I've never caught a gar or a dogfish. I would like to add it to the list this summer. Where would be the best place to fish for them? Northeast Wisconsin is "local" for me and I'd prefer not to travel too far, but I'm not opposed to that either. I just want to catch one of each.
General Fishing Discussion
I want to catch a dogfish and a gar
When I lived in Stevens Point, a friend took me to the backwaters of the SP FLowage. He told me to clean out my tackle box of all of the dud lures that I had and bring them along. The dogfish were on their beds for the spawn. All you had to do was get a lure near them and they'd attack it. Shallow weeds were the ticket and I think it was late spring/early summer. Check to see when they spawn. They are very aggressive and a blast to catch.
Around 35 years ago when I lived in the Wausau area I used to target dogfish on purpose in the shallows of the Eau Claire Flowage. I used Tiny Torpedos and other small floating baits that could be twitched in the open pockets of the weed flats and up in the backwaters. It was always a little creepy when you would get them up in the boat and they would start barking, but they fought like beasts and the hits were explosive.
Mid-summer Mississippi River backwaters are full of Long Nose and Short Nose Gar. I hard part is getting a hook to stick in that narrow beak. A piece of cut bait, with a short section of soft nylon rope that is frayed, will work very well. The cut bait will bring them in and the rope gets tangled in their teeth, so they will not fall off.
Fish one of the flowages and in Late May Early June to catch Dog fish. Jig and Minnow just like you are targeting Walleyes. We catch them on the Willow and Nokomis during this time frame. Catching Gars is a different animal I can't help you on that. Shoot them with your bow.
I've actually started targeting bowfin rather specifically in the last couple of summers while fishing on the Mississippi. You want a fish to wake like a musky? Blow-up on frogs and work you in shallow water? Crush buzzbaits, and other similar top-water options. Bowfin are whatchu want to fish for then...
I almost only use top-water frogs with metal/steal leaders and 30-40# powerpro on a biatcaster setup.
I have no idea how you'd target them up north because they seem to live in rather specific chunks of habitat on the river. I'd go with hot day, shallow water and topping out weed. Not necessarily lily-pads or spadderdock though. Don't seem to target that type of floating vegetation as often it seems.