. (I snipped hook and bent it up to tie line too) At the end of this 3 " mono leader I put a clip style swivel. Now you have a hook less nylon jig with a 3" 60lb mono leader with snip swivel at the end.
I would go catch me some nice small bluegill. (about 3 inches or less) Stock up a nice amount in the live well for bait. Then before you cast your "gar jig" just clip one of those little lively bluegills on your swivel. (kinda like hooking a minnow on a jig, under the chin up through the nostrils)
Pull him in slow and when they hit just keep steady pressure. We caught some hogs this way last year on the river. Just look for schools all piled up in an area "rolling" on the surface.
The other tactic I have used for gar is free lining live bait. You just let the gar take it for a few seconds so you get the hook past his bony snout.
~Fishin' Magician~