Found some gar circling near the surface under an overhanging tree on the Wolf River, Wisconsin. I tried a trick I heard about where you bait a small hook and then use one or two monofilament nooses around the bait. The bony sword makes them difficult to hook so you noose them. It worked.
Some folks use soft nylon rope that they partly fray out,as a lure.When the gar hits it,his teeth tangle in the loose threads well enough to bring him in.
For me,archery,spears or gigs are about the only way to go.There are lots of alligator gar where I am and you can run into some biggies.